Reverse Dieting: Does the trending weight loss technique actually work?

In recent news, a prominent TikTok user EricaMarie.fit shared about reverse dieting on the short-form video hosting platform. The dieting method that has been trending for quite a while now involves training the mind to eat a little bit more and still not gain weight.

What is ‘Reverse Dieting’ all about?

Eating more “does not mean stuffing your face with anything and everything”, said Sohini Banerjee from Kolkata’s Fortis Hospital and Kidney Institute, adding the goal of this dieting method is to not gain back weight after dieting.

Reverse dieting is basically a post-diet eating strategy that slowly increases the calorie intake over a certain period to prevent weight gain as one fully returns to their earlier calorie levels. This controlled approach has been popular in the bodybuilding community for quite a good number of years now to prevent rapid weight gain after a competition.

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How does it work?

“The reverse dieting period can’t go on forever,” stressed Dr Shrey Srivastav from Sharda Hospital, adding “you need to practice it for 4-10 weeks, until you reach your target weight.” It is usually recommended to increase daily calorie intake by 50-150 calories every week from what a person is consuming at the time to maintain weight.

Benefits of a reverse diet

• Getting to consume more food

Reverse dieting allows all to consume more food. As the calorie intake is slow, the method keeps fat gain to a bare minimum while boosting the quality of life and general mood.

• Emotional and mental well-being

Suppressed calorie intake for a long time is anything but mentally draining. Reverse dieting, on the other hand, allows one to conveniently exit the calorie deficit.

• Avoiding rapid weight gain

One of the common errors scores of people make after the conclusion of a diet is to catch up on the old eating habits immediately. This typically results in rapid weight gain.

But remember …

It’s necessary to keep doing cardio exercises during this entire controlled eating pattern, urged Banerjee. It is common to feel hungrier during this period, the consultant dietician said, adding “you can always choose to bump food/calories up faster, but the hunger is temporary.”