A reverse diet is commonly referred to as “the diet after the diet.”
It’s been popular for many years in the bodybuilding scene as a way to gradually increase calorie intake after a competition in efforts to avoid rapid weight regain.
Further, it has exploded in popularity in the general population as a segue between a low calorie diet and resuming normal eating. In theory, a reverse diet allows you to eat more food while preventing fat regain after weight loss.
While it sounds promising, you may wonder if this eating strategy works or if it’s another fad diet.
This article tells you all you need to know what a reverse diet is and how to reverse diet.
What is reverse dieting?
Reverse dieting is a strategic eating plan that involves gradually increasing your calorie intake over a few weeks or months to allow you to eat more food after a diet while also increasing your metabolism and preventing fat (re)gain.
This style of eating was first popularized in the bodybuilding community as a way to prevent rapid weight regain after a competition. During bodybuilding competitions, athletes must follow very strict and unsustainable diets to achieve their desired physique.
Once the competition is over, they return to more sustainable, higher calorie eating styles. However, quickly returning to a much higher calorie intake may lead to rapid fat and weight gain, since the body’s metabolism decreases during the restrictive periods.
