STEP 5 - WHAT'S A DIET BREAK? WHEN DO YOU NEED ONE?

• CHEAT MEALS
• CHEAT DAYS
• CHEAT WEEKS
• FALLING OFF THE WAGON

• CALORIES ARE INCREASED TO MAINTENANCE LEVEL FOR 1-2 WEEKS AT A TIME DURING A DIET.

• A MEANS OF BREAKING PLATEAUS AND OFFSETTING METABOLIC ADAPTATION/SLOWING FROM MAINTAINING A CALORIC DEFICIT.

• YOU SHOULD CONSIDER A DIET BREAK IF YOU HAVE BEEN IN A CALORIC DEFICIT FOR TWO WEEKS OR LONGER.
• IF YOU HIT A PLATEAU LASTING LONGER THAN 2 WEEKS.
• IF YOU FEEL YOURSELF BECOMING LESS ADHERENT TO YOUR DIET AND NEEDING TO "PRESS PAUSE" UNTIL YOU FEEL CAPABLE OF RESUMING.

JUST AS WITH DIETING, YOU WILL 

1. ASSESS YOURSELF

2.  SET A GOAL (DURATION)

3. FIND YOUR NEW MAINTENANCE CALORIES AND FOLLOW THEM FOR 1-2 WEEKS. (SET THE EXCEL CALCULATOR TO ZERO WEIGHT LOSS.)

4. CONTINUE TO CLOSELY MONITOR YOUR FOOD

5. CONTINUE YOUR EXERCISE PROGRAM

6. REASSESS EVERY WEEK