Do Diet Breaks Really Help You Lose More Weight?

Can Eating More Periodically Offer A Metabolic Advantage

So, you’ve been grinding away at your diet, eating less, moving more, and dreaming of the day you can dive face-first into a cheeseburger. But wait—what if I told you there’s a way to take a break from all that calorie counting without completely derailing your progress? Enter: diet breaks! AKA diet reverse.

What’s the Deal with Diet Breaks?

When you're on a typical weight-loss plan, it's all about sticking to a calorie deficit day after day—like a marathon with no finish line in sight. But with diet breaks, you get to pause the race for a bit! Instead of constant calorie restriction, you alternate between periods of dieting and breaks where you eat just enough to maintain your current weight. Think of it as a "rest stop" on your weight loss journey where you can refuel (literally and figuratively).

Now, don’t confuse this with intermittent fasting, where you restrict when you eat (like eating only between 12 PM and 8 PM) or avoid food on certain days. Diet breaks and “refeeds” are more about managing how much you eat.

Essentially, it's about giving your brain’s energy-regulation center a chance to hit the reset button.

The Study: What’s the Science Say?

In a recent research review (with a bunch of fancy charts and stats), 12 different studies put diet breaks to the test. The studies ranged from four weeks to a whole year, with participants from ages 21 to 60, both male and female, some lifting weights, others barely lifting their remotes. It was a real mix—a veritable salad of participants!

So, what did they find? Everyone lost about the same amount of weight. Whether they were dieting straight through or taking breaks, the pounds came off. They also lost a similar amount of fat while keeping their muscle (yay for those gains!).

**Image source**

Effects of a 1-week diet break on fat mass, body weight, fat-free mass, resting energy expenditure, and hormonal regulators thereof.

However, Constant Dieters’ Found Their Metabolisms Tanking More

People on constant diets saw their metabolism slow down a lot more than those taking diet breaks. Their Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)—the calories you burn just by being alive—dropped by an average of 92 calories per day. For the diet break crowd? Only 39 calories per day. So, while both groups slimmed down, the non-stop dieters were also turning into calorie-burning sloths.

Why Should You Care About Metabolic Slowdown?

Imagine your metabolism is like a little campfire. Constant dieting is like tossing less and less wood on that fire until it’s barely flickering. But with diet breaks, you get to toss a few more logs on the fire now and then, keeping it burning brighter. In plain English, fewer diet breaks mean your body becomes super-efficient at running on less fuel—great for surviving a famine, not so much for looking awesome in a new pair of jeans.

For those classified as overweight or having obesity, the difference was even more noticeable. Their RMR dropped by 106 calories per day with constant dieting, compared to just 39 with diet breaks. That's the difference between your metabolism saying "eh, I’ll burn this muffin" versus "nah, I’ll save it for later."

You may have seen this referred to as metabolic adaptations or adaptive thermogenesis.

The Bottom Line: Should You Try Diet Breaks?

Dieting can suck sometimes—like, really suck. No matter how you slice it (carb pun intended), you’re still eating less than you want to. The average dropout rate in the studies was around 23%, which means nearly a quarter of people tapped out early, even with researchers cheering them on.

So, what’s a dieter to do? If you’re struggling to stick with a constant diet, adding in some diet breaks might just be the “easy mode” you need. They’re not a magic bullet (sorry!), but they could help you keep your sanity—and your metabolism—from crashing and burning.

A Fun Takeaway: Breaks Make You Ripped!

Another perk of diet breaks? More energy! You know that extra pep in your step you feel after a weekend of guilt-free eating? That’s because food is energy, my friend. A study from 2021 showed that after a diet break, participants had more endurance in their quads and hamstrings.

So, if you're planning a super intense workout or just want to lift your mood (and maybe some weights), a diet break might be just what the doctor—or at least your gym buddy—ordered.

Wrap-Up: To Break or Not to Break?

Diet breaks might not be the holy grail of weight loss, but they could make your journey a bit more bearable. It’s like giving your body a little vacation while still keeping your eyes on the prize. So next time you’re feeling the grind of that never-ending diet, consider scheduling a break. Your metabolism (and your sanity) just might thank you!

Resources

1. Rosenbaum, M., and R. L. Leibel. 2010. Adaptive Thermogenesis in Humans. International Journal of Obesity 34 Suppl 1 (0 1): S47–55.

1. Poon, Eric Tsz-Chun, Jaclyn Hei Tsang, Fenghua Sun, Chen Zheng, and Stephen Heung-Sang Wong. 2024. Effects of Intermittent Dieting with Break Periods on Body Composition and Metabolic Adaptation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrition Reviews, January.

2. Ash, S., M. M. Reeves, S. Yeo, G. Morrison, D. Carey, and S. Capra. 2003. Effect of Intensive Dietetic Interventions on Weight and Glycaemic Control in Overweight Men with Type II Diabetes: A Randomised Trial. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders: Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity 27 (7): 797–802.

3. Headland, Michelle Louise, Peter Marshall Clifton, and Jennifer Beatrice Keogh. 2019. Effect of Intermittent Compared to Continuous Energy Restriction on Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance after 12 Months in Healthy Overweight or Obese Adults. International Journal of Obesity 43 (10): 2028–36.

4. Peos, Jackson J., Eric R. Helms, Paul A. Fournier, James Krieger, and Amanda Sainsbury. 2021. A 1-Week Diet Break Improves Muscle Endurance during an Intermittent Dieting Regime in Adult Athletes: A Pre-Specified Secondary Analysis of the ICECAP Trial. PloS One 16 (2): e0247292.