How’s it going ladies and gents! Today we are excited to share our client and friend, Kali Lorenzetti’s 6 month reverse dieting journey.
For those that don’t know what reverse dieting is, it’s basically where we slowly bring calories back to maintenance levels after prolonged dieting and to help reverse some of the metabolic adaptations that occurred through dieting. There’s really no peer reviewed research on reverse dieting, just mainly anecdotal evidence. Stay tuned as we will be putting together an article on reverse dieting that includes client case studies.
Kali came to us after her show and she was doing the following for over 30 weeks of her prep:
- Fasted cardio
- Excessive amounts of cardio
- Following a meal plan that excluded foods
- She was eating 900 calories per day
Basically, she was mentally and physically drained from her prep. She needed help reverse dieting, so we put her on a flexible dieting nutrition program, removed the fasted cardio and tapered her cardio down to a couple days per week, and programmed her a properly periodized training program.
Stats When She Started With Us:
- Weight: 123 lbs.
- Calories: 900
- Waist Circumference: 28
Stats 6 Months Later:
- Weight: 128.5 lbs.
- Calories: 1870
- Waist Circumference: 27.5
As you can see she gained 5.5 lbs., but that only turns out to approx. 1 lb. /month weight gain. She lost half an inch on her waist which tells us she didn’t gain a lot of excess fat around her abdominal area. So the 5.5 lbs. could have been a combination of increased muscle mass, some body fat, extra glycogen in the muscle, and intracellular water in the muscle. But the highlight of her 6 month reverse diet was she doubled her calories which helps increase her metabolic rate and hormonal profiles.
We were looking to put health first when we game planned her reverse diet and we got just that by doubling her calories. She also created a better relationship with foods through flexible dieting. And to top it off she built strength and muscle mass.
All in all we call that a SLAM DUNK!
We are extremely proud of Kali and we look forward to continue to help her throughout her fitness journey.
See what Kali had to say herself about her 6 month reverse diet.
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To say I was exhausted after prepping for my first bodybuilding show on a restrictive diet and excessive amounts of fasted cardio would be an understatement. Two weeks post show, being prescribed more cardio and cutting more carbs to ‘tighten’ up left me feeling hopeless that I would ever be able to regain normalcy in both my nutrition and workouts. That is, until I decided enough was enough and reached out to Dynamic Duo Training for educated guidance to reverse diet out of my restrictive plan.
Upon receiving my customized nutrition and training plan from DDT, I was in disbelief to think that I could eat simple foods like peanut butter, bananas, and fiber cereal and still see results. This is when I truly had to ‘trust’ the process and trust in the knowledge and experience of my supportive coaches.
After a week on my new DDT plan, a switch had been flipped. With no fasted cardio, the slow increase of carbohydrates and fats into my diet, while maintaining balance at work, socially, and having more time for relationships I felt like a completely different person. My muscles began to fill out, through a detailed, diverse training split I built strength that I never thought possible, I no longer had to take mid-afternoon naps, and I became comfortable with eating out and enjoying food.
Through 6 months of reverse dieting with DDT, I was able to double my caloric intake from 900 to 1800 calories, turn an emaciated, weak frame into a powerful, healthy physique, and learn that food is not the enemy. The mental freedom of not being on a restrictive plan and understanding how to balance meals with whole foods and the occasional treat is something I have deemed priceless. Do not take it lightly when I say that DDT saved both my physical and mental health. I know that I will never find coaching like this in the industry, the coach that checks in mid-week to see how your new macro split is going, the coach who offers emotional support when you feel down on progress, and the coach that leads by example. DDT is not a team; it’s a family that puts health first and foremost for each and every client.
-Kali Dee
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR SERVICES AND HOW WE CAN DESIGN YOU A PROPERLY PERIODIZED TRAINING PROTOCOL AND PROPER NUTRITION PROGRAM AROUND YOUR GOALS, SCHEDULE, PREFERENCES, ETC. PLEASE VISIT US HERE OR CONTACT US HERE FOR A FREE PHONE CONSULTATION.