Energy balance
Intermittent diet breaks (one week of energy balance every two weeks) during a 25% energy deficit do not improve body composition or resting metabolic rate compared to continuous energy restriction in resistance-trained females.
If you are a resistance-trained woman, taking one-week diet breaks every two weeks during a 25% calorie deficit will not help you lose fat or preserve muscle any better than dieting continuously for the same total time in deficit. You can use breaks if you psychologically need them, but do not expect them to save your metabolism or muscle mass compared to sticking to the deficit continuously.
Thus, diet breaks do not appear to induce improvements in body composition or metabolic rate in comparison with continuous energy restriction over six weeks of dieting...
Why this rating
Randomized controlled trial with resistance-trained females, though short duration (6-8 weeks).
Source
The Effects of Intermittent Diet Breaks during 25% Energy Restriction on Body Composition and Resting Metabolic Rate in Resistance-Trained Females: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Madelin R. Siedler et al. · Journal of Human Kinetics · 2023
DOI 10.5114/jhk/159960
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