How the "Weekend Diet" Accelerates Fat Loss and Preserves More Muscle (Strategic Refeeds) | Ep 324

Download the FREE Precision Fat Loss Guide to choose one of 6 strategies designed for your experience, goals, and lifestyle: witsandweights.com/free -- What if shifting WHEN you eat could accelerate your fat loss results? Most of us tackle dieting by reducing calories evenly each day, but research suggests there may be a more effective approach (and it's easy and even fun to implement). Learn about a fascinating study that tested weekend refeeds against traditional daily restriction... with surprising results for muscle preservation and how your metabolism slows down during weight loss. You'll discover how restructuring your weekly calories could significantly impact body composition outcomes, despite creating the same total weekly calorie deficit. Maybe it is about calorie timing after all! Main Takeaways: Traditional daily calorie restriction works, but research suggests strategic timing may offer muscle-preservation advantages The "Weekend Diet" approach maintains the same weekly deficit while distributing calories differently Targeted carbohydrate increases on specific days could help minimize metabolic adaptation Practical implementation requires careful calculation of weekly weight loss targets Episode Resources: Download my FREE Precision Fat Loss Guide Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS Link to 2020 study by Campbell et al. Previous episode: The #1 Reason to Eat More Carbs Timestamps: 0:00 - Traditional dieting vs. the "weekend diet" (carb refeeds) 7:39 - Findings on fat-free mass preservation 9:23 - Metabolic impacts beyond muscle preservation 10:22 - Carbs, insulin, and muscle protein synthesis 12:02 - Anabolic signaling pathways 13:03 - Glycogen replenishment (training hard on Monday!) 15:44 - Psychological factors 16:38 - How to implement the Weekend Diet 21:32 - Leptin, refeeds, and hormones Support the show 📱 Get Fitness Lab - Philip’s science-based AI app for fat loss, muscle building, and strength training for people over 40. It adapts to your nutrition, recovery, and training to improve body composition without guesswork. 🎓 Try Physique University - Evidence-based nutrition coaching and strength training to help you lose fat, build muscle, and master your metabolism with support and accountability (free custom nutrition plan with code FREEPLAN ). 👥 Join our Facebook community - Free fat loss, muscle building, and body recomposition strategies for adults over 40 who want practical, science-backed fitness guidance. 👋 Ask a question or find Philip Pape on Instagram