Reverse Dieting Is Not an Effective Way to Lose Weight — So Why Do People Do It?

Successful, long-term weight loss is a hard goal for many people. While many lose weight, maintaining that loss is often a struggle. Studies suggest that most people who lose more than 10% of their body weight, regain it within 2 years. 

After putting so much time and effort into weight loss, it makes sense that people are searching for ways to prevent weight regain. This could be why the trend of reverse dieting has become popular. The belief is that a slow return to regular eating patterns — after a period of calorie restriction — will give your body time to adjust to a higher calorie intake, minimizing weight regain. 

But does it work and is it safe? We’ll look at what reverse dieting is, how it works, and some pros and cons of following this type of plan. 

What is reverse dieting?

Reverse dieting involves slowly increasing how many calories you eat after following a restricted diet. The goal is to avoid the weight gain that might come from quickly returning to a normal eating pattern. 

Research has shown that a calorie-restricted diet lowers your metabolism and resting metabolic rate. Your body essentially slows down to preserve its energy. This means that if you quickly return to a more normal eating pattern, it may lead to rapid weight gain if your metabolism remains slow.

The idea behind reverse dieting is that a slow reintroduction of calories gives your metabolism time to adapt. As you gradually increase your calorie intake, your metabolic rate slowly increases, minimizing weight regain.

Reverse dieting is a tactic that bodybuilders often use to prevent gaining body fat after a competition. These athletes often follow high-protein, low-calorie diets before a competition to fit into specific weight categories, increase muscle mass, and maintain as low a body fat percentage as possible. 

After their competition, many slowly increase their carbohydrate and fat intake each week. They do this in hopes of restoring a normal balance and slowly regaining weight, while at the same time preserving their muscle mass. 

How does reverse dieting theoretically work?

Your metabolism can slow down when you’ve been on a low-calorie diet. This phenomenon, called “metabolic adaptation,” is believed to happen for several reasons, including:

• Your hormone balance: For example, the hormone leptin helps determine how many calories you burn. Calorie restriction decreases leptin levels, and in turn, lowers the amount of energy (calories) you use. Reduced-calorie diets also may lower insulin and increase ghrelin and cortisol. These changes increase appetite. Thyroid hormones may also decrease with low-calorie diets, which in turn slows your overall metabolic rate.

• You fidget less: All movement burns calories, including unconscious activities like tapping your foot or drumming your fingers. The calories burned by this sort of fidgeting are part of nonexercise activity thermogenesis, or NEAT. NEAT takes up about 15% of your daily energy use. However, during calorie restriction, you may subconsciously stop fidgeting, and this number may drop. 

• Your cells use less energy: Mitochondria are like little batteries in your cells that produce energy. Normally, they leak subatomic particles called protons during this process. This “proton leak” causes you to burn more calories. However, when you’re eating a low-calorie diet, your mitochondria are more efficient and leak fewer protons. This, in turn, means that you burn fewer calories.

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Metabolic adaptation isn’t necessarily temporary. A study looked at contestants 6 years after they appeared on the weight-loss television show “The Biggest Loser.” Many still had the low metabolisms they developed during the show — even when they’d regained their weight. 

The theory behind reverse dieting is that you slowly increase your calories by 50 to 100 a week to a maintenance level to allow your metabolism to return to “normal” and avoid “The Biggest Loser” dilemma. But while metabolic adaptation is grounded in hard science, reverse dieting’s science is much thinner. 

Does reverse dieting actually work?

There’s very little science to support reverse dieting as an effective measure to prevent weight regain. 

“While anecdotal reports of successful reverse dieting have led to an increase in its popularity, research is needed to evaluate its efficacy,” according to an article in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition. Some very small studies have looked at athletes but none on regular healthy individuals.  

One very small study showed that reverse dieting was helpful in preventing weight regain in trained athletes. But this study only included two athletes. And they didn’t use a control group that immediately returned to maintenance calories. So these results are far from conclusive. 

Results of a more substantial, well-designed study are pending from the University of Colorado. 

While there’s little research to support its efficacy, there’s also no indication that it’s harmful. Some people like the structure of a reverse diet. Others find that returning to a more normal eating pattern too quickly may lead to anxiety over rapid weight gain and yo-yo dieting.

Just keep in mind that low-calorie diets can be problematic unless you’re under medical supervision. 

Are there benefits to reverse dieting?

There’s little scientific evidence to support reverse dieting, but it might be helpful for some to work toward a sustainable eating plan. Anecdotal reports and some research on refeeding in athletes indicate there may be some physical and mental benefits as well, including:

• Increased energy

• Improved mood

• Increased metabolism

• Reduced hunger

Of course, many factors affect how successful someone will be in maintaining weight loss. Some of the most promising results in weight maintenance include focusing on behavior changes. People who are able to maintain weight loss are more likely to adopt a variety of healthy lifestyle behaviors, including:

• Continued self-monitoring of eating behavior

• Eating more fruits and vegetables 

• Eating more foods that are lower in fat 

• Reduced eating out

• Eating at regular intervals and not skipping breakfast

• Increased physical activity

• Regular participation in active leisure activities

What are the risks of reverse dieting?

Monitoring your food and calorie intake can be beneficial for those striving for a healthy lifestyle. They may also be helpful when trying to maintain an optimal weight. However, for some people, these habits may lead to serious issues and may be a risk factor for developing eating disorders.

Some of the risks associated with athletes who continue to follow a restrictive, reverse diet post-competition include:

• Anxiety

• Body image concerns

• Weight phobia

• Compulsive monitoring

• Mood disorders

Also, keep in mind that just eating a certain number of calories doesn’t necessarily equate to a healthy diet. Those calories should feature a balance of macronutrients that come from eating a balanced diet. This includes eating a variety of foods including whole grains, fruits and vegetables, lean protein, dairy, and healthy fats.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Laura M. Ali, MS, RDN, LDN

Laura M. Ali, MS, RDN, LDN, is a dietitian and culinary nutritionist with over 30 years of experience. She spent the first half of her career working in clinical nutrition, helping clients manage their health through diet.

Edited by:

Katie E. Golden, MD

Katie E. Golden, MD, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and a medical editor at GoodRx.

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If you or someone you know has an eating disorder, help is available. Call the National Alliance for Eating Disorders’ helpline at 1-866-662-1235 for support and resources in your area.