Reverse Dieting After a Cut or Bodybuilding Competition: Why Staying on Plan Matters More Than Going Wild

You’ve just finished a cut or stepped off stage after a bodybuilding competition. You’re lean, exhausted, proud - and very, very hungry. After weeks (or months) of discipline, the urge to “finally relax” and eat everything you ‘missed’ can feel overwhelming. But this window after the cut is one of the most sensitive periods for your physique, metabolism, and even your mental relationship with food.

That’s where reverse dieting comes in.

What Is Reverse Dieting?

Reverse dieting is a structured, gradual increase in calories after a fat-loss phase. Instead of jumping straight from deficit to surplus, you slowly add calories back in to allow your metabolism, hormones, training output, and appetite signals to stabilise again.

Why You Shouldn’t Go Wild After a Cut

Going straight into free-for-all eating can feel tempting, but it often leads to:

1. Rapid Fat Gain

After a long deficit, your metabolism is suppressed, hunger hormones are dysregulated, and your body is primed to store energy. A sudden massive calorie surplus often leads to a rebound, where fat gain happens extremely quickly and usually much faster than muscle gain ever could.

2. Water Retention and Bloating

High carbs and sodium intake after restriction can cause the body to hold water. Many competitors would panic if they see the scale jump 5–10 lbs in a few days.

3. Digestive Upset

When you go from clean, consistent foods to high sugar, high fat, and processed meals, your gut may rebel. Cramping, nausea, and irregular digestion are common.

4. Mental Fallout

Going wild often brings guilt, shame, and the feeling of being “out of control.” That can spiral into binge–restrict cycles that can undo months of discipline.

5. Loss of Training Quality

Inflammation, poor digestion, and inconsistent energy can leave you feeling sluggish in the gym instead of primed for a productive offseason.

Why Reverse Dieting Works

1. It Lets Your Metabolism Come Back Up Smoothly

A controlled increase in calories will help raise metabolic rate, improve hormone function, and stabilise hunger levels without excessive fat gain.

2. You Maintain More of Your Hard-Earned Conditioning

Post-show or post-cut, you’re in your best shape. Reverse dieting helps you maintain leanness longer and transition into a more productive building phase.

3. You Build Sustainable Habits

Reverse dieting reinforces the structure that helped you succeed. You learn how to eat normally again without the “all or nothing” mentality.

4. Your Training Gets Better

Adding calories strategically improves strength, recovery, and performance - exactly what you need heading into an offseason.

5. You Stay in Control

Instead of feeling like food owns you, you remain in the driver’s seat. That alone is life-changing for many athletes and I have found the best thing for me after a cut is to stay ‘on plan’

What Staying “On Plan” Really Means

It doesn’t mean you never get to enjoy food again. It means:

• You transition slowly and intentionally

• You add calories week by week (I would recommend 50–150 kcal at a time)

• You keep protein consistent

• You maintain your regular routine meal times

• You continue training

• You pay attention to biofeedback (feelings of hunger, fatigue, digestion, mood)

  
  

But What About Cravings?

Totally normal. You’ve been dieting hard.

I enjoyed a couple of ‘sweet treats’ the day or two after the show and that’s me done…back on plan to reverse back up to a ‘normal’ daily calorie intake.

Instead of going wild:

• Add planned treats into your macros

• Use higher-calorie days for social events

• Avoid trigger foods in the early weeks

• Focus on whole foods and protein to keep fullness and digestion stable

• Stay hydrated and listen to your body - post-show water rebounds can feel like hunger

  
  

The goal isn’t to avoid all fun food; it’s to integrate it in a way that doesn’t derail you.

Tips for a Successful Reverse Diet

1. Make a Weekly Plan

Increase calories gradually, monitoring weight, mood, and performance.

2. Track Your Food

This prevents accidental overeating and gives you data to adjust.

3. Set New Goals

A reverse is easier when you shift focus to:

• Performance

• Strength

• Muscle gain

• Recovery

4. Stick to Routine

Consistency in meal timing helps regulate hunger and digestion.

5. Work With a Coach If Possible

Your body is unique. A coach can help you navigate fluctuations without overreacting.

Feel free to message or email me for more information, I have spaces now available for competition prep coaching at competitive prices.

Lucie@cookfitness.co.uk

6. Be Patient

Your appetite may stay high long after your calorie needs increase. That’s normal. Hormones take time to rebalance.

The Mindset Shift: You’re Not “Done” After the Cut

The biggest mistake people make is treating the end of a cut like the finish line.

In reality, the reverse diet is Phase 2 of the plan.

A well-executed reverse builds the foundation for your next muscle-building phase, your next show, or simply a strong, healthy, consistent lifestyle.

How you handle the first six weeks after a cut often matters more than how you handled the cut itself.

Final Thoughts

Reverse dieting keeps you in control, protects your health, and sets you up for long-term success - physically and mentally. Going wild might feel good in the moment, but just remember it will not lead to outcomes you’ll be happy with.

Give your body the respect it earned.

Feed it with intention, not impulse.

And remember: the real champion isn’t who looks best on stage - it’s the one who can handle the discipline!