The Cycle Diet: When, Why, and How to Use Refeeds and Cheat Days to Optimize Metabolism and Stay Lean Year-Round

First: the cons. This book needed a basic read-through, so loaded is it with typos, sentences that aren't coherent, and so on. This is not just a question of spelling errors, though there are plenty of those. The whole book reads like the transcript of a talk, and the typist hasn't caught everything and has made some mistakes, as well. Distracting and pointless. Surely someone could have proofread the proofs? The lack of attention to the text makes it seem rushed and slapdash and undermines its authority. No one is asking this author to be a great literary stylist, but his sentences should at least be grammatical and they ought to make sense.Another thing that struck me was that in his example meals, he suggests up to a full carton's worth of egg whites, and never any full eggs! Seems a very strange prejudice for someone so well up on nutrition. Not only are whites untasty (unless in meringue!) but they lack the inexpensive, extremely high-quality protein of the full egg, i.e. the yolk. Eggs are hardly high in calories, either. Anyone wishing to cut calories at breakfast or any other time should just have fewer eggs. But they are doing themselves no favours by tossing out the yolks.Pros: This guy does know what he's talking about. Page after page delivers lived-through, tested, helpful and unusually straightforward talk about how to lose fat and keep fit. The book has a refreshingly friend-to-friend sense of confiding the truth about this reality -- and it's not fundamentally contradicted by anything I've known, lived, or read. On the other hand, why present the overfeed (or 'refeed', which I prefer as a term) as involving a dozen doughnuts at breakfast? Is that what eating as you like really consists of? You can't trust Abel to raise the tone or offer a gourmet's view: he won't.An interesting and useful perspective, even if you have other plans for yourself. But he really ought to come out with a new edition: and READ it first, this time.

Wow, where to start. For those who are already familiar with Scott Abel's quality of content, they might laugh at being able to relate to the shock one gets when first encountering the outstanding quality of Scott's work.First I'll start with the review of this book, then I'll proceed with praise for Scott, and lastly my prospects as a follower of Scott.1. I'll start saying I've never finished a book so fast in my life. I'm 22, 5'5" (1.65m), 144lbs, weightlifting from 15-20 with no idea how to train, 20-22 strength/hypertrophy training. As you may imagine, I too have struggled with obsessive dieting, and an adapted and damaged metabolism. I'm a slow reader but I could not put this book down for my life whenever I got free time after working and daily life duties. The book is extremely well structured (very easy to follow), and the integrity and quality of work is outstanding. This book covers the importance of biological feedback ("Biofeedback"), and how it can be used to optimize one's metabolism in the pursuit of cosmetic (fat loss/definition) improvements.Scott makes the important, perhaps the most important, point that any diet should place metabolism FIRST, before weight loss.In addition to covering the promise of this book - the Cycle Diet philosophy, how and why it works, and how to implement it - Scott's integrity throughout the book is remarkable. Scott addresses his concerns for publishing the Cycle Diet in a book as it's so easy to take advice out of context and the idea of Cheat Meals can cause collateral damage in some readers if wrongly implemented. He also points out some ' fitness truths' about dieting/metabolism and how it's so hard to educate because these truths simply do not sell. People want quick bandaid fixes, which leads to my next praise: Scott knows people and psychology. And this book has several psychological guidance by Scott. He addresses some biases and psychology during dieting efforts, and selflessly notes the importance of having a coach for those who struggle with psychology back-end of dieting (which he points out to be 99% of people... an example of Scott's integrity: he addresses the truth people don't want to face in how psychology can be, though not impossible, a very deceiving element in assessing physiological needs).2. I think I've unavoidably praised Scott in part 1 of this review, but I will add a few last things that I feel are worth noting. I've followed many modern/contemporary fitness figures and philosophy. Most notably the fitness movement in YouTube and the dieting/lifting philosophy promulgated by the current trending fitness public figures like Chirstian Guzman and the Alphalete Athletes, Gymshark Athletes, and Greg O'Ghallager's Kinobody. Ive followed the dieting philosophy and observed a positive impact, but a very big negative one as well. I believe the current philosophy on dieting hurts more people, psychologically (food and Macro obsession) and physiologically (metabolic damage), than help people. Scott's work explores with detail and expertise the missing part of the puzzle in modern fitness philosophy: metabolism and psychology. I will give him credit and point others his way at every opportunity I get. Scott is the MOST underrated fitness author.3. As to my prospects: this was my first time reading Scott's work. Naturally, I was at first skeptical of his credibility. I thought "His ideas sound logical and insightful... but how can he have such a small following? Could it be that his salespage and accolades are deceptive? Could it be his work doesn't deliver the promising content?". But as I checked in periodically I decided to try out reading the Cycle Diet. While I already had positive prospects for the quality of his work, I was blown away when I actually read how he delivers himself and his expertise. Cannot praise and thank Scott enough. I'm starting "Intro to MET" and have ordered 2 other books by Scott via Amazon. I'm very excited to have found Coach Abel and look forward to learn as much from him as I can.That's it fellas. Long but honest review about Scott Abel.To Scott: if you read this, Mr. Abel, I want to thank you for overdelivering on your work. I'm getting more value than I pay for and cannot express enough gratitude and appreciation for your selfless work. I look forward to catch up with your works and fitness philosophy. Best wishes to you, sir. God bless.

Scott abels is a master in his writing. I have been following his work for 10 years and it not only makes sense, but it works. I don't go full on with the cycling but in my cycle day I have one extremely high spike meal. I notice that applying these principles, my sleep is better and I perform better in the gym. I also notice that I have been in supercompensation for a really long time. It be we occurred to me to have a super high calorie day. But I works. The caveat is that you must be in S.C. signs for me were frequent urination, intolerable/ insatiable hunger, and increased hunger even after a solid meal. My mental faculties are more on point and yes, I'm comfortably lean. It's a great read. I don't eat junk food I my cheat days....simply more of what I normally eat....a lot more and perhaps a serving of a dessert. That's all I need.

I had recently lost a great deal of weight using a system that I came up with on my own over years of trying things that did not work and trying to find a long term option that I could do. I wanted to lose weight and keep it off not just reach a goal weight and gain it right back. I came across Scott Abel and this book, read it, and what a wonderful, confirming, enlightening point in my life. I was able to slowly modify what I had been doing to incorporate Scott's plan from this book and make it work for me. I am at a weight I have never sustained as an adult and have kept my weight off for longer than I ever have in my life. Scott's approach has been a big reason for this success. He helped me realize that my journey is a life journey and not a sprint to a weight goal. I need a daily commitment and dedication to myself to remain successful and his plan has helped me do that.

I like Scot Abel's teaching very much and the way he comes across. The cycle diet is explained well and seems very do-able. Best of all were all the case studies (many of them were seriously ripped dudes) which explained in detail how they followed the diet and what they ate on their re-feed days.

Great read!!!you can learn so much!

Good read

Scott Abel is one of the most thought- provoking, knowledgeable fitness professionals I’ve ever come across. His dedication to understanding the psychology and physiology of the human body shows in the quality of his content.Scott is able to display his content in a manner that is both simple for everyone to understand and implement into their daily lives. His methods/ techniques are proven effective based off his ability to achieve great results. After reading this book, you’ll be provided the tools in achieving and maintaining a leaner scultpted physique.

One major thing I took away from this book and more importantly am now starting to apply in my life is how I treat my relationship with food, in other words to stop with the guilt, shame and so called suffering whether I am eating a chicken breast with rice or a double cheeseburger. In other words, there is a time and place for everything as long as it is well planned, prepared, and executed. Oh and learn to enjoy not only the reward, but the journey there.