Any benefit to calorie cycling?

Sophsmother

I'm in a weight-loss program through an area hospital for the next 12 weeks. As part of the program, I meet monthly with an exercise physiologist.

At my first appointment, she gave me an exercise evaluation and work-out plan. Her clients include both overweight people like me, but she also has clients that are body builders and all things in between.

So she told me that a lot of her buffer clients calorie cycle and carb cycle to "shake things up." I'm not interested in carb cycling, but am wondering what benefit there is to calorie cycling? Does it help you lose weight any easier or is it used for some other reason? I just did't get the whole idea of "shaking things up."

joolsmd

They cut (calorie deficit) to lose fat then bulk (calorie surplus) to feed their muscle building. Non-weightlifters like us shouldn't bother with that until we're at or near our goal weight.

maroonmango211

I do it, not for any weight loss purpose other than some days I prefer denser foods and some days lighter foods and end up having a difference anywhere from 100 cals to almost 1000 depending on exercise and hunger. I also like to save up a couple hundred a day for the weekends since social eating and drinking is something we do on occasion. To me as long as it balances out weekly its all good.

ETA: By balance out I mean still in my intended deficit for 0.5 lb a week weight loss. Not for any ramped up metabolism or anything.