Calorie cycling

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GirlGettingFit37
GirlGettingFit37 Posts: 146 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Has anyone ever tried calorie cycling? I was thinking about giving it a try to see if it will help me break through this plateau I have hit for the past 3 months.

http://www.naturalphysiques.com/64/zig-zag-calculator-for-fat-loss-andor-muscle-gain

I found the above website to calculate the calorie cycling. If you have a more informative website to go to please let me know.

Thanks!

Replies

  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    I have been thinking about calorie cycling myself, basically eating my average cal goal 3x per week, -500 2x per week and +500 2x per week. I feel like it will allow me to fuel my workouts, stay in a deficit and be more relaxed on weekends. I am going to follow this thread to see if anyone has any more info or tips.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    Hey thanks. Well I am using it for weight loss/cutting since my bulk is now over (wah wahhhh :p ).

    I am trying not to make it too complicated, maybe increasing my protein and lowering carbs on lower days. My goal is actually to do as little tracking/logging as possible.. so either I log only protein for the week, or only log my low days. Basically I am trying to do anything so I don't have to track my food everyday, haha
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    I have done this for a long time. Now not as much.

    The only thing that will help with a plateau is to get back into a calorie deficit. Calorie cycling won't do that but if it's a lifestyle/adherence thing that makes your deficit easier, give it a try.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    filbo132 wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    I have been thinking about calorie cycling myself, basically eating my average cal goal 3x per week, -500 2x per week and +500 2x per week. I feel like it will allow me to fuel my workouts, stay in a deficit and be more relaxed on weekends. I am going to follow this thread to see if anyone has any more info or tips.

    According to my book, the author suggests to women who are bulking, on off days, you should be in a 125 calories deficit and you split whatever calories you have for the week with the number of workout days which should put you in a surplus on workout days...Mind you, my book is about bulking...not on fat loss, so that's why he suggests only a deficit of 125 calories on off days. Also, he recommends that your offdays has higher fats and that you have lower fats on workout days....So let's say you workout 4 days per week, 32% of your calories on your off days will be fats....and 16% of your calories on your workout days will be fats.

    higher fats would work for those who can eat higher fat amounts.125 caorie deficit isnt really a lot thats 1/4 of a lb.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    I calorie cycle - 4 different levels - protein remains the same (130g), then carbs from 326 to 236 (3 different levels) and 2 levels of fat (66 and 76) - lower carb day is a higher fat day

    This was given to me by the RD I work with and goes in a cycle - I don't tie my workouts to it (had some of my best workouts on low days)
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    filbo132 wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    filbo132 wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    I have been thinking about calorie cycling myself, basically eating my average cal goal 3x per week, -500 2x per week and +500 2x per week. I feel like it will allow me to fuel my workouts, stay in a deficit and be more relaxed on weekends. I am going to follow this thread to see if anyone has any more info or tips.

    According to my book, the author suggests to women who are bulking, on off days, you should be in a 125 calories deficit and you split whatever calories you have for the week with the number of workout days which should put you in a surplus on workout days...Mind you, my book is about bulking...not on fat loss, so that's why he suggests only a deficit of 125 calories on off days. Also, he recommends that your offdays has higher fats and that you have lower fats on workout days....So let's say you workout 4 days per week, 32% of your calories on your off days will be fats....and 16% of your calories on your workout days will be fats.

    higher fats would work for those who can eat higher fat amounts.125 caorie deficit isnt really a lot thats 1/4 of a lb.

    That's because it's for bulking...not cutting...and yes you can eat high amount of fats, there is no limit to the body. The body doesn't care where the calories come from. I eat over 100g of fats on my off days and I am fine.

    I cant eat high amounts of fat as i have a health issue as my liver cannot process fats and cholesterol like other people can without the health issue I have.for you it may be good for me not so much,so that is why I said it would work for those who can eat higher amounts.so yes for me there is a limit to my body and fats.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    Options
    filbo132 wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    filbo132 wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    filbo132 wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    I have been thinking about calorie cycling myself, basically eating my average cal goal 3x per week, -500 2x per week and +500 2x per week. I feel like it will allow me to fuel my workouts, stay in a deficit and be more relaxed on weekends. I am going to follow this thread to see if anyone has any more info or tips.

    According to my book, the author suggests to women who are bulking, on off days, you should be in a 125 calories deficit and you split whatever calories you have for the week with the number of workout days which should put you in a surplus on workout days...Mind you, my book is about bulking...not on fat loss, so that's why he suggests only a deficit of 125 calories on off days. Also, he recommends that your offdays has higher fats and that you have lower fats on workout days....So let's say you workout 4 days per week, 32% of your calories on your off days will be fats....and 16% of your calories on your workout days will be fats.

    higher fats would work for those who can eat higher fat amounts.125 caorie deficit isnt really a lot thats 1/4 of a lb.

    That's because it's for bulking...not cutting...and yes you can eat high amount of fats, there is no limit to the body. The body doesn't care where the calories come from. I eat over 100g of fats on my off days and I am fine.

    I cant eat high amounts of fat as i have a health issue as my liver cannot process fats and cholesterol like other people can without the health issue I have.for you it may be good for me not so much,so that is why I said it would work for those who can eat higher amounts.so yes for me there is a limit to my body and fats.

    Ok, so then just don't do it,lol... I mean it's your body, you know it more than anyone else. But because it doesn't apply to you, it doesn't mean it's wrong what I said. For example, it is recommended to eat 1g of protein per pound....that is a general rule...However, there are people who have kidney issues and therefore cannot eat a high amount of protein, so they shouldn't follow the guideline...but it doesn't mean the guideline is wrong.

    There is no one set guideline for protein some say per lb of bodyweight,some same per lean amount of body mass, and others say per kg some say 0.6-0.8g per lb is enough while others say more. its all going to be trial and error for most people as well. even healthy ones. you have to find what works for you.it helps to clarify some things as a newbie may come here and think they have to do things a certain way when there are many approaches to bulking, the OP asked about calorie cycling to break out of a plateau which you stated wont work for weight loss its only for lifters. calorie cycling may help those who dont lift.
  • JustRobby1
    JustRobby1 Posts: 674 Member
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    People often make things needlessly more complex than they need to be in the context of cutting weight. With the possible exception of folks with rare genetic issues, it does not get much more complicated than calories in. vs calories out. That's it. End of story.

    This maxim has been proven valid in impeccable detail time and again in the scientific literature, regardless of many persistent myths like "starvation mode" and people insisting that the laws which govern human biology do not apply to them. Maintain a calorie deficit and your body has no choice but to eventually respond by getting energy from somewhere, and abracadabra this is reflected in body weight.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    Options
    filbo132 wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    filbo132 wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    filbo132 wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    filbo132 wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    I have been thinking about calorie cycling myself, basically eating my average cal goal 3x per week, -500 2x per week and +500 2x per week. I feel like it will allow me to fuel my workouts, stay in a deficit and be more relaxed on weekends. I am going to follow this thread to see if anyone has any more info or tips.

    According to my book, the author suggests to women who are bulking, on off days, you should be in a 125 calories deficit and you split whatever calories you have for the week with the number of workout days which should put you in a surplus on workout days...Mind you, my book is about bulking...not on fat loss, so that's why he suggests only a deficit of 125 calories on off days. Also, he recommends that your offdays has higher fats and that you have lower fats on workout days....So let's say you workout 4 days per week, 32% of your calories on your off days will be fats....and 16% of your calories on your workout days will be fats.

    higher fats would work for those who can eat higher fat amounts.125 caorie deficit isnt really a lot thats 1/4 of a lb.

    That's because it's for bulking...not cutting...and yes you can eat high amount of fats, there is no limit to the body. The body doesn't care where the calories come from. I eat over 100g of fats on my off days and I am fine.

    I cant eat high amounts of fat as i have a health issue as my liver cannot process fats and cholesterol like other people can without the health issue I have.for you it may be good for me not so much,so that is why I said it would work for those who can eat higher amounts.so yes for me there is a limit to my body and fats.

    Ok, so then just don't do it,lol... I mean it's your body, you know it more than anyone else. But because it doesn't apply to you, it doesn't mean it's wrong what I said. For example, it is recommended to eat 1g of protein per pound....that is a general rule...However, there are people who have kidney issues and therefore cannot eat a high amount of protein, so they shouldn't follow the guideline...but it doesn't mean the guideline is wrong.

    There is no one set guideline for protein some say per lb of bodyweight,some same per lean amount of body mass, and others say per kg some say 0.6-0.8g per lb is enough while others say more. its all going to be trial and error for most people as well. even healthy ones. you have to find what works for you.it helps to clarify some things as a newbie may come here and think they have to do things a certain way when there are many approaches to bulking, the OP asked about calorie cycling to break out of a plateau which you stated wont work for weight loss its only for lifters. calorie cycling may help those who dont lift.

    The 1g per pound is a guideline because we don't know if your body will build muscles at 0,8g...1g is to be on the safe side and I am not forcing anyone to do what I said, I just simply made a suggestion that someone may or may not want to try. I do agree that every individual is different, I simply showed one path, but in life there are many path that can be taken. Just like I hate keto and find it to be a *kitten* form of diet, but if someone enjoys it and it helps them to lose weight, why would I start *kitten* about it and force other people not to do that diet? And by the way, I did mention calorie cycling to be beneficial to only those who lift.
    filbo132 wrote: »
    Calorie cycling is only beneficial for lifters, basically your body gets the most important nutrients on lifting days especially by having a surplus of calories and higher carbs...both helpful when it comes to building muscles efficiently.
    In terms of losing/gaining weight, then I do agree that Calorie cycling does nothing.

    never said you were forcing anyone. just that sometimes newbies come to the boards and a lot of them take a lot of what is said as gospel so to speak and then when things dont work for them they wonder why and either say that X doesnt work or they want to give up. so I just try to help by providing maybe more detail to things, I dont mean to come off rude of condescending or anything if thats what it seems like,thats not my intention. but I will stick to calorie cycling can help with weight loss too,I do eat more on days I workout and less on other days and it has helped me,so it may or may not help others. Im in a deficit so not trying to gain muscle yet.But I do know that for that I will need a surplus.

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