Calorie Cycling - article to read and seeking opinions

Kikiqueue

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/calorie-cycling-101


I find this concept really exciting, because I actually find it pretty easy to stick to 1200 cals Mon - Fri, but really hard on the weekend.
The idea of stopping resting metabolism from decreasing sounds pretty good!
Has anyone tried this or have any knowledge/ advice to share? I'd appreciate any input.

JeromeBarry1

That's pretty much the way it works. Some days you manage to stay within your aggressive weight loss calorie budget, some days you don't, then you get right back into your aggressive weight loss budget the next day, or the next Monday.

As long as the energy balance is negative over time, your weight will fall. It's easier to realize this fact in terms of months rather than days because days are subject to all the weird fluctuations of living.

gogetemrogue

Resting metabolic rate decreases with weightloss. Calorie cycling cannot prevent that. Assuming that the weekend protocol is 1000 calorie deficit in during the week and a 1000 calorie surplus in the weekend as described, you would expect your weekly weightloss to be less than .5 lb. However, depending on one's stats the 1,200 calorie minimum for women might not be a 1,000 deficit.

Example: Sedendary 30 year old woman who is 170 lbs and 5'6". Her estimated TDEE is around 1,800 calories. During the week she eats 1,200 calories a day. Those five days give her a total deficit of 3,000 calories. Then the weekend comes, and she eats 2800 calories as described in the protocol. That cuts her deficit down to 1,000 calories for the week. The average daily deficit turns out to be around 143, if my math works out. That's like a .2 lb a week loss that she can expect. Works if you want to go slow and steady, but doesn't seem worth the poverty calories the vast majority of the week.

You can play around with it I suppose...going to maintenance on the weekend instead of 1,000 surplus could save your deficit more. That said, ask yourself if you would be better served setting your loss weight to something less aggressive in the first place. It's a rather personal matter of whether this would work for you, but for me, 1,000 deficit followed by 1,000 surplus would feel too much like disordered eating. Beyond that, a 2 day refeed isn't really enough to prevent the metabolic adaptations observed with a calorie deficit over time.

I think the refeeds and diet break thread that is ongoing around here could probably give you more practical information on preventing less desired metabolic adaptation and staying sane when you are looking at a long long road of weight loss ahead.

fb47

I don't think there's enough evidence showing that caloric cycling is more effective than eating the same calories each day, but you can try if you enjoy eating more on certain days and less on others.

melissa6771

This is pretty much what do every week. I am strict mon-sat and eat higher on Sunday. I would probably go a little higher Saturday night too. I used to do Saturday nights as well and it was great. I just haven't had much going on for Saturday nights these last few months.

You should try it. If it fits your lifestyle better then go for it. You need to figure out which way of eating works for you. I love it. I can't see going back to any other way. I like some freedom on the weekends.

Nony_Mouse

You may like to take a look at this thread: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10604863/of-refeeds-and-diet-breaks#latest

lightenup2016

I didn't read the link, but I do 1450 cal five days a week, and 1850 cal on Fridays and Tuesdays. That's been working great for me. I can splurge a little on those two higher days, or even switch the Tuesday high allowance to another day, such as if we have plans for dinner out. No, I won't lose quite as much as I would at 1450 every day, but this way helps me stick to my overall goal, and I feel better as well.