Calorie Cycling?

RepswithRyan

What are your thoughts on Calorie cycling for body recomposition? Do you believe in day to day calorie cycling or week to week calorie cycling for preserving muscle and losing bodyfat?

ElizabethKalmbach

I believe in whatever makes compliance to a reasonable nutritional plan convenient and attainable within the context of modern life. I calorie cycle naturally to give myself the flexibility to enjoy parties, vacations, and rest days. It may help me more psychologically than physically, but whatever gets the job done at the end of the day is what I tend to run with.

psuLemon

LvlUpStr wrote: »

What are your thoughts on Calorie cycling for body recomposition? Do you believe in day to day calorie cycling or week to week calorie cycling for preserving muscle and losing bodyfat?

Calorie and/or carb cycling is more about performance improvements. That thought is that if you consume more carbs/more calories on training days, you will have more energy for your workouts. This in turn can increase volume, which could lead to more muscle/strength gains.

deannalfisher

I calorie carb cycle but the only difference from what @psuLemon said is that I make my highest carb day rest or recovery days to allow glycogen to rebuild in my body - then have killer workouts the next couple of days

RepswithRyan

Thank you for the replies.

I'm currently 222lbs and looking to recomp after a long bulk before bulking again. Would my caloric maintenance for a recomp be 3,000 on training days and 3,000 on non-training days?

psuLemon

LvlUpStr wrote: »

Thank you for the replies.

I'm currently 222lbs and looking to recomp after a long bulk before bulking again. Would my caloric maintenance for a recomp be 3,000 on training days and 3,000 on non-training days?

How tall are you? Recomps are long processes and really only ideal for those already fairly lean.

RepswithRyan

psuLemon wrote: »

LvlUpStr wrote: »

Thank you for the replies.

I'm currently 222lbs and looking to recomp after a long bulk before bulking again. Would my caloric maintenance for a recomp be 3,000 on training days and 3,000 on non-training days?

How tall are you? Recomps are long processes and really only ideal for those already fairly lean.

6'1, not sure on all my measurements but chest is near the 50 inch mark and arms at 18-19 inches. Waist is about 33 inches and I don't want it to get any bigger from bulking but don't want to lose strength or muscle from a cut either.

Side flex.

psuLemon

So there are definite things you can do while you cut to help minimize strength loss. I wouldn't even worry about muscle loss. As long as you are training hard, not going aggressive on your deficit and eating adequate protein, it's unlikely to occur. It's more common when you have large deficits, poor training and not enough protein.

Do you have an ultimate aesthetic goal? I often find that when people have one, especially within a given timeframe, recomp isn't the ideal situation.