Calorie Cycling for Plateaus?

Hi all!

I seem to have hit a mini-plateau. I've been gaining and losing the same two pounds for a week and a half. I've already tried drinking extra water and limiting my sodium to account for water weight, and I've been double-checking my measurements for calorie counts. My net calorie goal is only 1240, so I really can't scale it back much more. I do eat back my exercise calories.

I was wondering if anyone has had success with calorie cycling for breaking through a plateau. I really don't want to hover around this weight for much longer.

Thanks!

Replies

  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Sure, you can try 2-3 days of very low intake, followed by a re-feed. You can even do them in the opposite order.

    Seems to help some people, not help other people, only way to find out is to try.
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    It works for me, but your calories are so low that I don't know how you can cycle them much. Some folks can do a day a week of very low calories, though, and I just can't. My body won't take it, lol (migraines are the worst part of the list of symptoms).

    For me, it seems to be having at least one day a week of hitting a tiny bit above maintenance. I only add the lower days to try to average the same goal, but that may not even be necessary. If I ever have time, I might test that for me.

    So you might be OK just having one high day if you are willing to give that a shot. I don't know why it works for me, but it may have to do with leptin signalling? In any case, I have to bounce up occasionally or losing just doesn't work well at all for me. I know I average the same calories each week either way, because I've been tracking it precisely. It's odd, but those are my 2 cents, anyway :) Good luck!
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    its not just going lower, its going over too. I've done it and it works, kinda, but kinda mostly sucks. Look up calorie zig zagging.

    I think a better approach is going on maintenance (set your goal to lose 0lbs per week). Keep it there for a week or 4, then go to lose .5 lbs per week.

    Then find the eat train progress group and ask in there.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    Ok, Here is the deal. Judging that you have what looks like 75 lbs to lose. Your pic doesn't look that fat. I'm guessing your goal weight is 110lbs. This puts you at about 185 lbs. If I'm wrong I apologize.

    You are also 21 years old in college. Go lift heavy, your college should have a gym with a squat rack, it will give you better results that the miley cirus body your heading to..
  • Jericha1992
    Jericha1992 Posts: 80 Member
    Ok, Here is the deal. Judging that you have what looks like 75 lbs to lose. Your pic doesn't look that fat. I'm guessing your goal weight is 110lbs. This puts you at about 185 lbs. If I'm wrong I apologize.

    You are also 21 years old in college. Go lift heavy, your college should have a gym with a squat rack, it will give you better results that the miley cirus body your heading to..

    Well, I'm flattered that my profile pic doesn't show my weight, but my goal weight is 140, which is still towards the upper end of my healthy range (between 110 and 150). My starting weight was 240, and now I'm between 217-18. So unfortunately, I do still have PLENTY to lose.

    I have also been doing some intermittent bodyweight exercises, which may help account for the stall in weight. Still, I just started losing weight two months ago, and I don't feel like I've been at it long enough to have a major plateau. Hoping to nip this in the bud early.

    I've decided I'm going to try zigzagging based on how much I do on a given day. 900 net calories on Tuesday and Thursday (when I sleep in and only have 2 classes), 1500 on Monday and Wednesday (when I'm at my crazy busiest), and the standard 1240 Friday-Sunday. I'll give it a shot for a few weeks and see if it helps. :)