Question: steady or variable cal deficit better?

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Dom_m
Dom_m Posts: 337 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just have a question regarding whether its better to hit the same caloric deficit day after day, or if changing things up is better?

For instance, is it good (more efficient, as in fat loss per time) to have one day a week where you change your target to maintenance? Does that do anything to prevent your body getting used to the deficit intake level? Or do we need to just accept that maintaining a deficit for several months will lower our metabolism and we should wait until we reach our goal before increasing intake again?

Ta.

Replies

  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
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    As with everything in relation to the body for optimum metabolic rate, it grows accustomed to things like exercise and intake. If your body is used to hitting a certain deficit each day, it will start adjusting its metabolism to accommodate it. I feel it's important to shift around calorie intakes as needed. If my body starts asking for more food, I give it more food. At the same time, I'll also put that extra intake to use. It may not be that same day, but maybe over the course of the following day(s).

    Ultimately, it's up to you to decide how you like your progress, but change [good or bad] will definitely shake up the body into doing something different to readjust.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,835 Member
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    I think if someone still has a lot of weight to lose then it won't matter so much but if you are after the last few kg's then it can help to mix it up a bit. for the same reasons anubis609 said.
  • Still_Sossy
    Still_Sossy Posts: 868 Member
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    As with everything in relation to the body for optimum metabolic rate, it grows accustomed to things like exercise and intake. If your body is used to hitting a certain deficit each day, it will start adjusting its metabolism to accommodate it. I feel it's important to shift around calorie intakes as needed. If my body starts asking for more food, I give it more food. At the same time, I'll also put that extra intake to use. It may not be that same day, but maybe over the course of the following day(s).

    Ultimately, it's up to you to decide how you like your progress, but change [good or bad] will definitely shake up the body into doing something different to readjust.


    Very well said, everyone's body and metabolism are different, so you can not really apply one rule to all.

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