Calorie Cycling

Elssha
Elssha Posts: 5
in Food and Nutrition
Can anyone give me some more info on this? Does it work, etc?
I've recently realized that while I'm losing weight, I'm starting to eat less than is healthy (I was eating an average of 1100 this past month, with days I'd eat 700 when I wasn't working out/going to school/etc) and I'm worried I've already started lowering my metabolism. Still, I got used to eating under 1200 most days (high days might be 13-1400 max) and the numbers the cycling calculator is spitting out are downright scary (1900! for my 'high' day, and my current 'high' days of 1300 as my low days). I just look at it and immediately see my 180lb self again...
But from what I heard, this is the best way to not force my body into a slow metabolism.
Do I gradually step the calories up (vs just diving into a 1900cal day)
Need info, need guidance and need support. Thanks!

Replies

  • LJSmith1989
    LJSmith1989 Posts: 650
    If your body goes into starvation mode it will cling to fat (so I have been told) and slow your metabalism.

    You eat less than me on a day when I am not even active. I eat 1600 calories on a rest day and sometimes 2000+ on a workout day.

    I suggest you up it. Work out your BMR which is the amount of calories you would use just living and try and stay within that everyday. I think you will still lose weight.

    Goodluck!
  • cchanski
    cchanski Posts: 6
    I've also had this issue in training for competition, generally I weigh 10-15 kg more during the off season than during competition season. When I start losing weight it comes off fast and soon I notice not enough calories going in. When this happens what has worked the best for me in the past is to go over calories by 1000-1500 or even more every 3 or 4 days and slowly add calories on the other days as once I get too low I'm just not hungry or feeling I need them. It seems to shock my metabolism a lot and yet I still continue to loose weight until I'm down to the weight I want.
    Weight maintenance is never a problem once I'm down to the desired weight then also as my body is used to taking in more calories on days if it needs them. My biggest problem is during the rest season I obviously don't cut the calories I should eat when I exercise way less.
  • Elssha
    Elssha Posts: 5
    Not quite the question I had... sorry, maybe I didn't explain well enough >_<
    I was asking about calorie cycling (zig zag diet).
    Calorie cycling is when you have different calorie counts you try to reach on different days.
    Based on your height, weight, age, sex, etc there are claculators that will tell you how much you should eat
    The numbers it spat out without exercise (BMRx1.2) were 1000, 1300 and 1600 for L/M/H days respectively
    The plan for each week (start sat) is M M L H M L H , so weekly average is 1300 per day. For exercise 5x a week the average goes up 300cals, as do each of the 3 values (1300,1600,1900)
    I actually started today (figured might as well start), and it was supposed to be a medium day (so 1600).
    I could barely eat that much! Unless I go binge on something I've not a clue how I can eat 1900 >_<
    Now I'm worried that my metabolism is already shot to hell.
    But do I start with the goals set by this thing, or maybe do the 10/13/16 for a while despite exercise? I mean, on average, the values are still about 100 more than I've done up to now (for the last few weeks, anyway)...
    Sooo confused!
    NOTE; all the values I'm talking about are totals, not net calories since this diet doesn't work with those.

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