Fluctuating Calorie Intake... Good or bad?

I have read some places that it is good to fluctuate your calories weekly. For example

Monday:1600
Tuesday:1200
Wednesday:1700
Thursday:1500
Friday:1300
Saturday:1500
Sunday:1600

I heard it is good to keep your body guessing. But is this a good way to do it. I know I have
a really hard time keeping on a solid 1600 a day limit. I kinda want to do a varied calorie intake but what is your guys opinion? (the amounts were just random examples.. I dont think I would use those numbers)
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Replies

  • ThePolishExperiment
    ThePolishExperiment Posts: 32 Member
    as long as your not going a couple of hundred either way, then its fine, it will be the average of the week that really counts, if your averaging your weight loss calories, then you will be fine, if your way over on your average, then you need to look at it and address the problem or find out where the problem is. Hope that helps.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Not really, how does your body guess?

    If you associate this with activity it might help on performance otherwise just do whatever is easier to adhere to.
  • allikat93
    allikat93 Posts: 236
    as long as your not going a couple of hundred either way, then its fine, it will be the average of the week that really counts, if your averaging your weight loss calories, then you will be fine, if your way over on your average, then you need to look at it and address the problem or find out where the problem is. Hope that helps.

    Okay so what you are saying is as long as I average 1600 (my goal calorie intake at his time) at the end of the week it is all good?
  • allikat93
    allikat93 Posts: 236
    Not really, how does your body guess?

    If you associate this with activity it might help on performance otherwise just do whatever is easier to adhere to.

    I suppose guess isnt really the right word.. More like it cant get use to the same thing all the time. Like how you have to change up your work outs so your body doesnt get use to it.. Does that make more sense?
  • Oishii
    Oishii Posts: 2,675 Member
    I think fluctuating calories is the most natural option, and I let it happen by itself when I was losing.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    As long at the end of the week your average net calories from week to week are the same.
  • This could definitely be good if you enjoy having a treat day, on a high-cal day, you could be able to fit in that chocolate bar you've been craving without destroying your week because you make up for it on a low cal day.
    Or it could also be good for not getting bored in general;
    You might not have a big enough cal budget on a 1200 day to eat your favorite lunch, but on another day it will feel like a treat, so you're always switching up what foods you eat.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    It's good if it helps gym performance and adherence. In itself, there is no direct impact on weight loss.
  • allikat93
    allikat93 Posts: 236
    Just looked at my weekly charts and I have been under my weekly caloric goal every week. So I guess Im not doing too bad. I just feel like crap if I go over the limit I set myself. I hate seeing that red number.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    Just looked at my weekly charts and I have been under my weekly caloric goal every week. So I guess Im not doing too bad. I just feel like crap if I go over the limit I set myself. I hate seeing that red number.

    I kinda like seeing the red number when it's on protein. wonder if that's actually good, tho?
  • lovinmyselfagain
    lovinmyselfagain Posts: 307 Member
    I have read some places that it is good to fluctuate your calories weekly. For example

    Monday:1600
    Tuesday:1200
    Wednesday:1700
    Thursday:1500
    Friday:1300
    Saturday:1500
    Sunday:1600

    I heard it is good to keep your body guessing. But is this a good way to do it. I know I have
    a really hard time keeping on a solid 1600 a day limit. I kinda want to do a varied calorie intake but what is your guys opinion? (the amounts were just random examples.. I dont think I would use those numbers)

    It's called calorie cycling. And apparently it does help with boosting your metabolism, since your body never knows how many calories to expect on any given day, it can't stabilize/slow down, etc. As long as you meet your weekly calorie goal, you can fluctuate your calories daily. I discovered this accidently during the holidays, when my calories were all over the place. I lost more by unintentionally calorie cycling, than when I was eating the same amount of calories daily. Google "calorie cycling" to learn more info...
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    It's good if it helps gym performance and adherence. In itself, there is no direct impact on weight loss.
    It's called calorie cycling. And apparently it does help with boosting your metabolism, since your body never knows how many calories to expect on any given day, it can't stabilize/slow down, etc. As long as you meet your weekly calorie goal, you can fluctuate your calories daily. I discovered this accidently during the holidays, when my calories were all over the place. I lost more by unintentionally calorie cycling, than when I was eating the same amount of calories daily. Google "calorie cycling" to learn more info...

    ^these two statements appear to be in direct opposition to one another? Confucius say...please clarify.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    It's good if it helps gym performance and adherence. In itself, there is no direct impact on weight loss.
    It's called calorie cycling. And apparently it does help with boosting your metabolism, since your body never knows how many calories to expect on any given day, it can't stabilize/slow down, etc. As long as you meet your weekly calorie goal, you can fluctuate your calories daily. I discovered this accidently during the holidays, when my calories were all over the place. I lost more by unintentionally calorie cycling, than when I was eating the same amount of calories daily. Google "calorie cycling" to learn more info...

    ^these two statements appear to be in direct opposition to one another? Confucius say...please clarify.

    I have never seen anything outside anecdote that indicates that calorie cycling impacts weight loss. Refeeds at a low body fat do however. Most calorie cycling does not vary enough to be a refeed. The OP is not lean enough to see a direct benefit from a refeed anyway (sorry OP :flowerforyou: ) and the cycling is not extreme enough to actually be considered a refeed in this example in any event.
  • allikat93
    allikat93 Posts: 236
    @sarauk2sf
    No hard feeling. I appreciate your honesty. I posted my pic in your bodyfat estimate thread in your group. Which I love btw. :)
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    I have never seen anything outside anecdote that indicates that calorie cycling impacts weight loss. Refeeds at a low body fat do however. Most calorie cycling does not vary enough to be a refeed. The OP is not lean enough to see a direct benefit from a refeed anyway (sorry OP :flowerforyou: ) and the cycling is not extreme enough to actually be considered a refeed in this example in any event.

    No hard feeling. I appreciate your honesty. I posted my pic in your bodyfat estimate thread in your group. Which I love btw. :)

    Thank you. To be honest, the most important thing is adherence and how you feel. What will make this easier? If varying your calories will, then do that.

    When cutting, I varied my calories based on my lifting days - more calories for lifting and less for not lifting. I liked it from an energy perspective but also it enabled having a couple of 'more relaxed' eating days in the week. I still tracked, but I could eat with less restriction on calories - that helped adherence for me.

    Edited to fix quotes
  • allikat93
    allikat93 Posts: 236
    I have never seen anything outside anecdote that indicates that calorie cycling impacts weight loss. Refeeds at a low body fat do however. Most calorie cycling does not vary enough to be a refeed. The OP is not lean enough to see a direct benefit from a refeed anyway (sorry OP :flowerforyou: ) and the cycling is not extreme enough to actually be considered a refeed in this example in any event.

    No hard feeling. I appreciate your honesty. I posted my pic in your bodyfat estimate thread in your group. Which I love btw. :)

    Thank you. To be honest, the most important thing is adherence and how you feel. What will make this easier? If varying your calories will, then do that.

    When cutting, I varied my calories based on my lifting days - more calories for lifting and less for not lifting. I liked it from an energy perspective but also it enabled having a couple of 'more relaxed' eating days in the week. I still tracked, but I could eat with less restriction on calories - that helped adherence for me.

    Edited to fix quote


    I guess it does make me feel better. Lol. What do you think my bf% is? I know it is high. Kinda scared to know.. But it is good info tobhave. :)
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
    I think fluctuating calories is the most natural option, and I let it happen by itself when I was losing.
    You are correct. That is why I believe in macros ranges instead of static macros.
  • tachyon_master
    tachyon_master Posts: 226 Member
    Eh. For what it's worth, I do calorie cycling. And I've lost over 50lbs, and am at 15% BF.

    It worked for me in combination with some hardcore cardio training and heavy lifting.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member

    I guess it does make me feel better. Lol. What do you think my bf% is? I know it is high. Kinda scared to know.. But it is good info tobhave. :)

    I will respond in the thread more fully and with a better answer but to be honest, it is really hard to assess with any degree of accuracy above about 30%. What really matters is that you are doing the 'right things' to lose weigh and that the weight is as much fat (as opposed to muscle) loss as possible.

    Eat at a reasonable caloric deficit, get enough protein and do some resistance training, and you will be doing everything you can to get your BF% down. Longer term trends in scale weight (4 weekly cycles to take out water weight fluctuations as much as possible) as well as measurements and the mirror will tell you if you are making progress.
  • allikat93
    allikat93 Posts: 236

    I guess it does make me feel better. Lol. What do you think my bf% is? I know it is high. Kinda scared to know.. But it is good info tobhave. :)

    I will respond in the thread more fully and with a better answer but to be honest, it is really hard to assess with any degree of accuracy above about 30%. What really matters is that you are doing the 'right things' to lose weigh and that the weight is as much fat (as opposed to muscle) loss as possible.

    Eat at a reasonable caloric deficit, get enough protein and do some resistance training, and you will be doing everything you can to get your BF% down. Longer term trends in scale weight (4 weekly cycles to take out water weight fluctuations as much as possible) as well as measurements and the mirror will tell you if you are making progress.


    Yeah. Could I friend you? I have a huge lack of modivation/support here at home. I try to stick to a diet.. Then the bf brigs home something I have a hard time resisting (mainly sweets) and I get knocked off track for weeks. :(