Calorie Cycling?

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bbabs99
bbabs99 Posts: 51
in Health and Weight Loss
Has anybody had success with calorie cycling? I'm planning on trying it this week.
2200 calories on days when I lift (40% Carbs, 40% Protein, 20% Fat)
1740 on days I don't (30% Carbs, 40% Protein, 30% Fat)
I don't log my exercise but I don't log the vegetables I eat to offset it.
Thoughts?

Replies

  • Gigi_licious
    Gigi_licious Posts: 1,185 Member
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    No. I do not have any thoughts. But I hope you have a fantastic night. Goodnight.
  • bbabs99
    bbabs99 Posts: 51
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    No. I do not have any thoughts. But I hope you have a fantastic night. Goodnight.
    ...k
  • lee3978
    lee3978 Posts: 274
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    LOL. OK.

    Bump

    I'm trying to calorie cycle and just not max out on my total calories for the week end of the day. It's too difficult to eat the same amount every day was starting to stress me out. Haven't put in percentages yet for carbs, etc.
  • michedarnd
    michedarnd Posts: 207 Member
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    It helps *me* I tend to plateau at the drop of a hat, so I started using it to break out of one, and it helped.

    That said, if you are eating back your exercise calories (and actually logging the calories you are burning), you are pretty much doing that, anyway.

    I don't only have a high-exercise/high-calorie cycle, though. Sometimes, I have a high-calorie/LOW-exercise cycle. That's when I get stuck, though.
  • michedarnd
    michedarnd Posts: 207 Member
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    It also gives me a planned time to get in treats that I occasionally crave without breaking out of my diet and stressing myself out about somehow having "failed." As the previous poster said, the same-every-day thing gets stressful, after a while. Weekly totals (if you don't use it as an excuse to pig out!!) are more realistic for the long term -- at least, for me.
  • bbabs99
    bbabs99 Posts: 51
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    It helps *me* I tend to plateau at the drop of a hat, so I started using it to break out of one, and it helped.

    That said, if you are eating back your exercise calories (and actually logging the calories you are burning), you are pretty much doing that, anyway.

    I don't only have a high-exercise/high-calorie cycle, though. Sometimes, I have a high-calorie/LOW-exercise cycle. That's when I get stuck, though.

    I mean, I eat the same amount of vegetables, roughly, everyday, so the calore difference is basically the same, I just figure the amounts offset each other.
  • Ebbykins
    Ebbykins Posts: 420 Member
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    I eat cyclically based on the type of workout I do that day, whether it is a rest day or what plans are coming up later in the week. For instance, on a lifting/strenuous training day I take in 2000-2400 depending on the workout type and I eat moderate carb. On rest days I take in 1500 and eat lower carb. On active rest days I eat 1700 and eat moderate/low carb. On "refeed" days which is technically a term for a cheat meal day, I bump up my calories to about 4000 and pay no attention to carbs. I workout 5 days per week, 1 active rest day, 1 complete rest day and doing this since February took me from 19% to 15% bf without losing muscle in 6 months while actually gaining strength/endurance. :) Google cyclical eating and find something that works for you because it truly is an efficient way of eating, rather than being completely low cal, low carb or eating the same everyday, you constantly keep your metabolism guessing. I also intermittent fast on rest day and active rest day and do fasted workouts though with BCAA supplementation prior to workouts. :D

    *Edit to add, I only eat back cardio/HIIT calories burned, I do not eat back weight lifting calories, I eat a pre planned amount of calories on lifting days depending on the body part, i.e leg day I would eat 2400 because they are large and highly metabolically active muscles, as well as chest, but shoulder/bicep, or back (unless heavy on chins/pull ups)/triceps, type lifting days I would eat 2000 because they are smaller muscle groups and would end up burning less calories more often than not, this helps me create a small deficit in my daily burn/intake.
  • lee3978
    lee3978 Posts: 274
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    I eat cyclically based on the type of workout I do that day, whether it is a rest day or what plans are coming up later in the week. For instance, on a lifting/strenuous training day I take in 2000-2400 depending on the workout type and I eat moderate carb. On rest days I take in 1500 and eat lower carb. On active rest days I eat 1700 and eat moderate/low carb. On "refeed" days which is technically a term for a cheat meal day, I bump up my calories to about 4000 and pay no attention to carbs. I workout 5 days per week, 1 active rest day, 1 complete rest day and doing this since February took me from 19% to 15% bf without losing muscle in 6 months while actually gaining strength/endurance. :) Google cyclical eating and find something that works for you because it truly is an efficient way of eating, rather than being completely low cal, low carb or eating the same everyday, you constantly keep your metabolism guessing. I also intermittent fast on rest day and active rest day and do fasted workouts though with BCAA supplementation prior to workouts. :D

    *Edit to add, I only eat back cardio/HIIT calories burned, I do not eat back weight lifting calories, I eat a pre planned amount of calories on lifting days depending on the body part, i.e leg day I would eat 2400 because they are large and highly metabolically active muscles, as well as chest, but shoulder/bicep, or back (unless heavy on chins/pull ups)/triceps, type lifting days I would eat 2000 because they are smaller muscle groups and would end up burning less calories more often than not, this helps me create a small deficit in my daily burn/intake.

    I was reading about this earlier on Metabolic Effect's facebook page trying to translate as some gets lost in translation for me. I was wondering what the fasts are and fasted workouts with the BCAA supplementation. I felt too stupid to ask on their page since everyone is like super duper advanced with this. Kinda like you lol.

    Oh and then I was starting to read about the carb cycling http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/par30.htm but I'm watching Grey's so I can't get through it fully right now lol.
  • bbabs99
    bbabs99 Posts: 51
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    I eat cyclically based on the type of workout I do that day, whether it is a rest day or what plans are coming up later in the week. For instance, on a lifting/strenuous training day I take in 2000-2400 depending on the workout type and I eat moderate carb. On rest days I take in 1500 and eat lower carb. On active rest days I eat 1700 and eat moderate/low carb. On "refeed" days which is technically a term for a cheat meal day, I bump up my calories to about 4000 and pay no attention to carbs. I workout 5 days per week, 1 active rest day, 1 complete rest day and doing this since February took me from 19% to 15% bf without losing muscle in 6 months while actually gaining strength/endurance. :) Google cyclical eating and find something that works for you because it truly is an efficient way of eating, rather than being completely low cal, low carb or eating the same everyday, you constantly keep your metabolism guessing. I also intermittent fast on rest day and active rest day and do fasted workouts though with BCAA supplementation prior to workouts. :D

    *Edit to add, I only eat back cardio/HIIT calories burned, I do not eat back weight lifting calories, I eat a pre planned amount of calories on lifting days depending on the body part, i.e leg day I would eat 2400 because they are large and highly metabolically active muscles, as well as chest, but shoulder/bicep, or back (unless heavy on chins/pull ups)/triceps, type lifting days I would eat 2000 because they are smaller muscle groups and would end up burning less calories more often than not, this helps me create a small deficit in my daily burn/intake.

    I was reading about this earlier on Metabolic Effect's facebook page trying to translate as some gets lost in translation for me. I was wondering what the fasts are and fasted workouts with the BCAA supplementation. I felt too stupid to ask on their page since everyone is like super duper advanced with this. Kinda like you lol.

    Oh and then I was starting to read about the carb cycling http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/par30.htm but I'm watching Grey's so I can't get through it fully right now lol.

    As far as I know, the taking a BCAA before a workout that is otherwise fasted is that it helps prevent muscle loss.
  • Ebbykins
    Ebbykins Posts: 420 Member
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    I'm not sure if he makes it any easier for people to understand but Martin Berkhan at www.leangains.com was my best resource when I first started eating like this. I used to be the 6 small meals per day kinda person until I started this routine. You can friends me and inbox me anytime to ask specific questions but his page is full of free awesome reading material, straight put and no hidden agenda because he doesn't have a book to push, he rules. :)
  • lee3978
    lee3978 Posts: 274
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    I'm not sure if he makes it any easier for people to understand but Martin Berkhan at www.leangains.com was my best resource when I first started eating like this. I used to be the 6 small meals per day kinda person until I started this routine. You can friends me and inbox me anytime to ask specific questions but his page is full of free awesome reading material, straight put and no hidden agenda because he doesn't have a book to push, he rules. :)

    Oh wow!! My eyes hurt already lol. That's a lot of info but good info. I'm putting this into my weekend reading. I'm still confused what's a fasted workout?

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