im thinking of calorie cycling...

dme1977
dme1977 Posts: 537 Member
in Food and Nutrition
but at 1600 for my highs and 1200 for my lows...

I would do two 1200 days followed by a 1600 day...

anyone have any comments on if this will work.....

Replies

  • tbresina
    tbresina Posts: 558 Member
    I am really interested in this too, hope you get some responses from someone who has tried it!
  • SuffolkSally
    SuffolkSally Posts: 964 Member
    Don't know but I'm doing it too, both days within a week and as a pattern over longer periods - not exactly intentionally! But I'm aiming to eat somewhere between my BMR and my TDEE, and allowing it to vary as long as the majority of the time it's on the lower end. Be pleased to swap notes!
  • autumnk921
    autumnk921 Posts: 1,374 Member
    Try out this site....It will calculate everything for you, even the zig zagging of your calories....From what I know it is good to do b/c it keeps your body guessing & keeps your metabolism roaring...HTH!!

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
  • summergirl73
    summergirl73 Posts: 70 Member
    go to www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm there was a thread on here last week about this. Just started it myself and hoping it will work. Others seem to be getting results and the calculator will figure it out for you. Good luck
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
    That works really well for me, OP (except I tend to alternate every other day, unless I went way over my calories, then I'll do a few 1200 in a row). I aim for 1500 on my higher days. Sometimes I am higher, sometimes lower. It's definitely not perfectly done. Off days tend to be days when I am very hungry or days that I go out to a restaurant and have to guesstimate food. But I like it because the 1200 days give me some wiggle room for the days I go over. I try to do my workouts on the higher calorie days.
  • harlanJEN
    harlanJEN Posts: 1,089 Member
    Greetings!!
    I've had great success eating more to weigh less. Info is within my open profile.
    With that said, as I'm getting closer to my goals I'm finding I need to mix things up a bit. Giving our bodies a "diet break" by eating at maintenance - TDEE - is beneficial.

    I'm taking a rest week from lifting this week ...then next week I will be eating at TDEE for 2 weeks then back down to modest deficit. My numbers will be 2200 and 1800.

    Not sure yor body weight, BMR or TDEE #s , but 1600 and 1200 sounds too low to me.

    My profile is open with links to info, calculators, etc at the Eat More to Weigh Less group

    Jen
  • tmarie2715
    tmarie2715 Posts: 1,111 Member
    I've tried it. It worked so well! I am not cycling right now, but it helped me break a plateau. Best site ever (other than MFP, of course):
    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

    I called it zig zagging. I think you see that term elsewhere on MFP, too. ;)
  • ronanoo
    ronanoo Posts: 37 Member
    Do the days matter or can i switch around, i'd prefer the 2342 on extreme fat loss to be a thursday rather than a wednesday

    Maintenance Fat Loss Extreme Fat Loss
    Monday 2617 2094 1952
    Tuesday 2094 1952 1952
    Wednesday 3141 2513 2343
    Thursday 2617 2094 1952
    Friday 2356 1952 1952
    Saturday 2879 2303 2148
    Sunday 2617 2094 1952
  • sarahkittymeow
    sarahkittymeow Posts: 146
    It worked very well for me when I had a lot of weight to lose (40-60 lbs) but once I got close to my goal weight it seemed to lose it's efficiency. But yes it works!
  • to_the_surface
    to_the_surface Posts: 38
    Marking for later reading.
  • dme1977
    dme1977 Posts: 537 Member
    I guess WHY I thought this was a good idea was :

    #1. I have hit a plateau even though i brought UP my calories...
    ( I WAS doing 1000 the first 2 months before I brought it up to 1200 the last month and two weeks.)

    #2. I went back through my nutrition for the past 3 months ( in your tools if you didn't know) and I have a pattern of a splurge day about every 11 days, but most of the other days were ranging about the same...and i understand that after awhile your body gets used to that amount of calories and stops losing..

    and

    #3. i had read about it somewhere but their lows were WAY too low and their highs WAY too high...
    I thought if i could balance it out a little better it could be do able...
    hate that it doesnt let you fluctuate your calories on here... so every few days it will look like I have gorged myself...but what it wont be saying is that amount is my ACTUAL maintenance calorie level.... and the lower calorie level is the lowest that is suggested to lose weight...

    but its MY diary so who cares if anyone has a cow over it...hahahaha
  • dward2011
    dward2011 Posts: 416 Member
    I do it and it works great so far. My high days are 1500cal and my low days are 1300 cal. I also keep up with my exercise regardless of which day I am on, but like to use the 1500 day when I know I need it (ie: date night, dinner out, etc).
  • dme1977
    dme1977 Posts: 537 Member
    Thank you for the site info... it looks easy peesy.
  • gingercookie94
    gingercookie94 Posts: 40
    Not meaning to be ignorant but what does TDEE stand for?
  • Josephina57
    Josephina57 Posts: 170 Member
    Not meaning to be ignorant but what does TDEE stand for?
    total daily energy expenditure
  • hpetzold77
    hpetzold77 Posts: 7
    Think I am going to give this a try as well I have hit another plateau and its driving me crazy. Thanks for the info about the zig zagging.
  • dme1977
    dme1977 Posts: 537 Member
    so do I leave it at the HIGHER or LOWER calories in my food diary???
    I know at the higher calories it adjusts the macros UP and I dont want the option to over carb myself on my low days because I have the calories set to the higher calorie level.
  • c8linmarie
    c8linmarie Posts: 358 Member
    so do I leave it at the HIGHER or LOWER calories in my food diary???
    I know at the higher calories it adjusts the macros UP and I dont want the option to over carb myself on my low days because I have the calories set to the higher calorie level.

    Look at the notes section in my food diary to see what I do for high cal days
  • c8linmarie
    c8linmarie Posts: 358 Member
    Greetings!!
    I've had great success eating more to weigh less. Info is within my open profile.
    With that said, as I'm getting closer to my goals I'm finding I need to mix things up a bit. Giving our bodies a "diet break" by eating at maintenance - TDEE - is beneficial.

    I'm taking a rest week from lifting this week ...then next week I will be eating at TDEE for 2 weeks then back down to modest deficit. My numbers will be 2200 and 1800.

    Not sure yor body weight, BMR or TDEE #s , but 1600 and 1200 sounds too low to me.

    My profile is open with links to info, calculators, etc at the Eat More to Weigh Less group

    Jen

    lol. I don't know what your stats are, but our numbers are almost exactly the same! Mine is: 2200/1700, lifting 3x/wk
  • dme1977
    dme1977 Posts: 537 Member
    so do I leave it at the HIGHER or LOWER calories in my food diary???
    I know at the higher calories it adjusts the macros UP and I dont want the option to over carb myself on my low days because I have the calories set to the higher calorie level.

    Look at the notes section in my food diary to see what I do for high cal days

    awesome...that makes TOTAL sense....
  • dme1977
    dme1977 Posts: 537 Member
    thank you everyone for ALL of your help...
    i found my 3 calorie cycling numbers for the week... ( I started yesterday so Im on week 1 day 2 at this point)
    one high , , one low and one regular ( for my fitness and activity level)
    those 3 numbers, then repeat...with the last day being a low day also...
    I am going to try it for 2 months and see how it goes...
  • 1989Angela
    1989Angela Posts: 14
    I'm starting this week. Today is my first day, so we'll see:)
  • dme1977
    dme1977 Posts: 537 Member
    thank you everyone for ALL of your help...
    i found my 3 calorie cycling numbers for the week... ( I started yesterday so Im on week 1 day 2 at this point)
    one high , , one low and one regular ( for my fitness and activity level)
    those 3 numbers, then repeat...with the last day being a low day also...
    I am going to try it for 2 months and see how it goes...

    after one week of not seeing any result and feeling hungrier than before i think im just going to go back to my high fat burn and one splurge day every 10 days...
    << just until i reach my goal weight ,...10 more pounds...then I will resume calorie cycling for maintenance mode>>>
    *i will check in then*

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