I had a question... I've seen it posted before about fluctuating your calories... calorie cycling or something like that.
Do you think it really works? I'm not really interested in doing it, per se... but more for general knowledge.
Not the same thing, but similar. Say you go out to eat and eat HORRIBLY... is it okay for you to drastically cut back calories the next day in order to "compensate"? Technically that's what calorie cyclers do, just not as drastically.
Example: You normally eat 1600 cals a day. You go out to eat, share an appetizer, have an entree, share a dessert. WHOA-- your total calories for the day top out at 3300!! Is it okay to drop the next days calories to 1200 and then continue your normal 1600 for the rest of the week?
I do that for days where I go over (i.e. I "mitigate" over the next few days), but I have a friend who does it regularly, to "trick" her metabolism into "not settling." I'm not sure I believe that, though.
I shoot for a good weekly average. That seems to work better for me and my lifestyle. Dinner are "on the run" atleast 3 nights a week and it gives me flexiblity. It still seems to work - I am cutting calories - some days just more than others. And the 3300 cals dinners are pretty much in the past as I am making better decisions. Choosing an appetizer or a dessert, but not both as in the past. I'm not sure that answered your question, but I hope it helps.
Calorie cycling is a perfectly acceptable approach (and often it seems that life forces you into it anyway). But the idea of being 'drastic' about anything makes me nervous.
I'd say you would be better off: 1. not going completely crazy during your dinner out. Live a little, but don't double your daily calorie intake. You shouldn't gain, but an episode like that will stall or slow your weight loss for the week.
2. compensating with smaller deductions from a series of other days: ie, eating 100-200 cals lower every day for 5 days rather than trying to make up the deficit all in one big hungry day. So that, as Deb says, you focus on the weekly average rather than the daily. The trouble with what you're describing is that it very much resembles a binge-punish cycle, and that can be dangerous, unhealthy and self-perpetuating. I think that, ideally and over the long term, you want to have a balanced and healthy relationship with food that doesn't turn on punishing yourself with deprivation. The unhealthy binge-punish thing is not conducive to lifelong maintenance.
I wouldn't do calorie cycling for me personally. I don't think it would agree with me. Consistancy is better I think for your body in the long run. Basically I've figured out how many calories it takes to maintain my ideal body weight. I start eating that at the beginning and plan to for the rest of my life.
I've been calorie cycling for 8 months and I LOVE it!
I do:
Sun: 1800 (30 min intense cardio every other Sunday)
Mon: 2000 + 30 min intense cardio and strength training
Tue: 1400
Wed: 2800 + 60 min intense cardio and strength training
Thu: 1200
Fri: 1500
Sat: 2100 + 30 min intense cardio and strength training
Averaging 1829 calories per day, plus a free/cheat day every 2 weeks in place of the 2800 cal day. I've lost 80 lbs doing it this way and plan to do it for the rest of my life. It gives me so much wiggle room!
Last edited by j3nn dot net; 02-23-2008 at 03:05 AM.
It doesn't work for me. Eating higher on one day stalls my weight loss for days afterward, maybe even leads to a gain. So, it's pretty individual I guess.
It's been working for me. I have dieted so much that my body catches on quickly and i hit plateaus. So I found what I needed and have some days lower and some days higher. I was nervous because I did Medifast last month at 800-1000 calories. I was able to take my calories up to between 1,200 and 1,800 this week and still lose 1.5. I don't go nuts at any time, this is planned with healthy choices and empty calories to get to a total. Also, I try to eat every 3 hours and include protein.
I think zig zagging your calories is fine; a good way to shift your metabolism. Your body gets used to anything if that's all you do. If it holds true for exercising, I figure it holds true for calories. You had a 3300 calorie day? Don't sweat it. A day like this once in a while is a pleasant trip; normal if you ask me. It's when it becomes more like you're a freqeunt flyer on the food plane -- watch out. I agree w/FN's post above though, sometimes it's easier to keep the status quo if you're likely to chow down too much. Try it and see how it goes. Nothing is written in stone.
Personally, I fluctuated from 1200 to 1600 calories (i was very inactive) a day, some days were as low as 1200 for example and others were around 1600, but the average was 14-1500..and if i did have a high 1600 than the next day would be more around 1200....I never went binge crazy...if I treated myself or over treated myself it was only a bit...cause I think its a slippery slope...its hard I think, for myself to physically regain myself after a huge binge...the blood sugar levels...i think the body starts to immediatley crave high sugar stuff or what have you..so i try to be moderate about it... I speak from experience...I binged...and well..have been binging for the past 6 months...and now am going to start counting again...(perhaps increasing the calorie count based on my physical activity and need)...so yeah...thats my opinion on going over the top with calories....i think all in moderation...is the best route to follow... Good luck!
I don't follow a specific schedule (i.e., so many calories on this day or that day) but my calories do fluctuate. I started calorie counting on Jan. 7 of this year and in 7 weeks I've lost 12 pounds. I fluctuate between 1700 and 2400 and have averaged 1900 calories a day over the 6 weeks. This is all without starting an exercise plan yet. I find that targeting 2000 a day, but allowing myself wiggle room, keeps me from feeling deprived and makes sticking to my plan easier. My goal is to move my average down to 1700-1800 a day, which I hope to accomplish as I add more fruits and veggies into my diet.
Hi, new here.
I have been trying the calorie counting thing for a few weeks now and it seems to be working great. But I do tend to zig zag calories like this. I am seeing a nutritionist and she keeps on about intuitive eating and listening to what my body is trying to tell me. Some days my intake hovers around 1000 calories and the next day its around 1500. I am not going hungry at all and my nutritional balance is ok, so I am kinda thinking this method is what my body wants. I go back next week, so I figured I would ask about that.
High one day, low another? Does it work?
