I naturally calorie cycle a bit. Between 1200 and 1600 calories usually, with one day that's a bit higher.
Although one week I had a lot of events so I ended up alternating back and forth between about 2000 calories and 1200 calories. I lost 3 pounds that week!
I know that there are much more strict calorie cycling plans. I just try to mix it up by a few hundred calories every day.
I find I can eat about 1800 cals on average and lose steadily, but I usually try to aim for 1600 in case I miscalculate. However, I normally allow myself anywhere between 1200 to 1800 per day. I do notice that if I allow myself a day every few weeks of larger calorie portions, I will lose faster once I bring it down again.
But in the end, the equation still works out about the same since I also have some fairly low cal days too.
My calorie range is 1200 to 1500, but I allow myself to go up to 2000 one day on the weekend. I don't know if it helps me lose more weight, but it helps me not feel deprived by giving me a "free" day. My goal is to maintain a 1600 average, since that's how many calories I figure I would need to eat to maintain at my goal weight.
I have a friend who makes the best spaghetti I've ever tasted, with meatballs AND sausage in a sauce that cooks all day. He only makes it now and then, and it's such a treat that I will ignore my calorie limit to have dinner with him when he does. Every single time, I notice afterwards that I lose instead of gaining. I've started calling it the miracle spaghetti
I just switched to the zig-zag diet about a week ago and have swore by it ever since. It got me out of a 2 week long stretch of not losing to finally losing 2.5 lbs just by "cheating" (going over by 200-400 calories) once or twice last week.
Thanks for all the input! I'm having a little worry - my appetite is currently adjusted to be happy on 1200 calories. If I go up on certain days, will it be more of a struggle to go back down on the lower days? Anyone experience this?
Well Sharon, I don't know how great this is but when I "cheated" and went up 300 calories in one day, I kind of added calories by indulging in a can of soda which is about 120 cals and ate a slightly larger breakfast in the morning. Spreading it throughout the day, it shouldn't be hard to add the extra cals and then take away the extra cals the next day. An extra 100 or so calories can be as small as a tablespoon of peanut butter...
I think calorie cycling helps prevent plateaus or helps to break through a plateau. However, I am not sure if you actually lose more weight in the sense that true calorie cycling simply means you eat your targey weekly goal at different daily calorie levels. So if your weekly calorie goal was 14,000 instead of eating 2,000 every day one day you would eay 1,800 then the next 2,200 etc. But if weight loss is calories in vs calories out, at the end of the week you are still eating the same number of calories. However, I think if you look at it from the perspective that it allows you to lose weight more consistently so you reach your goal quicker then, 'yes' I will say I have lost more (i.e. back in May I plateaued and lost 3 pounds total that month, I calorie cycled at the same weekly calorie levels and lost 8 pounds the next month).
Thanks for all the input! I'm having a little worry - my appetite is currently adjusted to be happy on 1200 calories. If I go up on certain days, will it be more of a struggle to go back down on the lower days? Anyone experience this?
I agree with rblace. I think it depends 'how' you are adding those calories. For instance let's say you have a turkey sandwich for lunch Monday, on Tuesday you can add avocado to that sandwich and increase your calories by a couple hundred (depending on how much you put), or you can have a hearty PB&J sandwich. You are not necessairily eating 'more' but you are eating more calorie dense foods. Some people increase their calories by doing this. Some go out to eat once a week and don't monitor the calories in the meal knowing it'll be pretty high but eat well the rest of the week. My friend alternates between 5 or 6 meals every other day and basically eats the same but just eat a little more on her 6 meal days. So you can increase your calories without increasing your appetite. Now if you go all out and eat everything in sight every other day, then I think you may make it difficult for yourself on the lower calorie days. I don't really know anyone that calorie cycles that way.
rblace and Deanna, that makes a lot of sense! I was thinking I could "sneak" calories in - make oatmeal with milk instead of water, put some shredded cheese on my salad, etc. Little treats that I usually cut out to stay on target!
Calorie Cycling?
