Progressive Calorie Intake?

  • I don't know exactly what to call it, but I wondered if anyone does this. I guess it's like calorie cycling, but on a weekly basis. I'm feeling really unmotivated to torture myself anymore, and want to make it easier.

    So.. I thought about starting out on Monday eating a low amount, then progressively eating more each weekday. I thought this might work from a psychological standpoint, because you can always look forward to eating more the next day, and by the weekend (when I often get more relaxed,) you might not be as hungry. Not sure if it really works out like that in the real world though.

    This is the plan I made up for myself, with an assumed daily burn of 2200 calories. (By the end of the week, 3000 are theoretically burned.)

    Mon: 1200 (-1000)
    Tue: 1400 (-800)
    Wed: 1600 (-600)
    Thr: 1800 (-400)
    Fri: 2000 (-200)
    Sat&Sun: 2000-2200 (-0)
  • I go by my weekly total. I don't have it mapped out but if I over eat on Tuesday I will cut back a few days to make it up. Or if I know I am going out on Friday I will save up calories all week for a splurge. I am still losing slow and steady so I see no problem with your plan.
  • Calorie cycling within a week's time has worked well for me.
  • I calorie cycled throughout losing, and I've continued to do it throughout maintenance. It makes more sense to me for two reasons: 1) I'm hungrier some days than others; 2) I eat out more on weekends, so I need to have mroe calories for those days.

    I say give it a go!
  • Yes, that's is one way to calorie cycle. I have always found it useful. Let us know how it goes b/c that's a interesting take on beating the mental block and feelings of deprivation.
  • The only thing I see that would be an issue (and maybe this is just for me) is that it would be hard to go from 2200 calories on Sunday back to 1200 on Monday. I would think I'd be starving!
  • I agree with JossFit. Dropping 1000 calories would be too drastic for me.
  • It sounds like an interesting plan, if you can get through the Sunday-to-Monday hump. Perhaps go for high-volume foods with low calorie density on Monday, so you'll feel fuller. Let us know how it goes!

    F.
  • I tend to be more motivated on Monday, so wouldn't mind the jump. And yeah, it would be a pretty veggie-laden day. The only possible problem I foresee is being so hungry from Monday's restriction that it haunts me the rest of the week. I don't know if that would happen... I guess there's only one way to find out.
  • How's it going?
  • yeah - let's bump this thread - I'd like to hear how the progression went.
  • I've only just started this week. Coincidentally I'm not very hungry at all, so it's an atypical week for me... I may also restrict evenly through the weekend. Sorry, nothing exciting to report.
  • Good luck, Astrild.