Calorie Cycling for Weight Loss

Calorie cycling, also known as "calorie zig-zagging" or "calorie shifting," is a dieting strategy to prevent metabolic slowdown due to a caloric deficit, which is taking in fewer calories than needed to function. While ultimately fat loss is determined by being in a caloric deficit, some fitness professionals consider calorie cycling to be beneficial for their clients.

Metabolism and Dieting

• According to Tom Venuto, personal trainer and author of "The Body Fat Solution," when early humans encountered a famine, the body would slow metabolism to a crawl in order to preserve energy and stay alive. The body has not changed. When people put themselves at a caloric deficit, the body will think it is in a famine and slow metabolism, leading to slow weight loss and even the loss of lean muscle mass instead of fat. How much of a deficit a person can be in before this happens varies. At the same time, the only way to lose weight is to be in a caloric deficit. To balance this, the concept of calorie cycling comes into play.

Calorie Cycling

• According to AnswerFitness.com, there is no set rule for calorie cycling, only a principle: the dieter will not eat the same amount of calories every day. This can be alternating caloric intake each day, or eating lower calories for a set amount of time and then, usually for a shorter amount of time, "refeeding" on a higher amount of calories. In theory, this "tricks" the metabolism by implementing normal calories before the body realizes it is in a deficit and slows down.

  According to Leigh Peele, personal trainer and author of "The Fat Loss Troubleshoot," calorie cycling also regulates hormones. She believes that a sustained caloric deficit disturbs hormonal levels and that "refeeds" are necessary to keep them in check.

  Calorie cycling also gives the psychological benefit of allowing the dieter to still partake in social events and indulge in the occasional treat without needing to classify it as a "cheat."

  Venuto also advocates calorie cycling in tandem with carbohydrate cycling, which is the same process applied to carbohydrates. High-calorie days coincide with high-carbohydrate days.

How to Cycle

• Calorie cycling is not set in stone, but some fitness experts have ideas for the best way to cycle.

  Venuto suggests three days of lower calories followed by one day of higher calories. The amount of calories will vary depending on individual requirements. In Venuto's program, a woman who is consuming 1,400 calories on low days should eat 1,800 calories on her high day, while a man normally consuming 2,400 calories should eat 2,700 calories.

  Meanwhile, there is no set law for how to calorie cycle. Peele advises that the high should inversely correspond with the low. If one is at a low deficit, one should also have a high high-calorie day, in order to regulate hormones.

  You can stay on a calorie-cycling plan indefinitely. Many fitness experts such as Leigh Peele, however, say it is unhealthy to remain in a prolonged deficit, even with refeeds. According to her, you should only stay in a deficit long enough to achieve your desired weight loss, then you should quickly return to maintenance level.

Nutrition

• As weight loss is determined by being in a caloric deficit, the kind of food you eat does not technically matter. When you are taking in few calories, however, make every calorie count in order to stave off nutritional deficiencies and fatigue. Eat as much unprocessed, healthy food as possible.

  Chicken breast, broccoli and a small sweet potato, for example, make a well-balanced, highly nutritious meal.

  While not an excuse to dive into a box of Oreos, a high-calorie day offers some room to indulge. For example, using the higher calories towards a pasta dish is a good way to ease some of the stress of dieting and regulate hormones. A high day, according to Peele, also prevents metabolic slowdown.