Calorie cycling, or calorie shifting, is a diet that is different from a regular diet. It is an eating pattern where you cycle between a diet with high and low calories. It is about controlling your calorie intake so you can adjust your daily calorie intake by eating low-calorie foods, which can lead to significant weight loss. What exactly is calorie shifting and how does it work? Lets find out more about calorie cycling!

What to Know About Calorie Cycling?

Calorie cycling is a type of diet, where you adjust your body to strive for low-calorie food, so you can control your calorie intake while losing weight. Calorie cycling or calorie shifting is an eating pattern where you switch between high and low-calorie foods on alternative days. Although it is recommended to eat healthy and nutritious food such as fruits and veggies to balance your diet and fulfill your body's requirements.

Calorie cycling is also known as a zig-zag diet. It's better in a way that you dont have to leave all the food you love and stick to a low-calorie diet constantly. It means you can splurge one day, and adjust the calorie intake the next day by reducing calorie intake. To put it simply, you eat more calories one day and fewer calories the next day, so it evens out throughout the week. But does it work? Lets find out if calorie cycling is as effective as other dieting methods.

Is Calorie Cycling an Effective to Lose Weight?

Calorie cycling, also known as intermittent energy restriction is not a diet. It is just a calorie-switching technique where you can achieve your average calorie intake goal throughout the week instead of sticking to the same number of calories every day. Most people dont consider it an effective method to lose weight as you continue the diet as it is, and not adding food restrictions to your life.

Although people may have different opinions about the efficacy of calorie cycling according to research, calorie shifting has multiple benefits. As per research, increased weight loss, better diet adherence, decreased appetite, and a decrease in the adverse hormonal and metabolic changes associated with a typical weight loss regimen are some of the advantages of calorie cycling.

In one study, a group of people started dieting that involved calorie cycling, and continued it for 11 days. After that, they ate regularly for three days, whereas the other group followed a strict calorie-restricted diet and in the end, weight loss results were the same for both groups.

In another study, a group of women spent one month on a low-calorie diet and spent the next month eating regularly, continuing it for five months. In the end, their metabolic rate didnt fall and they lost weight as well as body fat. Three hours of daily exercise was also part of their routine, so it is not clear if either one of them helped with weight loss or following both produced positive results.

How to Implement Calorie Cycling for Weight Loss?

Calorie cycling is better than other dieting methods because it is easier to sustain. You must intake the right number of calories and foods that are required by your body. When you follow conventional weight loss methods, you keep following a restricted-calorie diet for a long time. In return, your body starts going through metabolic and hormonal changes, that are associated with calorie deficit. And if you keep that up for a long time then you will start feeling low daily and will lose motivation for workouts as well as it will be irritable to do daily chores. For your body to perform efficiently, you need calories. Without proper calories and macronutrients, your metabolic rate will slow down, causing lethargy-like symptoms.

If you want to achieve the maximum fat loss benefits from calorie cycling then you must follow the right way to implement the calorie cycling technique. You can follow traditional calorie cycling way. It means 5 low-calorie days and 2 high-calorie days. You can control your portions for 5 weekdays and then increase your calorie intake on weekends. But dont forget to implement medium-calorie days. You can try that on alternative weekends, so you are not at risk of weight gain. This traditional weight loss method may take some time, but it is effective and sustainable in the long run. Here are a couple of weight management tips you should know while following calorie cycling:

• Cycle your carbohydrates so that on days with higher calorie intake, you obtain the majority of your extra calories from them. Because you will require more carbohydrates on training days than on non-training days, this approach appears to be more effective for fat loss.
• Eat two or three days a week and maintain the routine. This will assist your body in adapting to the change in nutrients and calories. Your brain will need some time to process the information and adjust to the changes.

Benefits Of Calorie Cycling:

Calorie cycling has several benefits including fat loss and muscle gain:

• Flexibility leads to motivation: If you can eat whatever you want, you will be motivated to adjust your calorie intake accordingly.
• Weekend perks: You can set your calorie-shifting timetable to get flexibility on weekends.
• Training days: When you work out, you need more strength, so you can switch accordingly. More calories on workout days, and low calories on rest days.

Is Calorie Cycling Effective for Muscle Gain?

Yes, calorie cycling can play a significant role in muscle gain because it makes it possible to strategically control caloric intake to maximize muscle building and maybe reduce fat gain.

How Calorie Cycling Is Better Than Conventional Diet Plans?

The benefit of calorie shifting will be much easier to understand if you know why conventional plans fail in the long run. When you follow a strict calorie-restricted diet, you have to completely stop the food intake with high calories. After months of sacrificing your food cravings, when you finally start eating normally again, it wont take long to regain the weight you lost if you are not careful.

According to a 2001 review, people who lost weight through conventional dieting plans regained more than half of the weight they lost within 2 years. And in 5 years, they regained more than 80% of the weight they lost.

Final Words:

To conclude, calorie cycling is an effective and long-lasting weight loss method as compared to conventional calorie deficit diet plans. It helps you stay energized while being able to work, lose weight, and eat your regular food. It may take some time to achieve maximum fat loss benefits but it is sustainable in the long run if you follow the weight management tips mentioned above. Stay healthy, stay smart!