What Is Calorie Cycling?

Q: What is calorie cycling? I’m going to take a guess and say that it’s a type of cardio workout on an exercise bike to help you get lean. Am I close?!

A: Ooooooooh, that’s a good guess but it’s nowhere close to what calorie cycling is!

So what is calorie cycling?

That’s simple…

To lose weight, you have to be in a negative energy balance, or calorie deficit. Most people achieve this by going on a diet that has them take in fewer calories than their body needs because it’s a more practical approach than increasing physical activity to burn more calories than are consumed. Calorie cycling — also known as calorie shifting, zig-zag dieting, and intermittent energy restriction — is nothing more than a way of structuring a deficit, though the practice isn’t exclusive to weight loss and can be applied to gaining and maintaining weight or implemented for performance purposes.

As opposed to eating a static amount of calories every day to sustain a calorie deficit, calorie cycling adds a dynamic element by alternating between high-calorie and low-calorie days.¹The approach usually calls for an increase in calories on the most active days and a reduction on those where there’s not as much activity. Apart from that distinction, there are no set parameters on how to do calorie cycling and many methods exist. Some examples are provided.

As illustrated by the brief display of examples, there are different ways to cycle calories. For instance, you can have only higher and lower calorie intake days or also include days for moderate calories. Also, depending on your preference or the protocol that’s used, the total number of high, low, and moderate calorie days during a week can differ, as well as how the specific intakes are calculated and what macronutrients should be added or reduced on the days they’re implemented. Regardless, at the most basic level, calorie cycling involves varying calorie intake in a manner that still places the body in a calorie deficit for the week.

Under a calorie cycling construct, the same amount of calories are consumed during the week as would be when a set number of calories are taken in every day. That being so, there’s no significant difference in weight loss results between the two, as both ways of facilitating a deficit produce similar results despite the claim that calorie cycling is better for weight loss because the calorie fluctuation helps prevent the metabolism from adapting and burning calories at a slower pace as calorie restriction continues.

Given that sustaining a deficit by means of calorie cycling isn’t better than a traditional diet with regard to outcomes, you may be wondering what’s the advantage then. Concerning that, the benefits of calorie cycling include the potential leeway to enjoy the weekends and social events with the scheduling of high and/or moderate calorie days. In addition to offering flexibility, calorie cycling may also help alleviate hunger and cravings by reducing the feeling of restriction. It’s for those reasons that calorie cycling might be better for some individuals because the strategy makes it easier to adhere to than a diet with continuous calorie restriction.

Now, does anyone else have a fitness or nutrition question of their own that they want to ask?

Glossary: caloric deficit, calories, cardio, diet, fitness, macronutrients, metabolism, nutrition, results, weekend, workout

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Monster Longe

Monster Longe is a personal trainer and online coach in San Diego. He's helped hundreds of people lose weight, build muscle, and become more attractive to their loved one so they don't have as strong of a desire to cheat on them anymore. When not working with clients or making content that's easy to read, understand, and apply to everyday life, he enjoys making fun of Drake and people who like the guy.

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