Calorie Cycling?

[luv_bug]

What is this? Can someone explain the pros/cons and what it is supposed to be used for? I'm on the last 7 lbs before goal and REALLY want to get there ...

[batlou]

I am doing a form of this using a modified plan called JUDDDD. My diet looks something like this.

Monday, Weds, Friday - Max 1800 Calories
Tues, Thursday - Max 800 Calories
Saturday, Sunday - Max 1500 Calories

I think the idea is that you confuse your metabolism and keep it revved up by not establishing any sort of specific daily routine. It is also important that you maintain some sort of Caloric Deficit as well based on your personal caloric requirements for a typical day. Mine is roughly 2400 per day so each week I end up with approximately a 7000 Calorie Deficit which equals about 2 lbs of fat.

[Ilpirata]

I also do JUDD.
We have a JUDD thread for June here, the first post explains the diet although Batlou did a great job of breaking it down. You can also google Dr Johnsons Up Day Down Day Diet his website has a free overview of the program.

Here's the LCF Thread:
http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/bbs/ot...et-2009-a.html

I know of several people on LCF that have used JUDD radical daily calorie cycling to drop the last few pounds.

JUDD is RADICAL DAILY cycling though and I'm sure there are other gentler forms of calorie cycling as well.

ETA: DANG!!! You have come a long way baby!

[batlou]

Originally Posted by luv_bug

I'm on the last 7 lbs before goal and REALLY want to get there ...

BTW...WOW 120 lbs gone! That's is incredible.

[LoraJR72]

Originally Posted by batlou

I am doing a form of this using a modified plan called JUDDDD. My diet looks something like this.

Monday, Weds, Friday - Max 1800 Calories
Tues, Thursday - Max 800 Calories
Saturday, Sunday - Max 1500 Calories

I think the idea is that you confuse your metabolism and keep it revved up by not establishing any sort of specific daily routine. It is also important that you maintain some sort of Caloric Deficit as well based on your personal caloric requirements for a typical day. Mine is roughly 2400 per day so each week I end up with approximately a 7000 Calorie Deficit which equals about 2 lbs of fat.

Your calorie schedule looks very doable to me.

[MikeA]

I started JUDDD on April 20th and it has worked well for me. Atkins just seemed to not work for me anymore but JUDDD has. If I do LC on my high calorie days it seems to work even better. I can even have some bad food too....I eat popcorn quite often But like I said it works best for me personally when I do LC on the high calorie days. Also if you mess up it only takes you a day to get back on track!

[Dovelette]

I think JUDDD is a bit different than calorie cycling, or rather is a more extreme form of it. It's an alternate day fasting program; calorie cycling would be something like eating at a calorie deficit of 20 - 20% for 3 days, and then eating at a calorie deficit of 0 - 10% on the fourth day. So for example if your daily calorie recommendation (which is your individual BMR multiplied by your activity level) is 2000, then your schedule might look like this:

Option 1: 30% calorie deficit for 3 days, 10% deficit for 1 day
Days 1 - 3 = 1400
Day 4 = 1800

Option 2: 20% calorie deficit for 3 days, 0% deficit for 1 day
Days 1 - 3 = 1600
Day 4 = 2000

I'm not saying one is better than the other, just that I definitely see JUDDD as an Intermittent Fasting program rather than just cycling.

[batlou]

Originally Posted by Dovelette

Intermittent Fasting program rather than just cycling.

Po tate o <> Po tot o
We more or less agree I think.

Here is a pretty decent high level explanation.
Calorie Shifting (Calorie Cycling)

[DorianH]

Originally Posted by batlou

Po tate o <> Po tot o
We more or less agree I think.

Here is a pretty decent high level explanation.
Calorie Shifting (Calorie Cycling)

Isn't JUDDD much less calorie than that? I think I remember reading on the site down to about 800 cals per day on the down days?

[Dovelette]

Yes, JUDDD is much more extreme than "typical" calorie cycling, which is why I was saying I felt it fell into the realm of Intermittent Fasting rather than "just" cycling. Your first two weeks on JUDDD, your Down Day is under 500 calories, and many people chose to keep their calories that low until they lose their excess weight, though it depends on your "max" calories and the percentage of which you are eating on your Down Day (for example, 20%, 25%, 30% etc.).
Still not trying to knock JUDDD, I have been reading about Intermittent Fasting for over a month now and looking into programs like JUDDD, I just think it's important to note the differences between intermittent fasting and calorie cycling. From what I have read and know about cycling, you never eat as low as you do on JUDDD Down Days.

[batlou]

Originally Posted by Dovelette

Yes, JUDDD is much more extreme than "typical" calorie cycling, which is why I was saying I felt it fell into the realm of Intermittent Fasting rather than "just" cycling. Your first two weeks on JUDDD, your Down Day is under 500 calories, and many people chose to keep their calories that low until they lose their excess weight, though it depends on your "max" calories and the percentage of which you are eating on your Down Day (for example, 20%, 25%, 30% etc.).
Still not trying to knock JUDDD, I have been reading about Intermittent Fasting for over a month now and looking into programs like JUDDD, I just think it's important to note the differences between intermittent fasting and calorie cycling. From what I have read and know about cycling, you never eat as low as you do on JUDDD Down Days.

Actually 800 (35%) calories is on the higher side of the caloric intake for ongoing weightloss. The 500 calorie extreme is only for the first two weeks similar to induction. After that you work your way up to a max of 45% of you normal daily requirements. So for me I could work my way up to a max of 1080 calories per day. I would not call this fasting by any means unless you make "choose" to continue on a 500 calorie or less per day diet. I did that for 2 weeks and realized there was no way I could continue based on my requirements including physical activity.

My caloric intake of 1800, 1500 and 800 would fall under the realm of calorie cycling and also follows the rules of JUDDDD other than only having 2 down days instead of 3.