Kenny Croxdale
Level 7 Valued Member
Was just wondering if cycling calories would bear any advantage as opposed to eating more or less the same amount every day even though the weekly average is the same.
Cycling Calories
Think of calories like money. It doesn't matter if you make less money during one part of the day and more money during another part of the day.
It doesn't matter if you make less money on a Monday and more on a Tuesday.
What matters is the total amount of money you make for the whole week or month.
Your "Body Fat Bank Account"
Body fat essentially is your body's "Saving Account".
With that in mind, let look at...
Income and Expenses
If your income is greater that your expenses, you have more money at the end of the month. You have more money in the bank account; increase in body weight.
If you make less money and greater expenses, you have less money at the end of the month. You have less money in your bank account; decrease in body weight.
If the amount of money you make is the same as your expenses. Your bank account remains the same; your body weight remain the same.
Tip: Better Than Intermittent Fasting | T Nation
This article demonstrates that rotating/altering caloric intake every two weeks is effective for maintaining muscle mass and decreasing body fat.
Dr Lanye Norton's podcast provide great insight into this. It is provide in a previous post.
The General Adaptation Syndrome
The reason "Caloric Rotation" works has to do with The General Adaptation Syndrome.
A certain amount of time is need for the body to adapt to any stimulus or stress.
The foundation of Periodization Training is built on The General Adaptation Syndrome. That is the reason for changing and exercise program up ever few weeks.
How often an exercise program is changed is dependent on...
Training Age
...define as the number of years you have been training, not your chronological age.
That meaning Novice/Intermediate Lifter can train longer on a program before adaptation occurs. Program changes of 8 - 12 weeks work before change is needed.
Advance Lifter need to change their program more often. Program changes of 2 - 4 weeks work before change is needed.
Summary
1) Intermittent Diets": Two week of a decrease or increase is required to work effective for decreasing or increasing body weight.
2) Varying caloric intake during the day or week is ineffective unless the total caloric intake is the same.
3) Training Age: How long it takes you to adapt to an increase or decrease in calorie intake "May" be contingent on if you are a Novice/Intermediate or Advance Dieter.
Kenny Croxdale
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