Calorie shifting is supposed to prevent your body's metabolism from adapting to a restricted amount of calories. The three most popular calorie shifting plans use the same basic theory of rotating high- and low-calorie intakes. One calls for switching between high- and low- calorie days, while another has dieters follow a 14-day dieting cycle. The third starts with a one-month maintenance phase followed by a weekly dieting cycle. These diets can work because food restriction phases are short, and people don't typically eat enough on "free" days to make up for calorie-restricted days. Allowing treats on high-calorie days also prevents many people from binging.
Step 1
Calculate the number of calories you need to maintain your current weight. Meet with a dietician to gain your "baseline" calorie need, or use a formula to get a general idea. The American Dietetic Association formula advises that you multiply your weight by 13 to get an estimate of your baseline. If you are obese and sedentary, multiply by ten. If you are extremely active multiply by 15.
Step 2
Stock up on healthful foods. Buy whole grain, fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy foods and lean protein sources, such as chicken, turkey, fish, lean beef, eggs and beans. Utilize healthy fats such as olive oil in lieu of butter or lard. Use the recommendations of the USDA Food Pyramid as your general guide. The pyramid advises getting about half of your calories from fruits and vegetables, a quarter from whole grains and a quarter from lean proteins.
Step 3
Try the alternate day method of calorie shifting. Eat 25 percent of your baseline calories on day one. Eat as much healthy food as you need to feel full on day two. Don't weigh or measure anything or count points. The calorie-restricted day will be about 500 calories for most people. This can incorporate a few pieces of fruit, some veggies and a small amount of low-cal dip or hummus. On both days you need to drink lots of water and low-calorie beverages like unsweetened tea.
Step 4
Choose a 14-day rotation plan if you don't like the idea of greatly restricting calories every other day. Diet for 11 days and then have three days off. Eat four daily meals during the diet phase, each spaced a minimum of 2.5 to 3 hours apart. The meals need to have differing amounts of calories but can be eaten in any order you choose.
Step 5
Utilize a weekly diet cycle. Take in your baseline number of calories for four weeks, which is the diet's initial phase. Reduce your caloric intake by 500 to 1,000 calories for two days on week five. Eat your baseline number of calories each of the other five days that week. On week six, eat your baseline number of calories for five days, then take two days "off" to eat whatever you want. Continue to alternate your "on" and "off" weeks.
Tips and Warnings
- To lose weight, The Mayo Clinic recommends you take in 500 to 1,000 fewer calories than you burn daily to shed one to two pounds a week. This is the healthiest and most sustainable weight loss, though many diet plans call for restricting calories further.
- Consult your physician before considering this diet if you have a health condition. Fasting can cause fluctuations in blood sugar and electrolyte levels and be a problem for the very young, the elderly and people with diseases like diabetes and kidney problems.
References
- University of Illinois; EatRight Newsletter; "Calorie Shifting;"March, 2009
- Dawn Jackson Blatner, American Dietetic Association spokeswoman, author of "The Flexitarian Diet," 2009
- DietsInReview.com
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