Calorie shifting is a dieting strategy that takes advantage of your body's adaptability to burn calories most efficiently to lose weight. Instead of sticking to a specific daily calorie limit, you shift up and down from a baseline daily caloric intake. However, the calorie shifting technique doesn't set guidelines on the types of foods you consume, so you already need to follow a fairly healthy diet in order for the shifting to produce optimal results.
Set a Baseline
For calorie shifting to have any effect, you must first establish a regular baseline of calories consumed per day. Keep to the baseline for at least one month before you start calorie shifting. To determine a healthy baseline, consult with your doctor or a reputable dietician or wellness professional. The ideal caloric intake will depend on your height, weight, gender and activity level. For example, MayoClinic.com advises a daily caloric intake of 2,000 calories for an active 30-year-old woman that weighs 130 pounds and is 5 foot 6 inches. MayoClinic.com defines "active" as getting at least 30 minutes of exercise most days a week. If a person of the same description leads a sedentary lifestyle, the required caloric intake drops to 1,650 calories.
Follow the Caloric Guidelines
While on the calorie shifting diet, follow the weekly guidelines for your caloric intake. For example, during the first week, you must increase your caloric intake on two days out of the week. During the second week, you have to decrease your intake on two days. You cannot swap the indicated intakes between two different weeks. Do not plan your altered intake days on consecutive days. For example, during week three, when you increase your intake by 400 calories on two different days, include at least one day of baseline eating between your two days of calorie shifting. During the weeks of shifting down, include at least two days of baseline intake between your reduced diet days. Otherwise, if you cut your caloric intake twice within 72 hours, your body will begin storing extra fat to ward off starvation.
Watch Your Calories Diligently
A calorie shifting diet is ideal if you are willing to cutting back a few times a week, provided you can indulge in the occasional treat. However, for the plan to work, you must be conscientious in counting your caloric consumption. During the month of establishing your baseline diet, familiarize yourself with the calorie content of your favorite foods. Check that your portions are in keeping with recommended serving sizes. Take advantage of the nutrition facts listed on packaged foods. Determine the calorie content of whole foods by consulting reliable sources, such as the United States Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database.
General Tips
If you're using calorie shifting to lose weight, you can make the method far more effective by combining it with regular cardiovascular exercise. While the technique itself doesn't set any dictates on the types of food you consume, you can avoid "empty calories" and receive plenty of nutrients by eating large quantities of fruits and vegetables. As a general rule, half of your plate should contain fruits and vegetables; just under a fourth should contain protein and the remainder should be carbohydrates, preferably whole-grain.
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