Calorie Cycling

[Maribelle76 82]

One big concern I have with surgery is the possible damage it could do to my metabolism. I had a decent metabolism before, but I just ate too much and it couldn't keep up with me lol. I have been looking at calorie cycling as a way to maximize loss while best preserving my metabolism. Has anyone tried it with the sleeve? If so, what pattern do you follow?

[vikingbeast 987]

My surgeon specifically mentioned that the sleeve would reset my metabolism (wrecked from decades of overeating)... I'm hoping that's the case.

[Arabesque 7,256]

Can’t recall hearing of anyone’s metabolic rate being negatively affected after sleeve surgery. But we all react differently. My metabolic rate was practically non existent before surgery - decades of deliberately skipping meals. I struggled to lose anything on those very low calorie diets. After surgery it seemed like it was going 1000 miles an hour.

I believe it’s settled a bit now in my third year (I’m not very active which would boost it more) but it is faster then what it was pre surgery & I happily eat 1200 calories a day to maintain my weight at my height & age. I would have put on weight if I ate that much before surgery - in fact I did. Now I eat regularly throughout the day & keep my Protein high to feed my metabolism (three meals & about 4 snacks & all but one includes protein).

While you’re losing, you’ll be increasing your caloric intake & including more & more nutrient dense foods. So though initially you’ll be consuming low calorie it’s for not the long term.

If you think your metabolism has slowed when you get to goal or after, there are metabolic reset diets around. Dr Matthew Weiner’s A Pound of Cure comes to mind (book & you tube videos).

Edited August 24, 2021 by Arabesque

[catwoman7 11,212]

oddly, it doesn't happen (or if it does, it's not common). The surgery resets everything - might have to do with hormonal changes, although I'm not sure.

[Tony B - NJ 642]

Calorie cycling sounds a little dangerous to me. Eating low calorie for some defined period then going crazy with high calorie seems risky. I would be afraid that would cause a roller coaster effect with the weight loss or force the body into stalls when it is confused by high calorie and low calorie periods. I am obviously not a dietician, but from what I have experienced, I am not sure it would work too well.

[lizonaplane 1,612]

I did calorie cycling years ago (I haven't had WLS yet) by having fast days and non fast days. I can say that I lost a bit of weight, but it was clearly just from eating fewer total calories. Also, on fast days I was really cold. I don't see what the benefit would be after WLS. In fact, I don't recall seeing any evidence for it being good as a diet strategy in humans at all. No better than just counting calories (even intermittent fasting has only been shown to work in mice!)