Calorie cycling is a method of calorie distribution that mimics real life. If you’re like most people trying to lose weight, your week probably looks like this
You eat like a bird Monday to Friday, then eat like a bear on the weekend.
Result? The scale doesn’t move.
Your energy crashes mid-week.
And eventually, you give up.
There’s a better way: calorie cycling.
What Is Calorie Cycling?
Calorie cycling (also called calorie shifting) is a method of dieting where you vary your daily calorie intake while keeping your weekly total in a deficit. Instead of eating the same low calories every day, you eat more on certain days (e.g., weekends), and less on others.
This allows for:
- Better energy on training or social days
- More flexibility (weekend meals out, anyone?)
- Less burnout from rigid dieting
- Fat loss that actually sticks
The Problem With the Typical Diet
Here’s what most women unknowingly do:
- Monday to Friday: Eat way too little (1200–1300 calories)
- Saturday/Sunday: Blow out with 2500–3000 calories
- Result: Weekly calories = maintenance or surplus = no fat loss
Typical vs. Calorie Cycling
Here’s the difference between what most women do and a smarter, fat-loss focused approach:
Top: the typical pattern — under-eating Mon–Fri, splurging on the weekend
Bottom: calorie cycling — same weekend flexibility, but stays in a weekly deficit
How to Do It
Let’s say you’re a 60 kg active woman whose maintenance calories are ~2000/day.
You want to lose fat, so you aim for a weekly deficit of 1500 kcal (~0.5 kg loss/week).
That means:
- Weekly calorie goal: 14,000 – 1,500 = 12,500 kcal
Here’s one way to break it down:
| Day | Calories |
|---|---|
| Monday | 1,650 |
| Tuesday | 1,650 |
| Wednesday | 1,650 |
| Thursday | 1,650 |
| Friday | 1,800 |
| Saturday | 2,050 |
| Sunday | 2,050 |
| Weekly Total | 12,500 |
This lets you eat more on weekends and still stay in a deficit.
Summary
Calorie cycling is simple, flexible, and effective.
It mirrors your natural rhythm, gives you room to enjoy life, and keeps fat loss moving.
Instead of battling the weekend, plan for it.
Cycle your calories. Win the week.
Want help setting your own calorie plan (comment below) or combining this with strength training?
Book a free taster session with Bristol Kettlebell Club →
Pete
