I've heard it said that every once in a while you should go above your caloric limit to shock your system and keep your metabolism up and from adjusting to your caloric intake.

How true is this? It make sense, but then again alot of myths do if you are really clueless as to how things work.

If it IS true how often is it recommended to be done? Just when you plateau or do you do it to cut the plateau off? Whats the best type of foods to eat when you do shock your system. I don't think I'd want something like McDonalds even if it IS high in calories (or soft drinks.) I assume solid food calories are best and nothing too fatty (which is never good for you.)

Anyone wanna clear this up for me?

I am not sure. I have never heard of that.

What about doing the opposite for shocking your metabolism? Cut back to 1/2 the calories you have been consuming for 3 or 4 days or fasting completely for a couple before returning to your normal diet? I would think that the lack of calories would put your body in the starvation mode and slow down metabolism to save its fuel source, but when you went back to your normal diet, it would see that as an abundance of fuel and kick back in.

If it works one way, I don't see why it wouldn't work the other. Any thoughts?

Rocky

It would stil only get shocked up to burning the amount of calories you were eating, which is your normal diet. so I dont think so, but again I don't really know.

I suspect it might also be somethign peopel say so they can cheat.

There is some truth to it but it's not so simplistic. I know I've talked about this in the stickies... maybe the starvation thread.

If you have a lot of weight to lose, I wouldn't worry about 'shocking' your metabolism.

It's happened to me a few times. Upped my calories for a day while keeping the food healthy. Ended up seeing a loss on the scale within 2 days.

I'll look up the stickies. I doubt I'll be entering starvation mode anytime soon.

I see an increase in the rate of weight loss...a temporary one...if I've taken in about 500 more calories than I normally do. This happens on the weekends when I go out with friends. Maybe there's some truth to it.