Switching up your calorie intake to boost your metabolism

I have had people  tell me that if you alternate your calories from one day to the next that it will boost your metabolism. For example I would like to eat 1200 one day and 1500 the next. Anyway, I was talking to a friend while out rollerblading today and she said that you should not do that because it confuses your body and it will be harder to loose weight. Any insight would be appreciated.

This is just my experience, I'm not sure if it goes for everyone, but I will eat at a deficit for a few days and then throw in a day at maintenance calories. Usually after my maintenance day, I will see my weight go down. I usually eat one day a week at maintenance. So far it's worked for me. Good luck!

I don't know if that's accurate but it seems like your body should be used to calorie changes.  How often in history have people had the same number of calories on a regular (day after day) basis?  The answer is that it's never really happened until recently.  Of course, that's only in the western world...the rest of the world...not so much.

One of the testimonials that inspired me to start using calorie count was from a guy who said that he ate an average of so many calories a day, meaning that he was not entirely strict day to day at keeping a set level of calories.  It was encouraging to me that you didn't have to be so exact.

I have been eating my 1200 cals. six days a week. On Sunday, I host a family dinner for my parents and siblings. I just can't seem to be good at adhering to the proper number of calories on Sunday, but by golly I am losing weight anyway.

That's my experience.

I'm stuck at a plateau so I'm doing a calorie cycle as well. Probably no results as of now (I don't weigh myself anymore) but it's nice to have a day or two of normal eating hahahaha. I use it for days I go out to eat and such! (My cycle is from 1200-1600)

It confuses your body? Before you were losing weight were you eating the exact same number of calories everyday? Even if it were, confusing your body while at a calorie deficit is a good thing. It can delay your metabolism figuring out that it should adjust to less calories.

Personally, when I first started calorie counting I realized that my hunger cycles. Some days I'm insanely hungry, others not so much. Forcing myself to eat the same number of calories everyday meant that everyday I was either forcing myself to finish, or going to bed hungry. So for me, averaging my calories just makes more sense. Typically, the days after I workout with weights are 'high' days (because I'm famished all day), all other days are 'low' days. And I average my calorie target. 

works for me im down 24lbs!

Thanks everyone for your insight on this. Good advice!!!