The key to a really sustainable diet and lifestyle is not to diet too aggressively/restrictive and allow for cheat meals as they say. If it’s too restrictive you’ll fall off.
This is partly the reason I tend to carb and calorie cycle. I run with a static level of protein that stays steady. So basically hit your protein macros and oscillate carbs and fat to fill the rest of the calories.
On heavy days I tend to overeat pizza noodle junk food at a calorie surplus and such and eat less the rest of week on lighter or rest days. So I spike my calories and carbs essentially on the same days.
On average though, I average maintenance or lower calories unless I’m bulking. Yes I think about it as an average for the week vs day to day. Allows me to plan big days and low days... so I cheat about 2 days a week essentially.
Then when I want to be beach ready. I lower the average calories a little more aggressively.
The key is to never feel like you are depriving yourselves.
Ps. You will look fatter and weigh more after carving up or high sodium. When you have less carbs you’ll also be noticeably leaner... so my body weight occilates quite a bit throughout the week. But depending on what I’m doing focus on the average weight