Zig Zag Diet or Calorie Shifting

wanderinglight

I guess my question is, during the "good feed" day, are you eating healthy calories or shocking your system with stuff it's not used to...like sweets, starches, etc.

My issue is that I feel like I"m already shocking my system on those days that I exercise for 750 or 1000 calories, and thus have all those extra calories to eat.

So on a typical day without exercise, I'm eating 1200 calories.
Then the next two days I'll work out and burn 800 calories per day.
Suddenly I'm eating 2/3 more calories than I was on the 1200 calorie day.

So...on the "good feed" day, are you also working out to burn those calories, or are you just saying to hell with it, anything goes on this day?

beep

Actually, there has been talk on MFP about what to do when one reaches a plateau, and the consensus has been to up the calorie intake for a day or two. I think going below 1000 will eventually be counterproductive....

There is research to support this Beep! Bill Philips of Body For Life says you actually get BETTER results if one day a week you, as he says, "Get a good feed" and then eat healthlyfully the rest of week in a zig zag pattern. This prevents starvation mode, and pushes the metabolism.

With that said, I'm at a 2 week (going on 3) plateau, and I'm scared to up the calories! I'm going to try it!
Good luck to everyone!
:flowerforyou:

So, does he advocate going under 1200 or 1000 cals or just to have that good feed...?

Wanderinglight, I have noticed that during the past month when I had what I considered a "bad" day because of a birthday party and cake being around and Memorial Day and all that, that I would just not count anything on that day; and 4 days later I would be back at the weight I was the day before the Free day, and then two days after that would have lost another pound or two. So, it is working....

songbyrdsweet

I guess my question is, during the "good feed" day, are you eating healthy calories or shocking your system with stuff it's not used to...like sweets, starches, etc.

My issue is that I feel like I"m already shocking my system on those days that I exercise for 750 or 1000 calories, and thus have all those extra calories to eat.

So on a typical day without exercise, I'm eating 1200 calories.
Then the next two days I'll work out and burn 800 calories per day.
Suddenly I'm eating 2/3 more calories than I was on the 1200 calorie day.

So...on the "good feed" day, are you also working out to burn those calories, or are you just saying to hell with it, anything goes on this day?

It's ideal to refeed with healthy calories that are high in nutrients. They still influence leptin levels, and you can still refill glycogen with complex carbohydrates (which is part of the purpose), and at the same time you won't risk GI upset or huge blood sugar/insulin fluctuations. Starches are fine, as they are complex carbohydrates; sweets are simple carbohydrates, and should be used in moderation. I also calorie cycle by default, eating anywhere from 1500-2000 cals a day, because I burn more calories during exercise on some days.

Of course, I'm not saying that you can't have a cheat day if you want, because they definitely help psychologically. However, when you compare them to healthy refeed days, they don't help physically.

beep

I guess my question is, during the "good feed" day, are you eating healthy calories or shocking your system with stuff it's not used to...like sweets, starches, etc.

My issue is that I feel like I"m already shocking my system on those days that I exercise for 750 or 1000 calories, and thus have all those extra calories to eat.

So on a typical day without exercise, I'm eating 1200 calories.
Then the next two days I'll work out and burn 800 calories per day.
Suddenly I'm eating 2/3 more calories than I was on the 1200 calorie day.

So...on the "good feed" day, are you also working out to burn those calories, or are you just saying to hell with it, anything goes on this day?

It's ideal to refeed with healthy calories that are high in nutrients. They still influence leptin levels, and you can still refill glycogen with complex carbohydrates (which is part of the purpose), and at the same time you won't risk GI upset or huge blood sugar/insulin fluctuations. Starches are fine, as they are complex carbohydrates; sweets are simple carbohydrates, and should be used in moderation. I also calorie cycle by default, eating anywhere from 1500-2000 cals a day, because I burn more calories during exercise on some days.

Of course, I'm not saying that you can't have a cheat day if you want, because they definitely help psychologically. However, when you compare them to healthy refeed days, they don't help physically.

Oh this is so true. After those "bad" days, I felt so bloated and terrible. So, really, my next "cheat" day is going to be just eating more of the healthy things I like anyway. And maybe.......... just maybe, ONE piece of cake.

dwalden

Thanks for all of the input from everyone. I am giving it a shot to see if it helps in continuing my weight/fat loss. I will give a report at the end of the week and let everyone know how it comes out.

alf1163

AAAAAGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :frown: :frown: MY BRAIN IS GOING TO EXPLODE WITH ALL THIS INFO!!:explode:

Is there a website I can visit to read more on this??? It sounds interesting. I have been on maintenance for 2 days now, eating about 2000 calories a day (I exercise every day) and to tell you the truth I already feel I have gained instead of maintaining. I am very interested in doing this zig zag/shifting method... The Body for Life author has a book or a website?? I know Jillian charges a fee for her website/program use.

annhjk

There is a body for life book and website. My husband will do it for the 12 week period, then go off it. I think the last time he did it he got down to 15% body fat. I can do the eating part of the plan, but the work out is hard for me to do. I have a really hard time giving up the long work outs - I think his are like 30 min/6 times a week.

ragingtomato

How do you figure out what your calories should be on Jillian Michaels' website? I went on it and it said free whatever, and then once I filled it out it was $52. Is there a way to do it for free? I really want to try this calorie shifting but I am on the 1200 a day/8400 a week diet, and when I try to figure it out myself I either have to go below 1200 some days or the difference between the days is hardly anything at all.

wanderinglight

I ate unlimited negative calorie fruits and vegetables all day long and it kept me full!! Every time I started getting overly hungry, I would eat a couple oranges, or an apple, or some carrots or some other veggie and it would tame the need.

But...an orange has 75 cal, apple has 100, etc so you'd reach your 600 calorie mark pretty quickly! Just doesn't seem healthy to me.

beep

How do you figure out what your calories should be on Jillian Michaels' website? I went on it and it said free whatever, and then once I filled it out it was $52. Is there a way to do it for free? I really want to try this calorie shifting but I am on the 1200 a day/8400 a week diet, and when I try to figure it out myself I either have to go below 1200 some days or the difference between the days is hardly anything at all.

I think if you follow the MFP guidelines, and exercise and eat your exercise calories, you are pretty much eating a different caloric intake everyday anyway. It does work.

ragingtomato

Hmm ok thanks so much! I hadn't thought of it that way.

TashaKnight

I'm a recovering anorexic, and at one point I did try a calorie-shifting diet. It was the 2-4-6-8 diet, which in all honesty, could have killed me. However, it DID work better than just going 200-200-200-200 every day. I lost 5 pounds in 10 days actually... even though I had supposedly turned off my metabolism. Maybe you could try it, but add a 1 or a 2 in front of the 200-400-600-800. Good luck!

beep

I'm a recovering anorexic, and at one point I did try a calorie-shifting diet. It was the 2-4-6-8 diet, which in all honesty, could have killed me. However, it DID work better than just going 200-200-200-200 every day. I lost 5 pounds in 10 days actually... even though I had supposedly turned off my metabolism. Maybe you could try it, but add a 1 or a 2 in front of the 200-400-600-800. Good luck!

Oh, my heavens, girl, you're lucky to be alive.

Take it from me, a person who has put herself in starvation mode every time she tried to "diet" that it never works for long and you always end up gaining it back because it's unrealistic. I am testimony to this website. I, for the first time ever, and I'm 52, have been able to keep up with weight loss through this website for 1 month and a half. It is the longest time ever I have been able to stick to it, because following the quidelines here is helping me lose 2 pounds a week, consistently... eating my exercise calories to boot.

laurenk182004

Ok, I've decided to give it a try! I wouldn't think it could hurt anything :flowerforyou:

Daily Energy Needs= 2,500 (I rounded down from 2,607 to ensure weight loss, this is not my BMR, it's based on the same principals, but it factors in your base activity level)
Muliply daily needs by 7 (days per week) Total = 17,500 calories per week
I want to lose two pounds per week so I subtracted 7,000 calories from that total
That gave me: 10,500 Weekly = 1,500 a day (to lose two pounds per week)
I Then made up the following "zig-zag" schedule for myself, and I'm feeling like it's
going to be great! I think I was underestimating my daily calorie needs because I was eating between 1,200 and 1,300 calories per day, and having a binge day every now and then. I'm thinking now that maybe that wasn't so healthy, even though I've managed to lose 50 pounds I'll let you know how this turns out!

*Monday-1,800

*Tuesday-1,400

*Wednesday-1,700

*Thursday-1,400

*Friday-1,600

*Saturday-1,400

*Sunday-1,200

Mags

This past week I got very frustrated with not loosing any weight/fat. I kept my calorie count down and continued my cardio and weight training regularly, but was still getting nowhere. I started doing a lot of research on the internet and articles about the Zig Zag or Calorie shifting diet. Basically you continually change you calorie intake to keep your metabolism guessing and constantly burning the fat you have stored. Evidently body builders do this regularly if the want to loose a lot of fat in a hurry.

Has anyone ever tried this sort of diet and how did it work out for them?

No but I would be very interested in finding out more...

Here's to eating the entire lamb shank instead of half it in an hours time :drinker:

Mags


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

AJCM

I don't think it has to be too complicated, or too precise either.

The general idea it to just "mix it up" and keep your body guessing. Sort of like how they recommend you not eat the same breakfast 7 days a week (like I am guitly of!).

I'm going to keep it simple, and just try and exericse differently each day, and if I save 100 or 200 extra one day, I'll eat it the next, and so on.

I started Jillian Michael's Shred DVD, and I already feel a difference, so I think the plateau is moving!!!

GOOD LUCK out there! :flowerforyou:

flachix

I just discovered the Jillian website, she is on sale too. laugh. but the idea of totalling your calories then dividing them unequally through the week makes sense. I am going to try that. very clever.

pavang82

I started Jillian Michael's Shred DVD, and I already feel a difference, so I think the plateau is moving!!!

where do you buy her dvd from?

Mags

hi guys

it worked for me; 3 pounds off after plateau of 3 weeks; stay away from scales mid week though; scary

Mags


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

shorerider

I think all who follow MFP guidelines really do this--to a point.

I do it, in a way but by using MFP guidelines, because I eat most of not all my exercise calories every day. And, because my exercise calories vary day to day, I eat differing amount of calories daily.

On days I only ride 10 miles, I burn up about 330 calories, so eat about 1400-1600 calories for that day. Then, on days I ride 15-20 miles, I burn up about 700 calories, so on those days I eat between 1700-1900 calories a day. And etc.

Yesterday, for my 30 miles ride, I burnt up over 1300 calories! I didn't eat all of them-no way I could--3 months ago I could have easy but now I'd bust a gut!. But, I did eat almost 2300 calories yesterday-more than I've had in a long while.

This morning, I weighed, and I've dropped 1.5 pounds overnight!!!!!!!!!!!

That 30 mile ride was well worth every ounce of effort.

So, I think one could say that if you count what all who follow MFP guidelines do by shifting how much they exercise each time (which I think most exercise experts suggest you do anyway), then I guess you can say we all really do this "calorie shifting.