How to zig zag cals properly/caloric cycling properly

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Newfiedan
Newfiedan Posts: 1,517 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I have had some requests to post this and I hope that it will benefit you all. To get started out right you need to be set at a 1lb/week fat loss for this to work right. Why 1lb/wk loss? Simple wiggle room, you are going to shed more so do not stress about it, its not the end of the world as you know it. (for those whom have lots to shed 60+ pounds of more we can push it a little further same practice but slightly different application) So here are the basics using me as an example: I am set at a 1lb/week loss and for me that is 1940 cals/day, this gives me a 500 cal deficit to start with before workouts. So remember that mfp set me up with that deficit to start with for the beginners whom do not quite have a handle on that.

Here is the cal breakdown for maintenance/loss/max:

2440 maintenance/1940 loss/max deficit of 800 is 1640 cals.

So on days 1 and 2 I go max deficit of 1640 cals I do this through food and exercise as I like to eat I usually do it by not eating back 300 of my workout cals (for those with a lot to shed you can do that for 500 cals)

On day 3 I go to maintenance level of 2440 cals. I do this to prevent starvation mode from taking effect and it keeps my metabolic rate at its peak and the exercise helps me to do that as well as crank it up a few notches.

And repeat, of course the closer I get the lower the amount I can push it so once I am say 5 pounds away I will more than likely have to go to 0.5 lb/week loss for my wiggle room. You will have to play with the deficit to get it set right for you, we all respond somewhat differently but as a general rule a long lasting deficit will drop metabolic rate on you which is why I used to encourage a cheat day or cheat meal every few weeks. I am doing this method to speed up my fat loss somewhat. By zig zagging my cals my body can not lower my metabolic rate on me. Now also keep in mind that as you shed fat the numbers will change so reset it every 2nd week or when results start to slow down. I dropped 27 pounds so far and I train/eat with purpose so should you, train for fat loss using the most time effective workouts like High intensity interval training and metabolic resistance training, we do not need to spend 6 days a week in the gym to shed fat quickly and easily.
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Replies

  • GA_Gyrl
    GA_Gyrl Posts: 25 Member
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    WOW!!!
  • Tzavush
    Tzavush Posts: 389 Member
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    bump -
  • bmontgomery87
    bmontgomery87 Posts: 1,260 Member
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    First time I've heard of this.
    I always heard to taper down or up slowly when changing your diet around so this is new to me.
  • Newfiedan
    Newfiedan Posts: 1,517 Member
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    it has sped up my fat loss before and I am currently doing it again to help me keep that moving along.
  • KristaPFT
    KristaPFT Posts: 63
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    Great post! I do this often for the same reason. You never want your body to adapt and this is a great way to do it! :happy:
  • Newmammaluv
    Newmammaluv Posts: 379 Member
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    Without any of these concrete ideas this is what I have been doing naturally I think. I should put some more thought into it and make it official and see what kind of difference it makes.

    Thanks for the post!
  • DJmom44
    DJmom44 Posts: 91
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    bump :smile:
  • bmontgomery87
    bmontgomery87 Posts: 1,260 Member
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    nice to know. thanks
  • donicagalek
    donicagalek Posts: 526
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    Obviously this is healthy, but it's not the first time I've heard of this concept. In my early 20's I would go to Ana/Mia boards for dieting tips (I was morbidly obese and nothing was working - I was going hardcore) and a lot of them went by the 2-4-6-8 Diet. X-(

    Day One - 200 calories
    Day Two - 400 calories
    Day Three - 600 calories
    Day Four - 800 calories
    And repeat...

    After I saw 95 pound girls actually DO this I felt so bad for using that board to drop weight. :-/ Good to know that there's a healthy way out there to do this.
  • cahira
    cahira Posts: 163
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    Bumpin' for later!
  • forty3fab
    forty3fab Posts: 148 Member
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    Never though of it like that! I am going to that!
  • scagneti
    scagneti Posts: 707 Member
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    Might try this! Is there a way to easily get the food diary to change, or is it a manual change every day type thing?
  • Newfiedan
    Newfiedan Posts: 1,517 Member
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    manually done, 2 days under 1 day at maintenance.
  • chantel111184
    chantel111184 Posts: 124 Member
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    So you do 2 days under and 1 day maintenance do you do the other days as your normal intake. On the day you do maintenance do you eat all or some of your exercise calories. Really wanted to try this just need to understand.

    Days 1,2 under
    Day 3 maintenance
    Days 4,5 under
    Day 6 maintenance
    Day 7 under

    2000 maintenance/1500 loss/max deficit of 800 is 1200 cals.
  • Newfiedan
    Newfiedan Posts: 1,517 Member
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    yup u got it.
  • chantel111184
    chantel111184 Posts: 124 Member
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    thanks. read so many posts never really understood thanks
  • Newfiedan
    Newfiedan Posts: 1,517 Member
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    bump
  • GTI_Girl
    GTI_Girl Posts: 207
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    bump. gonna have to try this out...i have these last pesky 15 lbs to lose!
  • Trafty024
    Trafty024 Posts: 57 Member
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    Saving for later
  • rachel871
    rachel871 Posts: 113 Member
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    there's a diet similar to this, called 'the up day down day diet'... I've never tried it myself, but on the website there's a calorie calculator which calculates your 'up' (maintenance) calories and your 'down' (fasting) days calories....

    Personally I think they're a bit extreme, but it might be useful for some of you if you're thinking about doing this kind of thing!! :)

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