How to zig zag cals properly/caloric cycling properly

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  • peachyxoxoxo
    peachyxoxoxo Posts: 1,178 Member
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    Thanks for the info! I'm really interested in trying this but never knew how to go about it.
  • Cbandelier
    Cbandelier Posts: 217 Member
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    Is the max deficit of 800 a straight figure or a percentage?

    My current maintenance is 1550; I think I would have a really hard time eating just 750 and not sure how safe that would be. I do exercise 3-4 days/week and that would add another 300-400, but there are some days where a work-out is just not very feasible. Any suggestions?
  • MyNameIsNotBob
    MyNameIsNotBob Posts: 565 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?

    I just started doing this yesterday, and I'm having to change my calorie goals daily. It only takes a second, but it's annoying when you go to look at other days and it says you're under or over or whatever based upon your current day's goals, even though you met your goal that particular day. I'm keeping notes in the food log about what that day's goal was so that I can go back and look.
  • Newfiedan
    Newfiedan Posts: 1,517 Member
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    Is the max deficit of 800 a straight figure or a percentage?

    My current maintenance is 1550; I think I would have a really hard time eating just 750 and not sure how safe that would be. I do exercise 3-4 days/week and that would add another 300-400, but there are some days where a work-out is just not very feasible. Any suggestions?
    If your maintenance is 1550 the lowest you should go is 1200, for women whom are shorter than 5ft tall you can push it to 1100 but anything less and you are really pushing it. It works off a percentage and that gets lower as you approach your goal weight. For women no less than 1200 as a general rule and for men no less than 1500 as a general rule. My maintenance is 2440 right now so I have more cals to play with. 800 works for me as I am 11.6 pounds shy of my goal. But I am also active so I have more to play with. The more weight the greater the wiggle room, the lighter the less wiggle room.
  • kwoj09
    kwoj09 Posts: 18 Member
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    bump for later
  • liezelcha
    liezelcha Posts: 150 Member
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    Bump
  • Newfiedan
    Newfiedan Posts: 1,517 Member
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    bump
  • lkm111
    lkm111 Posts: 629 Member
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    I'm curious to know the kinds of food you eat on your 2250 caorie days. I have always had trouble eating all my calories. I started losing weight after I realized I wasn't eating enough (thanks MFP!), so to eat a lot in one day can be hard for me. Would you mind posting a sample day? Thank you in advance!
  • Newfiedan
    Newfiedan Posts: 1,517 Member
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    my diary is open to the public so feel free to check it out, today will be a 2440 calorie day or go back 3 days and you will see what I did on that day, for me eating is not an issue lol. I can easily eat healthy and get that kind of intake. My go to foods for making up cals are almonds, bananas and olive oil or other foods that are calorically dense but good for you.
  • IsMollyReallyHungry
    IsMollyReallyHungry Posts: 15,381 Member
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    bump!
  • purpleg
    purpleg Posts: 7
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    bump
  • Newfiedan
    Newfiedan Posts: 1,517 Member
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    bump
  • ruhimaach
    ruhimaach Posts: 171
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    My maintenance is 1710 calories. I am 5'1.5" roughly. With 2lb/week loss, my goal is 1200. For 1 lb/week, my goal is 1210. I haven't lost anything since almost 10 days. It will be 2 weeks this Sunday. I don't want to wait for a month before figuring out what the heck is going on. If I were to zig zag my calories, I've read everywhere that I shouldn't go below 1200. I exercise 5-6 times a week (circuit training). Can you please help me figure out how much I should eat? I read a previous post where you said women shouldn't go below 1200. Is that NET 1200?
  • irisannRN
    irisannRN Posts: 121 Member
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    Bump - great post !
  • katy5692
    katy5692 Posts: 140
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    bump
  • aeckels616
    aeckels616 Posts: 210 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?

    I just started doing this yesterday, and I'm having to change my calorie goals daily. It only takes a second, but it's annoying when you go to look at other days and it says you're under or over or whatever based upon your current day's goals, even though you met your goal that particular day. I'm keeping notes in the food log about what that day's goal was so that I can go back and look.

    The MFP iPhone app has a bar graph that calculates your weekly calorie average. I've found it very useful for zigzagging without the need to change goals every day. I don't see that graph on the website though...
  • Majunta
    Majunta Posts: 575
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    Thanks for sharing...saving for later.
  • MoM2LayLa09
    MoM2LayLa09 Posts: 152
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    wow thank you so much - 2 more days and it will be 3 weeks not one oz lost so i have been zig zagging on my own with no idea how to do it now i know thanks again! great post!
  • ImperfektAngel
    ImperfektAngel Posts: 811 Member
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    I may need this at a later date, thanks !
  • teecampfat
    teecampfat Posts: 1 Member
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    bump

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