How to zig zag cals properly/caloric cycling properly

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  • MellyPfromVT
    MellyPfromVT Posts: 869 Member
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    bump. Thank you!
  • rmoga99
    rmoga99 Posts: 37
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    bump. Thanks!
  • hypallage
    hypallage Posts: 624 Member
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    saving it to read later - thanks
  • cassondraragan
    cassondraragan Posts: 233 Member
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    bump
  • noogie98
    noogie98 Posts: 413 Member
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    I have plateaued so i am saving this to read later ~ gotta get ready for work right now. Thanks for sharing!
  • KellyBurton1
    KellyBurton1 Posts: 529 Member
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    bump for later
  • shannonbillows
    shannonbillows Posts: 16 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.

    So essentially you are doing a fast day once a week. you basically don't eat all day and have one meal at the start or the end. I don't see why 1200 and 1500 should be the minimum. if you have a lot of weight to lose you can go as long as you want provided your getting a varied amounts of protein carbs and fats. Protein being the main, minimum 50-100 grams a day to maintain muscle whilst working out and for repair. Eating under these levels wont be detrimental to your body or health unless you have a sickness or illness that doesn't allow you to. I am a personal trainer i am currently on a cut down i eat 1000 cals a day for a maximum of 2 weeks to get really lean. then after you lose the fat you go back to maintenance. Its only when you get the the low low levels of body fat like 6% which is almost anorexia (think body building 8 pack ripped with veins popping out on stage" thin you will start to burn muscle for fuel instead of fat.
  • pammie1999
    pammie1999 Posts: 2 Member
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    bump
  • rw4hawks
    rw4hawks Posts: 121 Member
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    bump
    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.
  • olong
    olong Posts: 255 Member
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    Bump
  • binkybaby1
    binkybaby1 Posts: 188 Member
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    bump
  • ieva015
    ieva015 Posts: 93 Member
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    Bump
  • Lance_K
    Lance_K Posts: 104 Member
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    Bump
  • cdez80421
    cdez80421 Posts: 88 Member
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    bump :)
  • Squidgeypaws007
    Squidgeypaws007 Posts: 1,012 Member
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    How do you work out your maintainence calories?
  • Newfiedan
    Newfiedan Posts: 1,517 Member
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    Maintenance level depends on goal:

    Add the following to determine needs
    0.5lb/wk -= 250cal
    1 lb/wk=500
    1.5lb/wk=750
    2lb/wk=1000

    Just add this to your mfp daily goal depending on which you selected.
  • Newfiedan
    Newfiedan Posts: 1,517 Member
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    Nice post OP but not sure if this was explained but this is also very essential when doing a zig zag protocol.

    #1) Protein and Fat should always stay consistent, only change Carbs on workout and non workout days.
    #2) Carbs higher on workout days, lower on non workout days
    #3) Keep your deficit consistent weekly, 1lb = 3500 Cals a week...

    I am going to have to partially disagree with you on this, taking cals from protein/fat will not immediately hurt the body, this is more if you are going to cycle carbs in the equation which I do use but this would be more oriented towards someone whom is leaner, not someone whom is obese. I can achieve the same fat loss without dropping below maintenance level for caloric intake, this is what I meant by the cals in cals out formula being flawed. But this is better saved for a different topic/time.
  • usernamekelly1
    usernamekelly1 Posts: 1,941 Member
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    Bump
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,565 Member
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    Thanx! This is what i just started recently.
    I need reassurance sometimes!

    I'm following the leangains protocol with +20%/-15% carb cycle.
    I'm at 11-12% body fat and looking to hit 8% by May 1st.
    Lifting 3 days a week so hitting close to 3k on those days.
    Yum food eat!
  • jessikas5
    jessikas5 Posts: 28 Member
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    Bump!!

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