What is ZIG-ZAGGING??????

Chika_2015

Okay so I have been hearing about this zig-zagging thing and me being new to MFP, i just want to know what it is. I have searched the forum and it's all so confusing, one person says one thing and then another says something totally different. I just need to know what it means in lamens term, break it down nice and simple. Thank you

DeathIsMyGift

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:*&q=zig+zag+diet&aq=0&aqi=g8g-s1g1&aql=&oq=zig+zag+d

epj78

It's when you "zig zag" your calories. So if your goal calories are 1400 -- you may do a day at 1400, a day at 1200, a day at 1600, a day at 1300...... ect. So at the end you still average to 1400 but you keep your body confused.

If you google "Weight Watchers Wendi Plan" you'll get lots of information. It isn't sanctioned by WW's but lots of people do it when they get to a plateau and swear by it.

JesaGrace

It still confuses me sometimes...

oddyogi

Zigzagging is not eating the same amount of calories every day. It prevents your body from going into a state of homeostasis; i.e., if your body is used to eating 1400 cals/day, it will reach homeostasis and lower metabolism so it doesn't have to expend as much energy living on a reduced intake in food. You can do this a number of ways.

1.) Use a calculator such as the one located on freedieting.com. After inputting some information, it will determine the number of calories you need to eat based on a weekly schedule for either maintenance, fat loss, or extreme fat loss (only should be used for obese people).

2.) Eat a low number of calories for 2-3 days and break the cycle by having a day with higher calories. For example, eat 1400 calories every day except for Wednesday and Saturday, consume 1800-2000. If you do it this way, you should eat back your exercise calories (especially on the low days).

It might seem like the calculator I linked gives a high number for calories (depending on your activity level), but it is INCLUDING exercise calories. For example, I eat 1706 on MWF, and my exercise is already accounted for. So I don't ever eat back my exercise calories because the number it gives you is TOTAL calories consumed for the day.

Message me, add me, or check out my blog if you have anymore questions. :flowerforyou:

epj78

Zigzagging is not eating the same amount of calories every day. It prevents your body from going into a state of homeostasis; i.e., if your body is used to eating 1400 cals/day, it will reach homeostasis and lower metabolism so it doesn't have to expend as much energy living on a reduced intake in food. You can do this a number of ways.

1.) Use a calculator such as the one located on freedieting.com. After inputting some information, it will determine the number of calories you need to eat based on a weekly schedule for either maintenance, fat loss, or extreme fat loss (only should be used for obese people).

2.) Eat a low number of calories for 2-3 days and break the cycle by having a day with higher calories. For example, eat 1400 calories every day except for Wednesday and Saturday, consume 1800-2000. If you do it this way, you should eat back your exercise calories (especially on the low days).

It might seem like the calculator I linked gives a high number for calories (depending on your activity level), but it is INCLUDING exercise calories. For example, I eat 1706 on MWF, and my exercise is already accounted for. So I don't ever eat back my exercise calories because the number it gives you is TOTAL calories consumed for the day.

Message me, add me, or check out my blog if you have anymore questions. :flowerforyou:

Thanks for the info on it being total calories - I was wondering why my numbers came back high on some of the calculators I found! I knew that I couldn't eat that much and lose weight without exercising

Yooperm35

http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

if you see on the bottom of the chart - it says 7-day calorie cycle (zig zag) you can see your recommended zig zag calories

LynnBirchfield

Bump!!

Chika_2015

apparently i havebeen zig zagging all this time and never really knew it.... Thanks everyone.