Need some help with zig zag strategy

boobee32

I have read all the posts on the strategy of zig zagging your calories..and i get the basics of it....my question is....
in figuring how many calories to eat on what day...
I should set my schedule up according to my daily calories x 7 for the week = total calories....

I should eat fewer calories on my NON exercise days.....and more on my exercise days...correct? THEN....

on the days that i exercise, I get the added bonus of eating back those calories not already figured into the zig and the zag??? OR........ I know what days I am going to exercise, and what I am going to burn for those days....CAN I go ahead and figure THOSE extra calories into my total weekly calories for the week and then figure my zig and zag? This way will give me more play each day...without going too low....

BreeWilder

BUMP!

BeckyKSmith

what is the purpose of BUMP?

nicole751

BUMP is used to put this post back at the top of the list on the Message Board. when you do that, more people are likely to respond to this particular post.

actually, you can pretty much write anything to put this post at the top of the message board. but saying BUMP is just cool

katrina1122

Bump pushes/bumps a topic back to the top of the list so it doesn't get lost.

otr12

what is the purpose of BUMP?

Also puts it in My Topics so it's easier to find and read later after more answers have come it.

picturesing

I hope I don't confuse myself with this explanation,,,but here goes - disclaimer.....this is as I have interpreted it!
On exercise days - if you eat back your cals and On non-exercise days you eat your minimum. If you workout everyday then you pick 2 or 3 days a week to eat back all or most of your cals. Thats zig-zagging or at least my interpretation today LOL!!!!!
I researched another site that talks about zig-zagging and it's calculator asks how many days a week you exercise and does not have an input for acctual cals burned - there is drop down menu to indicate from no exercise to how often to intense workout.
Then it gives you X cals to follow - mine from the calcuator on the site looks like this:
Maintenance: 2299 Calories/day
Fat Loss: 1840 Calories/day
Extreme Fat Loss: 1720 Calories/day (THIS IS BASED ON MY HT, WT AND AGE - WAY HIGHER THAN MFP!!!!)

7 day calorie cycle (zig-zag)


Ex Fat Loss Fat Loss Maintain
Monday 1720 1840 2300
Tuesday 1720 1720 1840
Wednesday 2064 2208 2760
Thursday 1720 1840 2300
Friday 1720 1720 2070
Saturday 1893 2024 2530
Sunday 1720 1840 2300

This info is from this site: http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

picturesing

Oh how did that happen!

picturesing

Check out this Blog....for more info!
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/prashley/view/one-more-reason-why-zigzagging-is-awesome-101508

atomsforpeace

Becky: Bump is to ensure a topic thread returns to the top of the forum.

Boobee32: I have had moderate success with zig zagging, but greater overall success when keeping a relatively low calories. Again, I'm not a health expert and am only speaking from experience, but you definitely want to consume at least a portion of your workout calories. The Net calories are what you're shooting for.

caterpillar2Butterfly

BUMP

boobee32

so basically on the days that i dont work out..i am eating the minimum...and then the days i exercise i usually eat back most of my calories...SO I AM ALREADY ZIG ZAGGIN, YES??

picturesing

so basically on the days that i dont work out..i am eating the minimum...and then the days i exercise i usually eat back most of my calories...SO I AM ALREADY ZIG ZAGGIN, YES??

LOL ..... That's what I come up with,,,,but I'm sure IF I'm wrong.....we'll hear shortly!!! LOL