finally figured out the best way to zig zag calories on mfp

Grimmerick

Ok so I have been trying ways to zig zag calories to help me break this plateau, problem is MFP doesn't have a way to set up zig zag goals. The easiest way to do it is to go to freedieting.com they have a zigzag calcluator, figure out the estimate of calories a day you want and then plug that into their zigzag calculator, it will give you a different calorie goal daily for monday - sunday. Then the easiest way to do it on MFP is to go in every day and change your calorie goal, go under goals, customize and then type in the calorie amount for that day. That way if you exercise and earn more calories, carbs, protein and fat it will do the calculations for you. It's really easy just to go in there and change the calorie goal, much much easier that what I was doing (back to 9th grade math). Hope this helps you guys that wanna zigzag your cals.

sethwdyer

Could you link the calculator you mentioned?

BJC78

Bump!

MzMiller1215

Does zig zagging really work even if you aren't in a plateau? Thanks for the info.

luv_lea

Hmm, I'll have to try that with MFP. I have been looking at that website for calorie suggestions for zig zagging, and have been thinking about seriously starting it next week! Thanks!

Grimmerick

go to freedieting.com on the left side go under calculators and they have a few different ones, click the one you want and off you go

Zigzagging works to both break and prevent plateaus from happening by keeping your body guessing.

Hottness4Lyfe

Bump

cjjones007

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

After you fill out the info - there will be a link to show you a zig zag suggestion...

I'll tell you though, I don't agree with their calculator itself - so I'll use the example with the base from MFP

VeganGal84

I'm not sure about the "extreme fat loss" goals, they seem too low! But I like the "Fat loss" goals in that calculator, and may use this if I hit a plateau. Thanks for sharing!

Grimmerick

I'm not sure about the "extreme fat loss" goals, they seem too low! But I like the "Fat loss" goals in that calculator, and may use this if I hit a plateau. Thanks for sharing!

I went between the regular fat loss goals and the extreme fat loss goals by subtracting the larger calorie form the smaller calorie and dividing that number by 2 then adding it back to the smaller calorie putting me halfway between them both. It put me at a estimated daily goal of 1460 which I was going to go with on MFP, I was going from 1200 up to 1460 because I am close to my goal now. Probably why I've hit this plateau, hence the zigzagging. I hope this works!!

darconnor

bump

Yori1

Bump

mfreeby

Please let us know your results!

Tyler477

Am I the only one that can;t find where to enter in your calorie goals DAILY on MFP??? PLEASE SOMEBODY HELP ME!

nanegan

"That way if you exercise and earn more calories, carbs, protein and fat it will do the calculations for you"

With zigzag dieting, you aren't supposed to add in any exercise calories. I have my base calories from MFP and just add in my zigzag calories by placing them under exercise (i just add how many extra I get for the day) and I add a "zigzag" food for the amount I need to deduct on my lower days.