ZigZag Question

FaithHopeBELIEVE

Amy I messaged ya but thought maybe I would post too.

I did the TDEE calculations and my maintenace is from 1757 for lightly active and 1980 for mod active. If I zig zag 3 days low at either 20 or 30% of maintenance and then 1-3 days at maintenance cals my low days are 1230 lightly act to 1386 mod active.

My question is if i change my goal on MFP to the number of cals I need say 1230 for a low day and then I excercise and burn 300 cals do i eat those back? I'm questioning because when we did the TDEE caluclations we have already figured in lightly (1-3 days excercise) or mod active (3-5days excercise). So confusing. Do you understand what I'm askign though? i dont want to defeat the purpose if i eat the cals back but yet dont want to hurt metabolism of eating more if I dont eat them back.

thetiwi1890

Hi Jeanine,

I'm currently zig-zagging, using the website http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
What I did was, enter my stats as "little/no exercise".
Then, when I do exercise, I log it on MFP (where my exercise level is set to sedentary) and I eat back the calories.
Hope this helps!

FaithHopeBELIEVE

Hi Jeanine,

I'm currently zig-zagging, using the website http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
What I did was, enter my stats as "little/no exercise".
Then, when I do exercise, I log it on MFP (where my exercise level is set to sedentary) and I eat back the calories.
Hope this helps!

Ahhhh!!! I forgot about that site, I'll need to go there. I'm so used to how MFP does it that I'm afraid I'm going to mess up BUT I guess if I'm hungry then I'm hungry...lol!!!

thetiwi1890

Yea, that site was a big help to me in starting my zig-zag. I got the info I needed from there, and then just use it for MFP. I've only been zig-zagging for a week, but it's going great! I feel awesome, I feel in control and I really feel like it's making a difference! I had been on 1200 cals to begin with, now my MFP is set to 1,490 cals so I'm loving the bigger intake of food!
My zig-zag is something like 1,400 - 1,100 - 1,600 - 1,350 - 1,250 - 1,500 which is manageable. The low day isn't too bad, as I'm keeping the higher days in mind
Plus any exercise I do, I always eat back!
Good luck

FaithHopeBELIEVE

Yea, that site was a big help to me in starting my zig-zag. I got the info I needed from there, and then just use it for MFP. I've only been zig-zagging for a week, but it's going great! I feel awesome, I feel in control and I really feel like it's making a difference! I had been on 1200 cals to begin with, now my MFP is set to 1,490 cals so I'm loving the bigger intake of food!
My zig-zag is something like 1,400 - 1,100 - 1,600 - 1,350 - 1,250 - 1,500 which is manageable. The low day isn't too bad, as I'm keeping the higher days in mind
Plus any exercise I do, I always eat back!
Good luck

yes, exactly, the low days are always pretty easy as we know we can eat alot more on other days. :drinker:

heykatieben

How do you know when you need to zigzag?

thetiwi1890

How do you know when you need to zigzag?

Hi Katie,

I had plateaued for a month and a half (I was stuck at 134lbs). Zig-zagging is a method of eating the same amount of calories in a week, but differing amounts each day. I started zig-zagging to break my plateau, after two weeks of increased calories had made no difference! It's a choice, but to prevent/break a plateau it is a good idea IMHO!

odonogc

I end up doing this naturally just based on weekends being tougher, but I think I'll pay attention and do it on purpose!