Do you calorie cycle (zig-zag)?
AliceNov2011
Posts: 471 Member
A MFP friend pinged me on my diary last night -- noting that at 949, I still had plenty of calories left for the day. I think she was worried that I was under-eating, bless her heart (as we say in the South). What she couldn't know was that I calorie cycle, and I'd had four 1800+ calorie days last week and an average of 1538 overall. That's maintenance level for me.
Do you cycle? If you are bored with your eating habits or feel like you're always "on a diet," calorie cycling (a/k/a zig-zagging) is a great way to incorporate higher calorie days into your week -- and with it a lot more variety in your food choices and the ability to eat out and/or splurge a little. It also keeps your body from getting complacent, and is a good option for busting past potential plateaus.
To cycle, all you have to do is calculate your WEEKLY calorie goal, then make your intake different every day. I do this with an Excel spreadsheet, and I plan my week out on the weekend. So, for instance, I knew that my boss was going to be in from out of town last week, which meant a lot of eating out for me, plus I had a couple of social events on the agenda for the weekend. So on the couple of days I had to myself, I shot for my low-cal favorites.
This is what last week looked like:
Mon = 1878
Tues = 1479
Wed = 1871
Thurs = 885
Fri = 1896
Sat = 1811
Sun = 949
Average = 1538
If I were cutting back my calories (which I am heading into the holidays), I'd aim for about 200 fewer per day, and my week would look something like this:
Mon = 1003
Tues = 1414
Wed = 1288
Thurs = 1276
Fri = 1815
Sat = 1463
Sun = 1357
Average = 1374
Note how I save a higher calorie day or two for the weekends!
So if you're looking for a way to make your eating life more interesting, here's another option!
Tell me your experiences with cycling...
Do you cycle? If you are bored with your eating habits or feel like you're always "on a diet," calorie cycling (a/k/a zig-zagging) is a great way to incorporate higher calorie days into your week -- and with it a lot more variety in your food choices and the ability to eat out and/or splurge a little. It also keeps your body from getting complacent, and is a good option for busting past potential plateaus.
To cycle, all you have to do is calculate your WEEKLY calorie goal, then make your intake different every day. I do this with an Excel spreadsheet, and I plan my week out on the weekend. So, for instance, I knew that my boss was going to be in from out of town last week, which meant a lot of eating out for me, plus I had a couple of social events on the agenda for the weekend. So on the couple of days I had to myself, I shot for my low-cal favorites.
This is what last week looked like:
Mon = 1878
Tues = 1479
Wed = 1871
Thurs = 885
Fri = 1896
Sat = 1811
Sun = 949
Average = 1538
If I were cutting back my calories (which I am heading into the holidays), I'd aim for about 200 fewer per day, and my week would look something like this:
Mon = 1003
Tues = 1414
Wed = 1288
Thurs = 1276
Fri = 1815
Sat = 1463
Sun = 1357
Average = 1374
Note how I save a higher calorie day or two for the weekends!
So if you're looking for a way to make your eating life more interesting, here's another option!
Tell me your experiences with cycling...
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Replies
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Thanks for posting this topic! I've read only a bit about this successful technique, but now you've piqued my interest enough to check this out further. When I was on Weight Watchers, there was a similar concept called the Wendie Plan. It wasn't 'official' but well known to members.
Deborah:flowerforyou:0 -
Excellent and interesting post. Thanks! I knew someone who maintained her weight by fasting on Mondays. That's it and it worked very well for her. I like your idea better because you have something -- just less. Great strategy.0
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Thanks for posting this information! I am going to incorporate it into my eating strategy.0
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I don't intentionally do this, but I end up ranging from 900 to 1300 on various days. I have noticed that after losing on the lower calorie level for a couple of weeks I can hit a stall. If I eat 200 more for a day or 2, then it seems to jumpstart my loss again. I can't stay at the higher level tho, so I drop back down to continue losing. So I certainly see the cycling working for many people. I will have to look at my calorie levels over the past month and see what my ranges and averages are.0
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yep,,,, and i do lots of fasts too, so mine is always outa wack, but it works for me.0
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Not going to cycle until I hit a plateau...then we'll see.0
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I was doing this but not on purpose. I didn't think anything of it. Good to know!0
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I've been cycling for awhile within a 500 calorie window. Then yesterday, just for grins, I decided to eat the junk food item (hamburger) I've been fantasizing about (670 calories) -- which I haven't done in a year, then ate to 200 calories OVER maintenance for the rest of the day (on purpose). The idea was to shock my body into letting go of some of the weight it's been hanging onto relentlessly during my now 3-month plateau.
Down 2.5 pounds overnight. Hmm... The surprise junk food nudge?
Stay tuned.0 -
I don't but recently saw it on Dr. Oz. Idk if it's for me. I don't think i can have just one cheat day. I like a little piece of dark chocolate or a glass of red wine each day.0
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I have also done this from the begining. It doe's help me feel like I have never been on a "diet" while having a steady weight loss. I really an't imagine doing it any different.0
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Dark chocolate and red wine aren't cheats in my book! I have chardonnay almost every day and a few dark chocolate almonds several times a week.
I actually don't do cheat days. I did a junk food splurge (fast food hamburger) yesterday for the first time, and might do that every now and then when I feel like it.
But mostly the calorie cycling is about eating more on some days and less on others to keep it interesting for me and keep my body off-kilter. Studies show that the body adapts pretty quickly to whatever you give it, so if you give it the same calories and nutrition every day, eventually it stops burning fat and learns to live on what it's got, and voila! Plateau!0 -
I have been doing it for the past month with excellent results - but I didn't have a title for it. I have very low days and then higher days built into the week.
I had not formally done the math nor looked at my calendar to better plan it but I have lost 19 lbs this month doing it..so I think it could become a maintenance eating strategy for me.0 -
I stay within my range Monday - Friday, eat absolutely anything I want on Saturday with no guilt and try to stay within my maintenance calorie range on Sunday. I don't see how anyone can stay in a healthy frame of mind being strict 24/7/365. That would drive me nuts.0
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I stay within my range Monday - Friday, eat absolutely anything I want on Saturday with no guilt and try to stay within my maintenance calorie range on Sunday. I don't see how anyone can stay in a healthy frame of mind being strict 24/7/365. That would drive me nuts.
I am with you on this I do really well M-F and let either Saturday or Sunday be a "free" day to eat things I don't usually eat during the week. Moderation, of course, and a couple of cocktails. It seems to work for me for the most part.0 -
I hadn't heard of this as an actual technique, but I had observed that if I ate "properly" most of the time and sometimes had an item or even a day off the usual plan, it seemed to "shake loose" some weight. My caloric range is between 1200-1500 and I do tend to zig-zag between them, also occasionally going a bit higher or lower. I try to keep most of the calories on healthy food, but once a week I share a frozen yogurt with my hubby, and on rare occasion I have another treat such as M & M's but I keep that within my calorie range too. And I journal and count the calories for everything. Seems to be working fairly well, if for no other reason then that I feel in control and don't feel deprived.0
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When I first started back in June, began with a high-carb/low-carb menu. Three days High-carb foods and then next day Low-carbs and so on. I didn't know it had a name either...zig-zag, cool! I'm taking it slow now as my body readjusts to eating right foods and better portion sizes. I did start back on high-carbs this past week and lost 1 lb! It works, like you say...it kick-starts our metabolism!:happy:0
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I don't purposely cycle, but calorie upswings happen once or twice a week. Some days I'm not as good at saying no to temptation as on other days.0
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I haven't intentionally done this but my intake has varied alot as I get bored quite quickly sometimes. I think I might look into this a bit more now.0
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I have actually just started to do this, this week. However so far not so good at not eating much on the down days. I've also pledged to not have a glass of wine until Monday! All this because the scale hasn't moved for 6 months!0
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I have done this off and on mostly when the scale hasnt moved in awhile or when I have a special occasion coming up. It does seem to work. With the holidays coming up I think I will be doing this at least thanksgiving and christmas week, maybe more depending on what parties are coming up.......thanks for sharing0
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This is a great idea, and one I'm going to try. Not so much for the zig-zag, but to give myself a little extra on the weekend, which is where I run into trouble...
thanks!0
