Calorie shifting or zig zagging? Help! Need to break Plateau

evansproudmama
evansproudmama Posts: 493 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi All,

I have been going strong on my clean eating healthy lifestyle since December and finally hit my lowest weight since having my four year old a month ago. Since then I have been stuck! I mean stuck at 160 lbs for three long weeks then finally last week I dropped down 158 lbs however even after working out and eating pretty damn good all week I gained a pound as of this morning I am at 159 and I have 19lbs to hit my goal weight! I need help! I stopped eating meat for my own personal health reasons two weeks ago and feel great, I still eat fish however. I aim to eat clean 80%of the time and drink a green homemade smoothie every morning. I have been slowly working on switching from so much cardio and aim to work harder on the weights. I started using free weights to squat and ab work and I love it! so I'm not sure if thats what this little gain is about but I need to do something.
The internet recommends calorie shifting or zig zagging to break the plateau, has anyone tried this or does anyone currently do this as their method of dieting? Please share tips, ideas, questions/concerns NO TROLLS! NO RUDE COMMENTS NO OBNOXIOUS INSENSITIVE comments PLEASE! I am doing this the healthy way and am invested in my body and getting it to a healthy place and am just looking for some experiences.

Thanks
Bri

Replies

  • aepdx
    aepdx Posts: 218 Member
    Hi Bri! I am pretty much in the same situation, so I have no great advice, sorry! But I am going to try zig-zagging starting today. I found the zig-zag calorie counter at www.freedieting.com. I am not looking forward to not eating much today, but I know I will be able to make up for it tomorrow!

    I am going to try this for two weeks, hopefully it will work.
  • evansproudmama
    evansproudmama Posts: 493 Member
    Thanks for the response let me know how it goes :)
  • ykckby1949
    ykckby1949 Posts: 8 Member
    How many calories are you eating? Are you eating back your exercise calories?

    Have you looked at TDEE on this site?

    I ask because I was in a similar situation as was a friend. We upped our calories and the weight started to come off again. I have found TDEE to be very helpful although you do need to adjust every 10 to 15 pound loss.

    Huge kudos to your clean eating goals and definitely up your strength training!

    Kim
  • Alta2000
    Alta2000 Posts: 655 Member
    Hi All,

    I have been slowly working on switching from so much cardio and aim to work harder on the weights. I started using free weights to squat and ab work and I love it! so I'm not sure if thats what this little gain is about but I need to do something.
    The internet recommends calorie shifting or zig zagging to break the plateau, has anyone tried this or does anyone currently do this as their method of dieting?
    Thanks
    Bri

    For the last 6 weeks I gained weight, 2-3lbs immediately when I started doing free weights and reduced cardio, and then plateaued for a few weeks. I had upped my calories on TDEE-20% months before and on days that I did extra strong free weights I felt the need and did eat more, even 1000 calories extra. I remained on the same weight but my body has been changing from the weights. I did a couple of 1000 calories day only to jolt and zigzag and it seems to had an impact and have been moving slowly again.
  • silverlining84
    silverlining84 Posts: 330 Member
    I've done calorie zig zagging for a few weeks and it got me off a plateau. I made sure that my higher calorie days were on leg days and lower calorie was on my lighter weight days. I've also done carb cycling as well. I think i'm going to do another carb cycle for 2-3 weeks soon.
  • cici1028
    cici1028 Posts: 799 Member
    Zig Zagging always worked to break plateaus for me. Plus,it's how I eat anyway... a lot some days, less others. You can do it.
  • kathymhardy
    kathymhardy Posts: 267 Member
    This week I am doing two 500 calories a day (Monday and Thursday). Yesterday, the first one, I thought I would find it extremely hard as I love my food. But it wasn't that bad. Also thought I would be starving today - actually am not at all.

    Will see on Friday when I weigh myself, if this has worked.
  • groomchick
    groomchick Posts: 610 Member
    I have zig zagged my cals & carbs for many years. Seems to work very well for my lifestyle and keeps my body fooled. I've never had a problem breaking a plateau with this method. Although I don't have as big of a swing as most of the websites recommend.... I kind of do my own thing according to my plans for the week!
  • silverlining84
    silverlining84 Posts: 330 Member
    This week I am doing two 500 calories a day (Monday and Thursday). Yesterday, the first one, I thought I would find it extremely hard as I love my food. But it wasn't that bad. Also thought I would be starving today - actually am not at all.

    Will see on Friday when I weigh myself, if this has worked.

    Yikes!! When I calorie zig zagged I rarely dropped below 1200 on my low days.
  • daniellemm1
    daniellemm1 Posts: 465 Member
    bump because I may want to give this a try
  • NutellaAddict
    NutellaAddict Posts: 1,258 Member
    What worked for me is TDEE X.80, then next day TDEE X.60, and repeat for a week...
  • mareeee1234
    mareeee1234 Posts: 674 Member
    bummp!

    I've started zig-zagging this week! 1800 on lifting days, 1550 or less on the other days!
    great to see people are having success with it :smile:
  • ruggedBear
    ruggedBear Posts: 295
    Last year my trainer recommended going 5-7 days with no grains or fruits (only olive oil, lean meats, fish and vegetables). This worked for me and I do it every 6-8 weeks or so. I maintain the same calorie intake, just changing the sources.

    BTW - I gained 5 pounds the first month I started NROLFW - but it has come back off slowly. On lifting days during that low carb cycle, I make sure I drink 2 protein shakes a day (ok - so that counts as carbs, but it still works!) which puts my protein intake at about 140g.
  • albertine58
    albertine58 Posts: 267 Member
    I'm sure it's just muscle, or your body holding more water because of a change in exercise or hormone cycles. One pound is only 2 cups of water, which your body can easily retain for muscle repair. Don't stress about it at all; as long as you're weighing or measuring all your food, the numbers will work out eventually.
  • evansproudmama
    evansproudmama Posts: 493 Member
    Last year my trainer recommended going 5-7 days with no grains or fruits (only olive oil, lean meats, fish and vegetables). This worked for me and I do it every 6-8 weeks or so. I maintain the same calorie intake, just changing the sources.

    BTW - I gained 5 pounds the first month I started NROLFW - but it has come back off slowly. On lifting days during that low carb cycle, I make sure I drink 2 protein shakes a day (ok - so that counts as carbs, but it still works!) which puts my protein intake at about 140g.

    I just got the book and am starting on Monday but I've been lifting for the past two weeks and last week I finally dropped 4 pounds!! Ive been eating about 1700-1800 with higher carbs on lifting days and about 14000 staying around 100 carbs or less on non lifting days with no alcohol except on special occassions or lightly on Sat/Sun and it seems to be working out for me now. Looks like I just wasn't applying myself to my fullest potential but I've fixed that now :-) Thanks for all the advice and comments on this thread!!!

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