Zig Zag/Calorie shifting

this sounds like a really unhealthy way to diet. you starve yourself one day and binge eat the next day. 500 calories for a whole day is nothing. they also suggest that you exercise - especially on the "up days". i think you will do much better sticking to the MFP plan, which is to eat normally the whole week, just cutting down on calories to lose weight. that is the way to lose and keep the weight off.

i think I can understand how the calorie shifting could work for some people though. one day you allow yourself a treat, and the next keep yourself in check - 500 cals is low, but still managable for a single day. i can see how it might help people with an "all or nothing" mentality get started losing weight at least. It sort of helps prevent one "bad" day from leading to 7. Either way you're still eating the same cals per week as you would on the 1200/day on mfp. To each his own, do whatever works for you to get and stay healthy!!!

Zig Zaggin isn't dangerous, as long as you aren't going TOO crazy with your calorie shifts, I.E. if you're swapping out about 500 or 600 calories a day then that's fine, but the thing is, it's not going to give you dramatically different results from any other program. The human body doesn't adjust the metabolism on a 24 hour clock, so the basic premise of this diet is flawed in that respect. But in the totality of it's concept, I.E. eating a caloric deficit to lose weight, is valid, and ultimately, over the long run you will probably see similar results to any regular normal diet consisting of a moderate caloric deficit.

You may actually see some good results at the beginning (as do people who do almost any diet) but if you average it out over the course of many months you'll probably see numbers about the same as eating a healthy nutritious diet with a calorie deficit of the same weekly range as a zig zag diet. So basically I'm saying, if you keep it healthy, and stick with it, what ever works for you, I'm ok with.

I'm only expecting to lose 2 pounds a week, so I know I won't get dramatically better results, but this is so much easier for me to follow!! I can diet every other day, but everyday is hard for me. It is hard to think I won't be able to enjoy the foods I love anymore. this is why people stay on this diet. I wanna get away from the word diet tho, because this is going to be my lifestyle if it works for me.
Plus, it tricks your metabolism and then you don't go into starvation mode because you don't eat extremely low for longer than 24 hours.
My dad has been doing this for almost a month and he has lost 10 pounds! Also, his doctor recommended it and said that it is perfectly healthy. I am going to talk to my doctor about it the next time I see him.
Anyways, thanks for all of your responses, but I am going to keep trying it. It is working so far and if it works, it works. I have been trying to lose weight for years and years.
oh, and you only go down to 500 calories for the first two weeks, and then you can go up from there. I am going to be adding calories as I add to my workout regimen.

It's as much about quality of food as it is quantity. Yes calories are important, but nutrients are just as important, personally, I don't see how eating your maintenance one day and eating far less than maintenance another is any better, but to each their own.

I do this a bit - I know that Thursdays are always going to be bad - I have friends over and I want to enjoy the meal. I try to bank up some calories over the week and if I don't bank enough I try to stay short after Thursdays. It's not (usually) CRAZY high - something like 2500 for the day, and I still count and record every calorie, it just helps me feel like I'm not being deprived and I'm not 'separate' from my friends. I've always made good choices, just too much of them

I like to think that every calorie I take in is there for a very good reason. Yesterday I had popcorn with extra butter at the movies. I'd looked up the calories and saved up for it, and I only eat popcorn a couple times a year. While they were "empty" calories, I LOVED EACH ONE! Tonight I'm having back bean tacos in lettuce wraps and I'm EXCITED about it! I'll come in low on calories today and tomorrow.

I don't intend to swing them - but I use a five day average on my weight and my calories for tracking rather than a one day number.

I've lost more weight (easily) this way than ever before, and I don't have friends and family trying to sabotage me now because I WILL eat with them once in a while!