Starting calorie zig-zagging, to boost my metabolism.

Mondays & Wednesdays I will eat 1506 calories, and Tuesdays & Thursdays I will eat 1200. Then Friday & Saturday I will eat 1300. Sundays I will fast or eat very little.

I hear this works very well, I'll let ya'll know how it goes :)
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Replies

  • GreyEyes21
    GreyEyes21 Posts: 241 Member
    Calorie zig-zaging usually works for when you plateau. It will be interesting to see if it works just for normal weight loss or metabolism boost.

    Usually LOTS of protein helps metabolism. I'm usually WAY OVER my protein and my metabolism is getting very high.

    Good luck! :D
  • samigirl1975
    samigirl1975 Posts: 62 Member
    Calorie zig-zaging usually works for when you plateau. It will be interesting to see if it works just for normal weight loss or metabolism boost.

    Usually LOTS of protein helps metabolism. I'm usually WAY OVER my protein and my metabolism is getting very high.

    Good luck! :D

    I will have to do this!! More protein. Any recommendations that have tons of protein??
  • karmahunger
    karmahunger Posts: 373 Member

    I will have to do this!! More protein. Any recommendations that have tons of protein??

    Eggs, dairy, soy, nuts.
  • YoYo1951
    YoYo1951 Posts: 370
    anxious to see how you do with this. I have read about it, but don't know anyone who has done it. Keep us updated please
  • Off10h8ed
    Off10h8ed Posts: 282 Member
    Calorie zig-zaging usually works for when you plateau. It will be interesting to see if it works just for normal weight loss or metabolism boost.

    Usually LOTS of protein helps metabolism. I'm usually WAY OVER my protein and my metabolism is getting very high.

    Good luck! :D

    I will have to do this!! More protein. Any recommendations that have tons of protein??



    For high protein, I go with fat free cheeses, eggbeaters and beans!

    You can also do nuts, peanut butter and such but I would watch that route a bit as you will be adding fat too.
  • Bump
  • dena789
    dena789 Posts: 165 Member
    Interesting. Do keep us posted! :flowerforyou:
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,033 Member
    I too am interested in how this has worked for others. It has helped me in the past with a plateau
  • GreyEyes21
    GreyEyes21 Posts: 241 Member
    Calorie zig-zaging usually works for when you plateau. It will be interesting to see if it works just for normal weight loss or metabolism boost.

    Usually LOTS of protein helps metabolism. I'm usually WAY OVER my protein and my metabolism is getting very high.

    Good luck! :D

    I will have to do this!! More protein. Any recommendations that have tons of protein??

    I do protein shakes. 1 scoop 20g - 3x a day. :) plus an egg and nuts, peanut butter 2tbsp and MORE for snacks
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
    Mondays & Wednesdays I will eat 1506 calories, and Tuesdays & Thursdays I will eat 1200. Then Friday & Saturday I will eat 1300. Sundays I will fast or eat very little.

    I hear this works very well, I'll let ya'll know how it goes :)
    This is no different than eating the same amount of calories everyday of the week.
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
    For high protein, I go with fat free cheeses, eggbeaters and beans!

    You can also do nuts, peanut butter and such but I would watch that route a bit as you will be adding fat too.

    Beans - High in carbohydrate, fairly good protein, low fat.

    They are great for digestive distress too.

    Personally, I'll have a steak ... or eggs ... whole eggs ... lovely eggs ... ;)
  • magj0y
    magj0y Posts: 1,911 Member
    Lentils and beans (black, pinto, garbonzo, that sort) are high in protein. If you want to increase your your protein, i'd try and mix the two. There are several dishes that can easily accommodate both beans and meat.
    Burritos & chili being the obvious. chicken and black bean salad


    lentil soup with pork, there are also italian dishes with white beans.

    when using beans from a can, always thoroughly rinse them. Light red kidney beans are much kinder on the stomach.
    Not all canned refried beans are equal.

    The zig zagging is also wonderful in November and December with the holidays coming up. It's easy to move them around a bit when you have a party. with this also in mind, try and keep your low-cal days during the holiday as clean and unprocessed as possible, pre-cooking is your best way to accomplish this. Double your recipe, freeze the other half.

    ****You may also want to consider BYOB when you can... or do a little research on how many ugly calories your fave cocktail is. Pre-gaming should always be an option! You make it up with salads, more minutes at the gym and lots lots lots of water both months.


    Good luck with this and I hope you take advantage of it!
  • GreyEyes21
    GreyEyes21 Posts: 241 Member
    Mondays & Wednesdays I will eat 1506 calories, and Tuesdays & Thursdays I will eat 1200. Then Friday & Saturday I will eat 1300. Sundays I will fast or eat very little.

    I hear this works very well, I'll let ya'll know how it goes :)
    This is no different than eating the same amount of calories everyday of the week.

    Unless you plateau... I've done this many times to trick the body into losing again.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    Mondays & Wednesdays I will eat 1506 calories, and Tuesdays & Thursdays I will eat 1200. Then Friday & Saturday I will eat 1300. Sundays I will fast or eat very little.

    I hear this works very well, I'll let ya'll know how it goes :)
    This is no different than eating the same amount of calories everyday of the week.

    second this

    And re protein intake, I can't believe the first recommendation was not meat?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Mondays & Wednesdays I will eat 1506 calories, and Tuesdays & Thursdays I will eat 1200. Then Friday & Saturday I will eat 1300. Sundays I will fast or eat very little.

    I hear this works very well, I'll let ya'll know how it goes :)
    This is no different than eating the same amount of calories everyday of the week.

    Unless you plateau... I've done this many times to trick the body into losing again.

    I think you just stated why it doesn't really work.

    "I've done this many times to trick ..."

    The point being made is, if you eat the same amount every day, which includes your weekly activity averaged out to a daily basis with a correct deficit taken - you automatically end up calorie cycling if you have any variability to your workout.
    Rest days are high net calorie days, hard workout days are low, avg days are in between.

    All you are doing is probably finally feeding your body closer to what it would like to have in the first place, and metabolism can finally speed up.

    No tricking of it, just speeding it up.

    This would mean your normal calorie level is too low for your level of activity.
  • SomeoneSomeplace
    SomeoneSomeplace Posts: 1,094 Member
    I think fast days/restricting days are pretty silly, personally it just leads to be over-eating the next day and being really really bloated and even water weight gain ...but my stomach is pretty tiny since I carry all my fat in my legs and butt I'm not saying it to braggy my stomach just doesn't happen to be a problem area for me ( at least not when I'm bloated) so that could be why I get so bloated when I do things like this but I personally wouldn't recommend what you're doing on Sunday

    Also why can't you just vary up your exercise?
  • I had put on a lot of weight due to drinking too much alcohol during a difficult time. When I stopped drinking weight just dropped off for the first month but now I'm stuck again and still overweight. I think my metabolism is messed up due to stress and not eating properly in the past so this could be a good option for me to try
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
    Mondays & Wednesdays I will eat 1506 calories, and Tuesdays & Thursdays I will eat 1200. Then Friday & Saturday I will eat 1300. Sundays I will fast or eat very little.

    I hear this works very well, I'll let ya'll know how it goes :)
    This is no different than eating the same amount of calories everyday of the week.

    Unless you plateau... I've done this many times to trick the body into losing again.

    I think you just stated why it doesn't really work.

    "I've done this many times to trick ..."

    The point being made is, if you eat the same amount every day, which includes your weekly activity averaged out to a daily basis with a correct deficit taken - you automatically end up calorie cycling if you have any variability to your workout.
    Rest days are high net calorie days, hard workout days are low, avg days are in between.

    All you are doing is probably finally feeding your body closer to what it would like to have in the first place, and metabolism can finally speed up.

    No tricking of it, just speeding it up.

    This would mean your normal calorie level is too low for your level of activity.
    Pretty much.
  • GreyEyes21
    GreyEyes21 Posts: 241 Member
    not exactly. I've lost 63lbs doing the same thing every day and plateaued 3ish times. and I lowered my calories one day. upped them the next and the third day i went to my usual routein, the fourth day I lost again and continued my weight loss for another 20-30ish lbs. I eat exactly what I need to inc 82g protein every day (way over the 56g MFP suggests) and have kept it off for 2 years. I'm not saying that zig-zagging every day would work but to each his own. fail and try again until you find what works for you. As long as you succeed in the end and maintain is all that matters

    p.s. I lost all 63lbs the first 6 months losing. then stopped to try to maintain for 1yr 6months. now trying and succeeding at losing again. :D
  • magj0y
    magj0y Posts: 1,911 Member
    Mondays & Wednesdays I will eat 1506 calories, and Tuesdays & Thursdays I will eat 1200. Then Friday & Saturday I will eat 1300. Sundays I will fast or eat very little.

    I hear this works very well, I'll let ya'll know how it goes :)
    This is no different than eating the same amount of calories everyday of the week.

    Yes, it is different.
    You can plan your meals differently, some days allowing you more foods, other days less. For anyone with a social life, this is a god send in allowing to enjoy life and stay on caloric track.
    On days with less food, your digestive track isn't working as hard. Giving your digetsive system a bit of a break is good for it. If you look at what it does, it's nothing short of a miracle and many of us abuse it on a regular basis. Don't you think it does a little happy dance when it doesn't have to work super hard on all this processed foods with unpronouncable words? Meat/animal products like eggs and milk is one of the toughest natural foods it has to work on and most of us eat it twice a day. many of us, over 5 servings a day. <if you want more in this info, inbox me>

    When your body is used to the same amount of food every day, it gets comfortable. And like many people it works as lazy as possible. if it can figure out how not to burn a calorie, it won't. Our body isn't stupid. However, if you keep it on it's toes, it switches things up. At the end of the day, the body is expecting a couple extra hundred calories and *gasp* it's not there. crap, gotta spend those calories.

    It's the same with exercise, your body gets confortable, it gets lazy. switching that up can be beneficial as well. If you can go through your routine half asleep and not even needing to think... you need to switch it up a bit. Even if it's switching you rest day/run day. **I suggest your low caloric days are used on your rest or mild work out days, but nothing excess.

    A lot of people also don't reevaluate how many calories their body needs after losing 10+lbs. and cause people to get stuck.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
    Mondays & Wednesdays I will eat 1506 calories, and Tuesdays & Thursdays I will eat 1200. Then Friday & Saturday I will eat 1300. Sundays I will fast or eat very little.

    I hear this works very well, I'll let ya'll know how it goes :)
    This is no different than eating the same amount of calories everyday of the week.

    Yes, it is different.
    You can plan your meals differently, some days allowing you more foods, other days less. For anyone with a social life, this is a god send in allowing to enjoy life and stay on caloric track.
    On days with less food, your digestive track isn't working as hard. Giving your digetsive system a bit of a break is good for it. If you look at what it does, it's nothing short of a miracle and many of us abuse it on a regular basis. Don't you think it does a little happy dance when it doesn't have to work super hard on all this processed foods with unpronouncable words? Meat/animal products like eggs and milk is one of the toughest natural foods it has to work on and most of us eat it twice a day. many of us, over 5 servings a day. <if you want more in this info, inbox me>

    When your body is used to the same amount of food every day, it gets comfortable. And like many people it works as lazy as possible. if it can figure out how not to burn a calorie, it won't. Our body isn't stupid. However, if you keep it on it's toes, it switches things up. At the end of the day, the body is expecting a couple extra hundred calories and *gasp* it's not there. crap, gotta spend those calories.

    It's the same with exercise, your body gets confortable, it gets lazy. switching that up can be beneficial as well. If you can go through your routine half asleep and not even needing to think... you need to switch it up a bit. Even if it's switching you rest day/run day. **I suggest your low caloric days are used on your rest or mild work out days, but nothing excess.

    A lot of people also don't reevaluate how many calories their body needs after losing 10+lbs. and cause people to get stuck.
    Yes, it is different.

    No it's not.
    You can plan your meals differently, some days allowing you more foods, other days less. For anyone with a social life, this is a god send in allowing to enjoy life and stay on caloric track.
    On days with less food, your digestive track isn't working as hard. Giving your digetsive system a bit of a break is good for it. If you look at what it does, it's nothing short of a miracle and many of us abuse it on a regular basis. Don't you think it does a little happy dance when it doesn't have to work super hard on all this processed foods with unpronouncable words? Meat/animal products like eggs and milk is one of the toughest natural foods it has to work on and most of us eat it twice a day. many of us, over 5 servings a day. <if you want more in this info, inbox me>

    You really need to look at the concept of food digestion. Once you do, you will see how absurd you sound.
    When your body is used to the same amount of food every day, it gets comfortable. And like many people it works as lazy as possible. if it can figure out how not to burn a calorie, it won't. Our body isn't stupid. However, if you keep it on it's toes, it switches things up. At the end of the day, the body is expecting a couple extra hundred calories and *gasp* it's not there. crap, gotta spend those calories.

    You're body doesn't get "comfortable". You either burn enough calories via exercise and diet restriction or you don't. No need to calorie cycle.
    It's the same with exercise, your body gets confortable, it gets lazy. switching that up can be beneficial as well. If you can go through your routine half asleep and not even needing to think... you need to switch it up a bit. Even if it's switching you rest day/run day. **I suggest your low caloric days are used on your rest or mild work out days, but nothing excess.

    Once again, the rest day, work day myth has been debunked. It's all mental, cause people think they are not burning a lot of calories on the rest day. Here is the kicker though. The body doesn't work on a 24 hour cycle. It's all about creating a weekly and yes a MONTHLY defecit.
    A lot of people also don't reevaluate how many calories their body needs after losing 10+lbs. and cause people to get stuck.

    This is a different topic and has nothing to do with calorie cycling.
  • magj0y
    magj0y Posts: 1,911 Member


    This is a different topic and has nothing to do with calorie cycling.

    We obviously read very different books.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    not exactly. I've lost 63lbs doing the same thing every day and plateaued 3ish times. and I lowered my calories one day. upped them the next and the third day i went to my usual routein, the fourth day I lost again and continued my weight loss for another 20-30ish lbs. I eat exactly what I need to inc 82g protein every day (way over the 56g MFP suggests) and have kept it off for 2 years. I'm not saying that zig-zagging every day would work but to each his own. fail and try again until you find what works for you. As long as you succeed in the end and maintain is all that matters

    p.s. I lost all 63lbs the first 6 months losing. then stopped to try to maintain for 1yr 6months. now trying and succeeding at losing again. :D

    Do you know why people don't only use scale weight to evaluate progress?
  • karmahunger
    karmahunger Posts: 373 Member
    Oh jeez. I vanish for a few hours and come back to so many posts!

    Everyone: I am getting mixed reviews, but I've heard this works. I won't be eating any meat because I am a vegetarian. I want to try this, for me. I understand that it may not work but it's worth a shot, right?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Oh jeez. I vanish for a few hours and come back to so many posts!

    Everyone: I am getting mixed reviews, but I've heard this works. I won't be eating any meat because I am a vegetarian. I want to try this, for me. I understand that it may not work but it's worth a shot, right?

    why would you want to fast or eat very litle on a sunday? that doesnt sound fun or sustainable to me?
  • karmahunger
    karmahunger Posts: 373 Member
    Personal reasons. Not religious, but I don't eat a lot on Sundays. It's because fasting once a week makes me feel really cleansed and stronger.
  • kazhowe
    kazhowe Posts: 340 Member
    bump
  • karmahunger
    karmahunger Posts: 373 Member
    So, I've changed my goals on MFP. I will be eating a LOT of protein everyday, instead of just sometimes. I don't have a lot of healthy, high protein foods right now, but I will get there. I CAN do this!
  • GreyEyes21
    GreyEyes21 Posts: 241 Member
    not exactly. I've lost 63lbs doing the same thing every day and plateaued 3ish times. and I lowered my calories one day. upped them the next and the third day i went to my usual routein, the fourth day I lost again and continued my weight loss for another 20-30ish lbs. I eat exactly what I need to inc 82g protein every day (way over the 56g MFP suggests) and have kept it off for 2 years. I'm not saying that zig-zagging every day would work but to each his own. fail and try again until you find what works for you. As long as you succeed in the end and maintain is all that matters

    p.s. I lost all 63lbs the first 6 months losing. then stopped to try to maintain for 1yr 6months. now trying and succeeding at losing again. :D

    Do you know why people don't only use scale weight to evaluate progress?

    Yes that's why I have a measuring tape and lift 4 days a week :D I have a lot of muscle mass. People actually think I don't know what I'm talking about. It's so funny! I have a doctor who I work with, my mom is practically a fitness trainer. Come on people!
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
    IMO carb cycle or diet in a conventional way.