Starting calorie zig-zagging, to boost my metabolism.

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  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    bump
  • karmahunger
    karmahunger Posts: 373 Member
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    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
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    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
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    IMO carb cycle or diet in a conventional way.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    Zig-Zagging is fine if that's your preference, but it's not going to boost your metabolism any more than a traditional deficit with the same average intake in calories and macronutrients.
  • judychicken
    judychicken Posts: 937 Member
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    Bump
  • midnight333
    midnight333 Posts: 149
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    I'm super curious.
  • karmahunger
    karmahunger Posts: 373 Member
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    I'll let everyone know!
  • stephaniecarmichael83
    stephaniecarmichael83 Posts: 2 Member
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    bump
  • beachygirlk
    beachygirlk Posts: 28
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    bump
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    Where do people get the idea you can change your metabolism? Except under very drastic circumstances your metabolism is what it is. You can't change it by fasting, cleansing, eating this or that and it doesn't get wrecked by eating too few calories for a period of time.

    Your weight comes down to calories in/calories out. You eat to much, you gain weight. You eat to little you get very thin and usually sick. Your body doesn't operate on a 24 hour clock so that it knows that today is our fast day and tomorrow we get more. Watching calories day by day only helps because it's much easier than keeping track of your calorie intake by the month. It would suck to get to the 25th and find out you'd used up all your calories.

    I have no idea why it's such a hard concept to grasp. I guess it comes down to our society being bombarded with the quick answer to every problem.
  • 6mimi
    6mimi Posts: 1,439 Member
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    I have not tried it yet personally. However, I know someone going through a certified personal training course and that course recommends the zig zag approach to eating.
  • karmahunger
    karmahunger Posts: 373 Member
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    Where do people get the idea you can change your metabolism? Except under very drastic circumstances your metabolism is what it is. You can't change it by fasting, cleansing, eating this or that and it doesn't get wrecked by eating too few calories for a period of time.

    Your weight comes down to calories in/calories out. You eat to much, you gain weight. You eat to little you get very thin and usually sick. Your body doesn't operate on a 24 hour clock so that it knows that today is our fast day and tomorrow we get more. Watching calories day by day only helps because it's much easier than keeping track of your calorie intake by the month. It would suck to get to the 25th and find out you'd used up all your calories.

    I have no idea why it's such a hard concept to grasp. I guess it comes down to our society being bombarded with the quick answer to every problem.

    It is literally possible to change your metabolism with what you eat/exercise.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Where do people get the idea you can change your metabolism? Except under very drastic circumstances your metabolism is what it is. You can't change it by fasting, cleansing, eating this or that and it doesn't get wrecked by eating too few calories for a period of time.

    Your weight comes down to calories in/calories out. You eat to much, you gain weight. You eat to little you get very thin and usually sick. Your body doesn't operate on a 24 hour clock so that it knows that today is our fast day and tomorrow we get more. Watching calories day by day only helps because it's much easier than keeping track of your calorie intake by the month. It would suck to get to the 25th and find out you'd used up all your calories.

    I have no idea why it's such a hard concept to grasp. I guess it comes down to our society being bombarded with the quick answer to every problem.

    Actually you can.
    You can slow it down.
    You can speed it up.

    Christian Weyer, Roy L Walford, Inge T Harper, Mike Milner, Taber MacCallum, P Antonio Tataranni and Eric Ravussin, "Energy metabolism after 2 y of energy restriction: the Biosphere 2 experiment", American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 72, No. 4, 946-953, October 2000.

    Martin CK, Heilbronn LK, de Jonge L, Delany JP, Volaufova J, Anton SD, Redman LM, Smith SR, Ravussin E. "Effect of calorie restriction on resting metabolic rate and spontaneous physical activity", Obesity (Silver Spring). 2007 Dec

    Rosenbaum M, Hirsch J, Gallagher DA, Leibel RL., Long-term persistence of adaptive thermogenesis in subjects who have maintained a reduced body weight. Am J Clin Nutr., 2008 Oct

    Welle SL, Seaton TB, Campbell RG. "Some metabolic effects of overeating in man", Am J Clin Nutr. 1986 Dec.


    Last one there is about speeding it back up again.

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