Calorie Cycling

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  • Savyna
    Savyna Posts: 789 Member
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    I think I unintentionally did a zig zag. For a week now I've been eating around 1250-1290 calories with a net of 800 or w.e and sunday I made a bigger meal that got me to 1690 calories. I thought I would gain weight because it was higher than I have been going but I woke up and found out I lost about 1.1 pounds. This zig zagging thing sounds interesting and I think it will definitely help me with my weight loss.
  • sugarmonster80
    sugarmonster80 Posts: 5
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    bump
  • graphxgrl
    graphxgrl Posts: 1 Member
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    Wanted to refresh this thread. Is anyone doing this right now? I have in the past and and 3 days into it again. It's also called zig-zagging. Just looking some general accountability and support if anyone else is currently cycling.
  • Quest529
    Quest529 Posts: 103 Member
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    I didn't intend to do it, but it appears that's what happened this week. Friday, the husband and I went out for lunch (Japanese :) ). Where I know my serving should have been about 1/2 of the plate, I ate 3/4. Then that eventing, I finished up the rest after a run. Then yesterday, I ate 3/4 of a Red Baron Pizza. I know it wasn't the best choice, but it sounded good. I ended up going about 500 over yesterday. I was expecting all of that to show up this morning when I weighed. I actually lost a pound since Friday morning. Interesting...
  • camperchick64
    camperchick64 Posts: 146 Member
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    I use the freedieting website and calculate my zig zag calories. I am doing the 5:2 fast and in order to make sure I eat enough and not too much I use the amount I need weekly from the freedieting and that's what I try to hit weekly. Has been working for me - a consistent loss each week. Not a huge amount of loss but that's ok - just going down consistently is making me happy!
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
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    I'm bumping this again. I really want to see someones cycling schedule, if there is anyone who has one. And I hope there is someone.

    I follow the 5:2 way of eating, 2 (non-consecutive) days at a large deficit and 5 days at a small surplus - I'm maintaining not losing weight by the way although I did follow this when I was reducing my weight as well.

    To lose weight on this protocol you would have 2 days at a large deficit and 5 days at TDEE.
    http://thefastdiet.co.uk/ for more info if you are interested - there are also a couple of forums on here.
  • graphxgrl2
    graphxgrl2 Posts: 2
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    So glad this subject is somewhat active. Think it was a big thing around 2006 and slowly tapered off. I have calorie cycled before and lost well. I lost 80lbs using the hCG Diet but don't want to keep doing that a couple times a year, so I tried my hand at intuitive eating and packed on about 15 lbs in a month and a half. I think that only works if your body just wants healthy food, not junk like mine does from years of deprivation.
    So, I am staying off the scale like I was with the intuitive eating, but calorie counting and cycling. May be a bit easier for me if I'm not looking for that number reward on the scale. Maybe in a month I'll hop on LOL
    Just some stats cause I would like to communicate with those of you currently on this plan:
    Female, 44 years, 5'7", between 145 and 150lbs. I exercise heavily...strength and medium cardio.
    Even though I should be able to lose with a 1500/day calorie average, I'm doing 1200 for a couple weeks. Here is my plan this week:
    Mon 1400
    Tues 1000
    Wed 1200
    Thurs 1400
    Fri 1200
    Sat 1800
    Sun 1000

    Did the 1000 yesterday and it was TOUGH since I've been eating what I want for the past seven weeks. Not planning on keeping the 1000 calorie days past the initial 2 weeks but wanted a little jolt to start. I'm so bad at focusing only on healthy foods because I LOVE sweets. I get a good balanced diet, but I can't go a day without a treat....or 5.
  • janetteluparia
    janetteluparia Posts: 318 Member
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    5:2 has really helped me to break through the plateau. It took however, me reducing my calories to 7000 a week! (Net). Not kidding. At 8500 I was stuck and anything over that I gained back and forth so the "youre not eating enough" rationale is out the window. If I go over in wine on a saturday or Friday night I dont sweat it. I have been using MFP for a long time. Low Carb....worked for a while. Lost about 15 in 6 months and then....nothing. Now it would seem that I am losing a pound a week ( we shall see on Friday when I weigh). Its crazy that I HAVE to eat so little to lose. I eat plenty of protein so I wont lose muscle mass and I resistance train when I can. I have to drive alot for work so my activity level is low. I know I am pushing 50 but this goes against all conventional wisdom and I am en educated nutritionist!!

    This is exactly why people give up and I wont! I have another 17 to go to be really happy. If it means learning to eat 7000 calories a week....then that's what I have to do. 5:2 has taught me how to do that.
    Monday 500
    Tuesday 1000ish
    Wednesday 500
    Thursday 1000ish
    Friday 1200
    Saturday 1400
    Sunday 1200
  • linalovekitty
    linalovekitty Posts: 187
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    I know this isnt exactly calorie cycling in its conventional sense. But it wasnt until I started re incorporating "cheat" days, aka pig out days that I started losing weight FINALLY. I hadnt cheated in over a year, or over eaten by one bite and I was not losing. Now I cheat 3 days/week and diet 4. MY sister does the same thing. She always says it like this
    "If Ive been dieting hardcore for a while, and finally have a pig out day or two, Im always a few pounds thinner if I follow it with diet days than I was before I had the pig out" It triggers your metabolism
  • kirkor
    kirkor Posts: 2,530 Member
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    It'd be nice to have a cycling feature, both for calories and for macros --- i.e. higher cal, high carb, low fat on workout days ... lower cal, low carb, higher fat on rest days ...

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