Zig zag diet?

cherio256
cherio256 Posts: 219 Member
edited January 28 in Health and Weight Loss
Has anybody here ever done the zig zag diet? I have hit a platau and its very annoying! I normally do one 'cheat' day a week. I do 1200 calories plus exercise. So I do 1200 on non exercise days and 1350 on exercise days. When you do zig zag diet do you eat back exercise calories? Does it work?

Replies

  • cherio256
    cherio256 Posts: 219 Member
    Ok to my calculations I can lose if I eat 9000 calories a week. So here is my plan..
    Sunday 1400
    Monday 1000
    Tuesday 1000
    Wednesday 1400
    Thursday 1000
    Friday 2200
    Saturday 1000

    Let's see if this 'shocks' my body to lose more! Wish me luck :)
  • PepperWorm
    PepperWorm Posts: 1,205 Member
    I wouldn't recommend that.

    What is your activity level like? Height? Weight? Goal weight? Age?
  • MelissaL582
    MelissaL582 Posts: 1,422 Member
    Ok to my calculations I can lose if I eat 9000 calories a week. So here is my plan..
    Sunday 1400
    Monday 1000
    Tuesday 1000
    Wednesday 1400
    Thursday 1000
    Friday 2200
    Saturday 1000

    Let's see if this 'shocks' my body to lose more! Wish me luck :)

    The zig zag does help but I would try eating at least 1200 on your low days instead of just a 1000. IMO

    I came across this site. http://www.shapefit.com/calorie-intake-calculator.html#

    Good luck!
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    It won't make any real difference. Your body doesn't have a time clock and lose based on your cycling calories up and down day to day. All that plan is doing is starving you some days so you can have a large meal one day. Most likely what you need to do is eat more in general and get off the 1200 calorie kick so many get caught up in. You don't have to be deprived to lose weight in a healthy way.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,517 Spam Moderator
    How does eating marijuana wrappers help with diet?:laugh:

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • cherio256
    cherio256 Posts: 219 Member
    I don't know what to do. I'm 29 starting weight 198, current weight 162, goal weight 145. I started off doing 1200 plus exercise and was losing quick. Then I decided to try upping my calories to 1440 plus exercise ( which is usually 150 a day) and only lost a pound in one month!! I have read that your body will get accustomed to set calories everyday and by switching it up it makes you lose faster.
  • cherio256
    cherio256 Posts: 219 Member
    I don't know but marijuana does not help at all!!!! :)
  • LexiAtel
    LexiAtel Posts: 228 Member
    I don't know what to do. I'm 29 starting weight 198, current weight 162, goal weight 145. I started off doing 1200 plus exercise and was losing quick. Then I decided to try upping my calories to 1440 plus exercise ( which is usually 150 a day) and only lost a pound in one month!! I have read that your body will get accustomed to set calories everyday and by switching it up it makes you lose faster.

    First, your body (not matter what your starting weight is) will lose faster in the beginning.

    You're just getting to the point where you will just take longer to lose the pounds, the closer you are to your goal, the more you need to eat.

    As far as 1 pound a month... I would be worried... Since you have tried 1290 cals with no luck (1440 - 150) try doing like 1500-1600 cals for a month, see how it goes.
  • cherio256
    cherio256 Posts: 219 Member
    I was actually doing 1440 plus exercise calories which is 1590 on exercise days and 1440 on non exercise days and lost a pound Ina month
  • LexiAtel
    LexiAtel Posts: 228 Member
    I was actually doing 1440 plus exercise calories which is 1590 on exercise days and 1440 on non exercise days and lost a pound Ina month

    Okay I have one more suggestion then, the only thing that looks odd...

    The sodium levels, I am seeing a lot of your foods have a lot of sodium, Maybe try cutting your sodium intake in half for a month, while eating the same calories.

    Maybe that can help? Maybe your body wont want to hold on to water so much then... I don't know.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    I don't know what to do. I'm 29 starting weight 198, current weight 162, goal weight 145. I started off doing 1200 plus exercise and was losing quick. Then I decided to try upping my calories to 1440 plus exercise ( which is usually 150 a day) and only lost a pound in one month!! I have read that your body will get accustomed to set calories everyday and by switching it up it makes you lose faster.

    You have MFP set to sedentary probably, right, "just to be on the safe side". Are you sure your 40 hr workday is sedentary desk job?

    You probably log your exercise low, "just to be on the safe side". What is providing your calorie burn estimate?

    You probably log your food high, "just to be on the safe side". Are you weighing food, or using volume measurements or guesses?

    If that's not you fine, most are when they are honest with themselves.

    You also still have selected a 2 lb weekly loss goal?

    Time to go to 1.5 lb weekly.

    Also, if you truly want to vary the calories your body is left with daily, then take an total weekly burn for exercise.
    Divide by 7, and add that to the new goal MFP gives when you select probably Lightly Active and 1.5 lb loss goal.

    Now, exercise will take some of those calories right off the top merely for mechanical movement, leaving less for your body to use.
    Some days with no exercise, you are left with more.

    In other words, it varies how much your body is left over with daily.

    This is basically the TDEE Deficit method, another reason why many find it successful if a steady exercise routine - calorie zig-zag is automatic.
  • PepperWorm
    PepperWorm Posts: 1,205 Member
    I don't know what to do. I'm 29 starting weight 198, current weight 162, goal weight 145. I started off doing 1200 plus exercise and was losing quick. Then I decided to try upping my calories to 1440 plus exercise ( which is usually 150 a day) and only lost a pound in one month!! I have read that your body will get accustomed to set calories everyday and by switching it up it makes you lose faster.

    You have MFP set to sedentary probably, right, "just to be on the safe side". Are you sure your 40 hr workday is sedentary desk job?

    You probably log your exercise low, "just to be on the safe side". What is providing your calorie burn estimate?

    You probably log your food high, "just to be on the safe side". Are you weighing food, or using volume measurements or guesses?

    If that's not you fine, most are when they are honest with themselves.

    You also still have selected a 2 lb weekly loss goal?

    Time to go to 1.5 lb weekly.

    Also, if you truly want to vary the calories your body is left with daily, then take an total weekly burn for exercise.
    Divide by 7, and add that to the new goal MFP gives when you select probably Lightly Active and 1.5 lb loss goal.

    Now, exercise will take some of those calories right off the top merely for mechanical movement, leaving less for your body to use.
    Some days with no exercise, you are left with more.

    In other words, it varies how much your body is left over with daily.

    This is basically the TDEE Deficit method, another reason why many find it successful if a steady exercise routine - calorie zig-zag is automatic.

    Heybales! I use your spreadsheets. Big fan. :3
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