anyone heard of dietworks and the zig-zag calorie system?

Yep this is factual and vital in helping to keep from plateauing. Keeps your metabolism guessing and rut free!

ive use this tons during my journey.

There are a number of zig-zag systems around. Something called carb cycling is really popular in the bodybuilding community for it's ability to shed fat without taking muscle mass. The idea is the same; keeping the metabolism from downshifting as a result of consuming under maintanence levels. I tried carb cycling while maintaining my caloric intake and didn't see any special results, but I haven't tried zig-zagging calories.

My thing is, while using MFP I've had days where I ate 1700 calories, and days where I've eaten 2500 calories. Basically, I've just tried to make sure at the end of the week I've had the right 3500 cal deficit, and I've always lost. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but it always averaged out.

What I'm saying is, if you try to stick AROUND your goal, without being obsessive about how close you are every single day, it's basically a zig-zag style diet. I don't know how I'd feel about consciously trying to do a low cal/mid cal/high cal 3 day system or something to that affect. That level of attempted control would drive me kookoo bananas.

Zig-zag helped me lose those last 8-10 pounds without much struggle.

There was a book about this @ Borders Express the other day... I thumbed through it.. but didn't read much. I have heard of it before this.. I think it's with any other diet... if you follow it to the T you probably will have success with it.

Zig zagging doesn't make any sense at all to me. It sounds like another complicated fad diet.

Firstly, your metabolism doesn't have a brain. So its not going to be "guessing" at what you are going to eat next or when. All your metabolism does is respond to what you ate when you've eaten. It doesn't pass judgment in advance. So if you eat over your calories or under eat your calories your body will act accordingly.

Also "confusing" your body would likely increase weight gain not help with weight loss. Your body holds onto calories as long as possible when it isn't fed on a regular and consistent basis. This has been proven scientifically over and over again.

It's not a fad. You eat your regular food. I eat six times a day, so i'm not starving my body. The point is to jump start your calorie intake. Some people can do cheat days once a week and still lose weight. Why??? Probably because of the increase in calories for that day, shaking things up a bit. When I increase my calories it is on a day where I'm working out more. On the days that I burn 400 calories lifting weights I may eat 1500 calories. On the days that I burn 700-1000 doing weights and cardio I will increase my intake to 1700-1900 calories for that day.

Zig zagging doesn't make any sense at all to me. It sounds like another complicated fad diet.

Firstly, your metabolism doesn't have a brain. So its not going to be "guessing" at what you are going to eat next or when. All your metabolism does is respond to what you ate when you've eaten. It doesn't pass judgment in advance. So if you eat over your calories or under eat your calories your body will act accordingly.

Also "confusing" your body would likely increase weight gain not help with weight loss. Your body holds onto calories as long as possible when it isn't fed on a regular and consistent basis. This has been proven scientifically over and over again. The best thing you can do for your body is to feed it healthy choices every 4 hours or so. This is what most doctors, dieticians and naturopaths recommend for optimum health and optimum weightloss.

i have to disagree. it kinda like if you up your cardio and the scale stall you eat more and you start losing weight. science says alot of course there are things that are against the rules of science as well. how come just exercising and cutting calories work for some but don't work for all?? again science always has an exceptions to the rule i will always belive that everybody different despite what been proven i mean in reality there are tons of studies that have been "proven" which goes back to saying different strokes for different folks and everyone has to find what works for them may it be though lower carbs lower fat lower whatever. so just like healthy eating and exerscing works for someone there are other methonds that also has been "proven it works" point find what works for you

Hey folks,
I'm entitled to my opinion just like you are entitled to yours.
We don't have to agree.

Hey folks,
I'm entitled to my opinion just like you are entitled to yours.
We don't have to agree.

Very true. Just trying to explain how it works within your established diet.