Zig Zagging Calories?

Cytherea
Cytherea Posts: 515 Member
edited September 26 in Health and Weight Loss
So I've found myself at somewhat of a plateau the past few months, and I've decided I should probably start doing something different. I've heard a lot about zig zagging calories, and I'd like to try it, but I have some questions.

First, I'm eating 1200 calories a day. Does anybody have suggestions as to how many calories I should eat each day to zig zag?

Second, how long do you do it for? Just a week? A month?

Third, I assume that you would still eat back exercise calories, but will that throw things off? Hypothetically, I could eat more one day, less the next day, but then exercise that day, resulting in me eating more food, and then end up eating exactly the same amount both days. Would this be counterproductive?

Any help/advice/suggestions anyone has would be greatly appreciated, especially from people who have done it and it has worked! Thanks thanks! :smile:

Replies

  • JessieAnneMarie
    JessieAnneMarie Posts: 105
    I heard about this!! id like to know too! :)
  • kkruse08
    kkruse08 Posts: 22 Member
    yes, i am also curious about this? does this also pertain to when some days you go over calories and then other days are under? is that called zig zagging and does this work??
  • Adudynski
    Adudynski Posts: 31
    I have used this calorie counter before and they offer a zig zag option...I have only heard great things about it.. not sure on the amount of time, I think its for a month but I cant remember http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
  • cheermom11
    cheermom11 Posts: 393 Member
    I just posted this on another thread yesterday:

    I've been calorie cycling for two weeks now to try to beat a plateau - and it seems to be working. Basically, 'zigzagging' tricks your body into not knowing what's coming next so it doesn't get accustomed to a set amount of calories.

    At the end of the week, your average daily calories is still what's needed for fat loss.

    Check out this calculator to help determine some possibilities: http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
  • puggleperson
    puggleperson Posts: 740 Member
    Google "wendy Plan" for some info on zig zagging
  • AbbyCar
    AbbyCar Posts: 198 Member
    bump
  • thisis4me
    thisis4me Posts: 219 Member
    Bump!! Am curious as well:)
  • audreyyrose
    audreyyrose Posts: 85
    i've heard of people having success following this cycle:
    1200
    1500
    1300
    1600
    1400
    1200

    and repeat.

    also switch up your cardio routine.
  • babytmarie27
    babytmarie27 Posts: 161
    I've heard that you should eat low calories for 3 days, then high calories for 1 day i would make the high calorie day 2,000
  • slimkitty
    slimkitty Posts: 418
    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

    Others have mentioned the site above. You can figure it out there.
  • elvb
    elvb Posts: 423 Member
    The website referenced above is great for zigzagging! I tend to zig zag my main calorie count before factoring in my exercise. Which usually means my workouts are on the days when I have higher calories so I it doesn't mess with my net too bad. :)
  • goohan
    goohan Posts: 155
    Ive zigzagged for 6 months lol, I think its great I would recemond it. Just average a certian amount of calories per week and zigzag each day. I also zigzag over a month (being a lady) I eat more for two weeks before my pierod and less for two weeks after my pierod. my weight loss zigzgas with it too, instead of loosing a consistent amount a week, I would gain weight before my pierod and then loose that weight and a bit extra after my pierod.
  • countryrunner
    countryrunner Posts: 62 Member
    Use this website.

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

    Once you calculate your calorie needs you can click on the "7 Day Calorie Cycle" and it will tell you how many to eat each day of the week. I had a lot of luck with when I did it. Not sure why I stopped.
  • K1Teacher
    K1Teacher Posts: 324 Member
    This thread is a couple months old but the OP gives her plan for zig zagging 1200 calories. Hope it helps.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/178788-zig-zagging-calories-is-awesome
  • danielled6875
    danielled6875 Posts: 53 Member
    bump
  • Ampierce
    Ampierce Posts: 53 Member
    bump, would love to find out more....
  • deadmittens
    deadmittens Posts: 536 Member
    Use this website.

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

    This site seems to set calories extremely high. It's telling me for fat loss I need 2480 calories a day whereas the diary on mfp is telling me I only need 1800. What gives??

    I've been eating about 1400-1600 a day and I'm on a plateau :(
  • elvb
    elvb Posts: 423 Member
    This site seems to set calories extremely high. It's telling me for fat loss I need 2480 calories a day whereas the diary on mfp is telling me I only need 1800. What gives??

    I've been eating about 1400-1600 a day and I'm on a plateau :(

    Did it say that for your highest calories during one day in the week? Or was that your highest? MFP gives you your minimum, I believe. Mine was set at 1200 but I hated being in the red so I manually changed it to 1300 so I knew I was eating my minimum and not going "over" into the red. I think freedieting.com gives you your max calories/day.
  • abyssfully
    abyssfully Posts: 410 Member
    I usually eat more on the weekends - does that count as zigzagging? lol. Because last week when I drastically ate more on the weekend by my mid-week weigh-in I lost 2 lbs!
  • mogenfire
    mogenfire Posts: 81 Member
    bump
  • aeckels616
    aeckels616 Posts: 210 Member
    I do this... not as part of any type of program, just in general. It works fine for me and is a lot easier, actually, than making sure I'm at a particular calorie count every day of the week. I just make sure that my weekly average equals out to my "daily calorie goal." So some days I'm a couple hundred over, some days I'm a couple hundred under. Doesn't really matter which days are which, as long as that weekly average comes out right.
  • realme56
    realme56 Posts: 1,093 Member
    Bump
  • tlaker
    tlaker Posts: 82 Member
    bump
  • malabaugh
    malabaugh Posts: 130 Member
    bump
  • morningmom
    morningmom Posts: 100
    bump
  • slimkitty
    slimkitty Posts: 418
    I usually eat more on the weekends - does that count as zigzagging? lol. Because last week when I drastically ate more on the weekend by my mid-week weigh-in I lost 2 lbs!

    I do the same thing and I think it counts as zigzagging. Sometimes I don't show any loss the entire week, but after eating more on Saturday and Sunday, I show a loss by Monday. Very interesting but I love that I can relax a bit over the weekend.


    Edited to correct spelling
  • deadmittens
    deadmittens Posts: 536 Member
    This site seems to set calories extremely high. It's telling me for fat loss I need 2480 calories a day whereas the diary on mfp is telling me I only need 1800. What gives??

    I've been eating about 1400-1600 a day and I'm on a plateau :(

    Did it say that for your highest calories during one day in the week? Or was that your highest? MFP gives you your minimum, I believe. Mine was set at 1200 but I hated being in the red so I manually changed it to 1300 so I knew I was eating my minimum and not going "over" into the red. I think freedieting.com gives you your max calories/day.

    No, that was my minimum according to freedieting. I usually am under in calories and over in protein. :\ I need to stop liking meat so much!
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    I don't think there is anything magical about this zig-zagging concept. At the end of the day, if you want to lose weight you need to consume less than you expend. (by diet alone or through diet and exercise, and I clearly recommend the latter) If "zig-zagging" is what you need to psychologically reach your calorie deficit then it will work for you.

    I don't "zig-zag" but used nutritional timing i.e. if I have a big workout that day, I will make sure I eat the majority of my cals post workout to refuel. If I have a lighter day then no need to eat as much. (the majority of my zig zagging is done with carb-cycling really as the carbs are required for energy for workouts)
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