It's working!!! I'm UNSTUCK!

Just1forMe
Just1forMe Posts: 624 Member
edited September 26 in Health and Weight Loss
I've been "stuck" at the same weight for 6 weeks. I had been doing everything by the book & still no scale movement. I decided to try Zig Zagging my calories to "shock" my metabolism (the Wendie plan for you WW'ers). In the last 10 days I have lost 3 whole pounds (AMAZING for me!). I found this great thread by Newfiedan that pretty much lays it all out (thanks for the advice & help Newfiedan!):

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/212510-how-to-zig-zag-cals-properly-caloric-cycling-properly

This is my zig zagging schedule (based on my MFP daily goal of 1440 [10,080/wk--your weekly Net numbers need to add up to this, you are just splitting them up differently]):
Day 1-Mon (for me)-1200 NET (all are Net, I eat back all my exercise calories & land on these numbers)
Day 2-Tues-1200
Day 3-Wed-1940
Day 4-Thurs-1200
Day 5-Fri-1400
Day 6-Sat-1200
Day 7-Sun-1940

My Official WI Day is Saturday or Sunday (I switch off :)

If you search MFP, you will find other suggestions & lots of people say it works (I wouldn't use the website some recommend for calculating zigzag as they don't add up the same). I would caution you to make sure that your weekly calorie goal stays the same while zigzagging & I would suggest making your WI day (not the day before) a high day if you weigh in in the morning.
Hope this helps even one person :) I am a happy camper!

We will see how long this stirs up the metabolism before it gets used to it and I have to try something else....anyone who has done this for a while have any advice for that? What has been your experience?
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Replies

  • bjshields
    bjshields Posts: 677 Member
    WOW! Congrats on doing such a fabulous job so far! I've read something similar about calorie cycling, where you eat higher calories one day and then lower another. It makes sense, since our bodies love to pick a spot & stay there (good old homeostasis) to shock your body into changing. Best of luck to you!:smile:
  • JulyHummingbird
    JulyHummingbird Posts: 106 Member
    Thanks for sharing this. I might try it the next time I get 'stuck'!
  • helenium
    helenium Posts: 546 Member
    We all know Newfiedan is amazing. Thanks for the link (I need to get unstuck myself).
  • lhuber1105
    lhuber1105 Posts: 72 Member
    bumping
  • ShellyRath
    ShellyRath Posts: 20
    Thanks for this....I have been stuck for 3 weeks and I need something to kick start losing again.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    Definitely works if you need to jump start the metabolism to shift weight in order to move it in the direction you want. I just transitioned from cycling back to a constant, and like clockwork, I'm meeting my goal weekly estimated loss. Newfiedan is full of win.
  • annastacia10
    annastacia10 Posts: 106
    Bump! Thank you I'm stuck in a rut right now and need to try this!
  • kimeister
    kimeister Posts: 212
    Congrats! It's always great to hear success stories when people do things responsibly.
    I wouldn't use the website some recommend for calculating zigzag as they don't add up the same

    This, definitely. I'm not sure why some folks are linking people outside of MFP when all the info you need is in your profile. I believe it's just confusing people.

    I'm on week two of a plateau. If it goes one more week, I'm going to try the calorie cycling.
  • pdcarrell
    pdcarrell Posts: 101
    Awesome!
  • danielled6875
    danielled6875 Posts: 53 Member
    bump
  • lily1972
    lily1972 Posts: 375 Member
    I am having a lot of success with this too! That and tweaks in my eating habits + cardio! :bigsmile:
  • MissTomGettingThin
    MissTomGettingThin Posts: 776 Member
    Thanks for this.
    I've done it unintentionally this last week due to injury and being laid up in bed unable to move!
    I started to up them before the injury and then ate hardly anything (I know this is not ideal) whilst laid up and it's kick started something.
    I've been stuck for about 4 weeks but lost over 3 lbs at weigh in yesterday.

    Keep going guys!
    We CAN do this!
  • Jackee357
    Jackee357 Posts: 37
    Bump
  • 123Jude
    123Jude Posts: 56 Member
    newfie dan is a legend, i did this with my cals and broke out my plateau, all hail the fuzzy!
  • Just1forMe
    Just1forMe Posts: 624 Member
    Okay, I just lost ANOTHER pound since I posted the original post yesterday, so that's 4 lbs in 11 days!! I am so excited!! This was just what my goofy metabolism needed. Good luck to all of you!
  • dustyhockeymom
    dustyhockeymom Posts: 537 Member
    I find that I naturally tend to do this when I am not trying to hit the "right" number. It works for me, so I am not going to obsess about hitting the exact number that MFP says. So far I have not hit a true plateau, but when I do I might be more structured about it.
  • TS65
    TS65 Posts: 1,024 Member
    Question - do you change your calories every day on your "goals"? Just curious how to keep up with the cycling.
  • Just1forMe
    Just1forMe Posts: 624 Member
    Question - do you change your calories every day on your "goals"? Just curious how to keep up with the cycling.


    I'm not aware of a way to do this on MFP. I simply made a sheet with a sharpie marker listing my zigzag net goals for Mon, Tues, etc and hung it on the wall behind my computer :laugh:

    MFP will still accurately record your exercise calories & what your current NET is... You have to use your calculator a little more, but it's definitely worth it!
  • mamato3babes
    mamato3babes Posts: 125
    WooHoo! Nice work :)
  • LilyBugsMommy
    LilyBugsMommy Posts: 109 Member
    bump
  • Nailrep
    Nailrep Posts: 966 Member
    I'm so happy for you!! Such a relief to see those scales move again!!! :bigsmile:
  • MysticMoon
    MysticMoon Posts: 21 Member
    I have definitely hit a wall, as i've been against this wall for 3 months. So i'm definitely going to try this out. I've been hovering over the same 3lbs and it's driving me nuts! I already eat very healthy, grill everything and barely eat any junk. So it's hard to cut things down more, so perhaps relaxing at weekends like i thoughts to try this week will help.
  • LisaKyle11
    LisaKyle11 Posts: 662 Member
    congrats! i need to try this too! although I am kind of doing this already since I have taken a break from recording all my food in the diary...
  • hush7hush
    hush7hush Posts: 2,273 Member
    Awesome info!
  • MissbusyLizzie
    MissbusyLizzie Posts: 326 Member
    Thanks for sharing!! :D
  • sweetage123
    sweetage123 Posts: 100 Member
    bump for when I hit a plateau ;)
  • kaylah_x
    kaylah_x Posts: 194 Member
    Great job!! Thanks for the tips!
  • wanna_be_fit
    wanna_be_fit Posts: 1,516 Member
    Great info!!
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    Thanks for sharing! I have been stuck for almost one month now, bouncing up and down between 158-161. I increased my calories, as I may have been eating too little, but so far no change. I am going to give it another week, then try to zig zag my way out of this plateau. Congrats on getting the scale moving again!
  • craftylatvian
    craftylatvian Posts: 599 Member
    Thanks! I had not heard of zig-zagging before.
This discussion has been closed.

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