Calorie zig-zagging

MissAnjy
MissAnjy Posts: 2,480 Member
edited September 27 in Food and Nutrition
Apparently I'm a little SLOW. I get confused when thinking about calorie zigzagging.

Could somebody make this really simple for me please?

I used freedieting.com for the zig zag calculator & i plugged in my height, weight and for exercise level, wasn't sure what to put? I put it 3x a week anyways, just for a trial. Now, it shoved some numbers at me that looked like the following:

M: 1698
T: 1359
W: 2038
T: 1698
F: 1528
S: 1868
S: 1698

Okay, stupid question. Are those NET? If I'm doing ChaLEAN and i eat burn 400 calories on Monday, do i eat 2098 & have a net of 1698?

Why is this so confusing to me? lol

Anyone had success with this. I'm nervous about it. Right now my HIGHEST day is 1500 (net) calories. This has that at nearly my lowest. I'm afraid of a gain, or that i'm going to backslide. I'm confused by it all. Any suggestions?

Replies

  • TAMMY_76
    TAMMY_76 Posts: 199
    no u dont eat the extra calories cause the calculator figures in exercise so ya eat just the 1698 and u do this everyday just eat the calories it calculated for u
  • TAMMY_76
    TAMMY_76 Posts: 199
    the only way u do eat in ur exercise if u put that u dont exercise when u did the calculations
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    Which column did you pick?

    I disagree Tammy, the calculator has NO clue what exercises you do, nor how much those exercises burn in calories...and so can't calculate what calories are burned. It's trying to guess your basic metabolic rate based on your activity level.

    Eat your exercise calories...even when zig zagging using those calculators.
  • TAMMY_76
    TAMMY_76 Posts: 199
    Which column did you pick?

    I disagree Tammy, the calculator has NO clue what exercises you do, nor how much those exercises burn in calories...and so can't calculate what calories are burned. It's trying to guess your basic metabolic rate based on your activity level.

    Eat your exercise calories...even when zig zagging using those calculators.
    ummm thats why the ask ur weight and height and ask how often u exercise so they do put in 300 calories extra for exercise
  • allisoncook87
    allisoncook87 Posts: 160 Member
    I am following that same program and put that I excersize 5 x intensely and it's working wonders!
  • allisoncook87
    allisoncook87 Posts: 160 Member
    Don't eat over those calorie numbers it gave you and it will be amazing
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    Which column did you pick?

    I disagree Tammy, the calculator has NO clue what exercises you do, nor how much those exercises burn in calories...and so can't calculate what calories are burned. It's trying to guess your basic metabolic rate based on your activity level.

    Eat your exercise calories...even when zig zagging using those calculators.
    ummm thats why the ask ur weight and height and ask how often u exercise so they do put in 300 calories extra for exercise

    So...what if I burn 900 calories today exercising? Or say I spend an hour on an eliptical, and then do strength training and pull over 1000 calories burned? There's days, if I were a slightly built woman...I'd have damn near only 300 calories net.

    They ask your weight and height and activity level to help get your BMR...it has nothing to do with exercise calories.
  • keeponkickin
    keeponkickin Posts: 1,520 Member
    No, don't eat the calories you burned while exercising. I use freedieting.com too for zig zagging and I put in 5 days a week for exercise. They give you the extreme fat loss and fat loss totals. I try to shoot for between the two. They ask you about exercise and factor that in for you. This is my first week to give it a try as I kinda hit a plateau so I'm curious to see if it works.
  • katnz17
    katnz17 Posts: 45
    Which column did you pick?

    I disagree Tammy, the calculator has NO clue what exercises you do, nor how much those exercises burn in calories...and so can't calculate what calories are burned. It's trying to guess your basic metabolic rate based on your activity level.

    Eat your exercise calories...even when zig zagging using those calculators.
    ummm thats why the ask ur weight and height and ask how often u exercise so they do put in 300 calories extra for exercise

    Myfitnesspal asks the same questions but you can double your exercise per day and see no change in your calories since they're not added in until the exercise is logged.
  • MissAnjy
    MissAnjy Posts: 2,480 Member
    see, this is why it's confusing.

    Everyone has a different opinion.If I go by what you're saying here, on a Monday, i'm eating 1698, but i'm burning 698 a workout. Now my NET is only 1000 calories, which is .....not right.
  • TAMMY_76
    TAMMY_76 Posts: 199
    so ur saying ur hrm is 100% accurate..im sorry no hrm is 100%accurate

    here is a post from one of mfp friends about zig zagging
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/AggieCass09/view/my-positive-experience-with-calorie-zig-zagging-98777
  • TAMMY_76
    TAMMY_76 Posts: 199
    make sure ur weight loss goal is set to loose i pound a week also
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    Myfitnesspal asks the same questions but you can double your exercise per day and see no change in your calories since they're not added in until the exercise is logged.

    Exactly...it would be a poor program in the extreme...and borderline unsafe if it tried to 'guess' how hard you exercised, or how many calories were burned. All those questions affect is BMR. Your exercise is in addition to those numbers.
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    so ur saying ur hrm is 100% accurate..im sorry no hrm is 100%accurate

    Who said anything about a heart rate monitor?
  • abcwhite10
    abcwhite10 Posts: 140 Member
    I'm bumping......I am curious and confused by this also.
  • TAMMY_76
    TAMMY_76 Posts: 199
    so ur saying ur hrm is 100% accurate..im sorry no hrm is 100%accurate

    Who said anything about a heart rate monitor?
    so then how would u know that u burn 900 calories in a day?
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

    Is this the calculator you used?

    I reread the whole page...nowhere does it say total calories including exercise like your friend's blog suggested.
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    so ur saying ur hrm is 100% accurate..im sorry no hrm is 100%accurate

    Who said anything about a heart rate monitor?
    so then how would u know that u burn 900 calories in a day?

    It's a random, example number Tammy...how would you know I didn't? That's just as valid a question and just as close to the point.

    Again, I reread that entire page...nowhere on it does it suggest that those are total numbers. If you average them out, they coincide with a basic weight loss calorie deficit, PRE exercise...based on the BMR they gave you.
  • TAMMY_76
    TAMMY_76 Posts: 199
    ok well u choose which one u think is best but if u listen to crisanderson27 and dont loose or even gain then u will see who was right :wink:
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    ok well u choose which one u think is best but if u listen to crisanderson27 and dont loose or even gain then u will see who was right :wink:

    Actually, how about showing me where, on the site...it says it includes exercise calories? Or, how about answering the previous statement that said this site asks for the same information...but doesn't calculate in exercise calories either?

    Telling someone to do something random based off no information but what your friend said (which was based off no information as well) is pretty irresponsible.

    So rather than covering your ears and ignoring me...enlighten me to your way of thinking? When I'm wrong I happily admit it. Show me precisely where I'm wrong.
  • MissAnjy
    MissAnjy Posts: 2,480 Member
    ok well u choose which one u think is best but if u listen to crisanderson27 and dont loose or even gain then u will see who was right :wink:

    Actually, how about showing me where, on the site...it says it includes exercise calories? Or, how about answering the previous statement that said this site asks for the same information...but doesn't calculate in exercise calories either?

    Telling someone to do something random based off no information but what your friend said (which was based off no information as well) is pretty irresponsible.

    So rather than covering your ears and ignoring me...enlighten me to your way of thinking? When I'm wrong I happily admit it. Show me precisely where I'm wrong.

    I'm in agreeance with this. When i signed up to MFP it asked my height, weight & activity level. It gave me 1200 calories a day. I was burning 600+ and had no idea I was supposed to be eating those back until someone enlightened me. I was NETTING 600 a day because of misinformation.

    I can't imagine freedieting.com is telling me to eat ONLY 1700 when it has no idea if i'm going to burn 100 calories or 800 calories in my workout session. That doesn't make sense to me at all. I would THINK that 1700 would be the net, just as 1200 would be my NET mfp gave me after exercise.
  • MissAnjy
    MissAnjy Posts: 2,480 Member
    I think i'll just stick with what I know.

    After this great debate, 1500 net calories every day seems pretty great. lol
  • Selphie8
    Selphie8 Posts: 10 Member
    ok well u choose which one u think is best but if u listen to crisanderson27 and dont loose or even gain then u will see who was right :wink:

    Actually, how about showing me where, on the site...it says it includes exercise calories? Or, how about answering the previous statement that said this site asks for the same information...but doesn't calculate in exercise calories either?

    Telling someone to do something random based off no information but what your friend said (which was based off no information as well) is pretty irresponsible.

    So rather than covering your ears and ignoring me...enlighten me to your way of thinking? When I'm wrong I happily admit it. Show me precisely where I'm wrong.

    She can't spell the word 'you'. I think that says it all, save your effort.

    OP, yes, that is net calories.
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    I think i'll just stick with what I know.

    After this great debate, 1500 net calories every day seems pretty great. lol

    Aww! Zig zagging, from all my research...can be very, very effective. Now that you know how to do it right...I think you should try it! I just started my first week zig zagging Monday =D.

    She can't spell the word 'you'. I think that says it all, save your effort.

    LOL! I was thinking it, but it would have deflated my argument tremendously to say it...don't you think??

    =D

    Cris
  • ObviousIndigo
    ObviousIndigo Posts: 382 Member
    ok well u choose which one u think is best but if u listen to crisanderson27 and dont loose or even gain then u will see who was right :wink:

    Actually, how about showing me where, on the site...it says it includes exercise calories? Or, how about answering the previous statement that said this site asks for the same information...but doesn't calculate in exercise calories either?

    Telling someone to do something random based off no information but what your friend said (which was based off no information as well) is pretty irresponsible.

    So rather than covering your ears and ignoring me...enlighten me to your way of thinking? When I'm wrong I happily admit it. Show me precisely where I'm wrong.

    She can't spell the word 'you'. I think that says it all, save your effort.

    OP, yes, that is net calories.

    If you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all.
  • TAMMY_76
    TAMMY_76 Posts: 199
    ok well u choose which one u think is best but if u listen to crisanderson27 and dont loose or even gain then u will see who was right :wink:

    Actually, how about showing me where, on the site...it says it includes exercise calories? Or, how about answering the previous statement that said this site asks for the same information...but doesn't calculate in exercise calories either?

    Telling someone to do something random based off no information but what your friend said (which was based off no information as well) is pretty irresponsible.

    So rather than covering your ears and ignoring me...enlighten me to your way of thinking? When I'm wrong I happily admit it. Show me precisely where I'm wrong.

    She can't spell the word 'you'. I think that says it all, save your effort.

    OP, yes, that is net calories.

    excuse me but i do know how to spell YOU!!!! guess u know nothing about shorting your words....well like i said i can careless what u think i have lost a good bit doing it the way i have been and for people to make childish comments about someone really shows your maturity level grow up and get a clue
  • OLP76
    OLP76 Posts: 768 Member
    LOL :laugh:

    What was the questions :wink:
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    excuse me but i do know how to spell YOU!!!! guess u know nothing about shorting your words....well like i said i can careless what u think i have lost a good bit doing it the way i have been and for people to make childish comments about someone really shows your maturity level grow up and get a clue

    Cutting off my right leg will lose me a crapload of weight too. Doesn't make it right or healthy.

    Now...please, show me where it states that those calories are post exercise calories. Or, if you can't show me where it states it, show me how you know...other than your friend's blog?

    It's a simple, respectful request...is there anything wrong with that??

    Cris
  • Selphie8
    Selphie8 Posts: 10 Member
    To add; the site does refer to net calories, BUT whether or not you choose to eat back any or all of your exercise calories is a personal decision. I lose weight best when my net calories are between 1500-1700, but everyone's different.

    Tammy: Did you mean 'shortening'?
  • MiniMichelle
    MiniMichelle Posts: 801 Member
    bump
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