How to zig zag cals properly/caloric cycling properly

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Replies

  • jessicazanebell
    jessicazanebell Posts: 67 Member
    has anyone gained weight in the beginning by zig zagging calories? My max weight loss is 1200 cals (max deficit 600cal) im afraid upping my cals to 1800 a couple days a week will make me gain weight
  • jessicazanebell
    jessicazanebell Posts: 67 Member
    has anyone gained weight in the beginning by zig zagging calories? My max weight loss is 1200 cals (max deficit 600cal) im afraid upping my cals to 1800 a couple days a week will make me gain weight
  • jessicazanebell
    jessicazanebell Posts: 67 Member
    So I have had some requests to post this and I hope that it will benefit you all. To get started out right you need to be set at a 1lb/week fat loss for this to work right. Why 1lb/wk loss? Simple wiggle room, you are going to shed more so do not stress about it, its not the end of the world as you know it. (for those whom have lots to shed 60+ pounds of more we can push it a little further same practice but slightly different application) So here are the basics using me as an example: I am set at a 1lb/week loss and for me that is 1940 cals/day, this gives me a 500 cal deficit to start with before workouts. So remember that mfp set me up with that deficit to start with for the beginners whom do not quite have a handle on that.

    Here is the cal breakdown for maintenance/loss/max:

    2440 maintenance/1940 loss/max deficit of 800 is 1640 cals.

    So on days 1 and 2 I go max deficit of 1640 cals I do this through food and exercise as I like to eat I usually do it by not eating back 300 of my workout cals (for those with a lot to shed you can do that for 500 cals)

    On day 3 I go to maintenance level of 2440 cals. I do this to prevent starvation mode from taking effect and it keeps my metabolic rate at its peak and the exercise helps me to do that as well as crank it up a few notches.

    And repeat, of course the closer I get the lower the amount I can push it so once I am say 5 pounds away I will more than likely have to go to 0.5 lb/week loss for my wiggle room. You will have to play with the deficit to get it set right for you, we all respond somewhat differently but as a general rule a long lasting deficit will drop metabolic rate on you which is why I used to encourage a cheat day or cheat meal every few weeks. I am doing this method to speed up my fat loss somewhat. By zig zagging my cals my body can not lower my metabolic rate on me. Now also keep in mind that as you shed fat the numbers will change so reset it every 2nd week or when results start to slow down. I dropped 27 pounds so far and I train/eat with purpose so should you, train for fat loss using the most time effective workouts like High intensity interval training and metabolic resistance training, we do not need to spend 6 days a week in the gym to shed fat quickly and easily.

    has anyone gained weight in the beginning by zig zagging calories? My max weight loss is 1200 cals (max deficit 600cal) im afraid upping my cals to 1800 a couple days a week will make me gain weight
  • jessicazanebell
    jessicazanebell Posts: 67 Member
    So I have had some requests to post this and I hope that it will benefit you all. To get started out right you need to be set at a 1lb/week fat loss for this to work right. Why 1lb/wk loss? Simple wiggle room, you are going to shed more so do not stress about it, its not the end of the world as you know it. (for those whom have lots to shed 60+ pounds of more we can push it a little further same practice but slightly different application) So here are the basics using me as an example: I am set at a 1lb/week loss and for me that is 1940 cals/day, this gives me a 500 cal deficit to start with before workouts. So remember that mfp set me up with that deficit to start with for the beginners whom do not quite have a handle on that.

    Here is the cal breakdown for maintenance/loss/max:

    2440 maintenance/1940 loss/max deficit of 800 is 1640 cals.

    So on days 1 and 2 I go max deficit of 1640 cals I do this through food and exercise as I like to eat I usually do it by not eating back 300 of my workout cals (for those with a lot to shed you can do that for 500 cals)

    On day 3 I go to maintenance level of 2440 cals. I do this to prevent starvation mode from taking effect and it keeps my metabolic rate at its peak and the exercise helps me to do that as well as crank it up a few notches.

    And repeat, of course the closer I get the lower the amount I can push it so once I am say 5 pounds away I will more than likely have to go to 0.5 lb/week loss for my wiggle room. You will have to play with the deficit to get it set right for you, we all respond somewhat differently but as a general rule a long lasting deficit will drop metabolic rate on you which is why I used to encourage a cheat day or cheat meal every few weeks. I am doing this method to speed up my fat loss somewhat. By zig zagging my cals my body can not lower my metabolic rate on me. Now also keep in mind that as you shed fat the numbers will change so reset it every 2nd week or when results start to slow down. I dropped 27 pounds so far and I train/eat with purpose so should you, train for fat loss using the most time effective workouts like High intensity interval training and metabolic resistance training, we do not need to spend 6 days a week in the gym to shed fat quickly and easily.

    has anyone gained weight in the beginning by zig zagging calories? My max weight loss is 1200 cals (max deficit 600cal) im afraid upping my cals to 1800 a couple days a week will make me gain weight
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    has anyone gained weight in the beginning by zig zagging calories? My max weight loss is 1200 cals (max deficit 600cal) im afraid upping my cals to 1800 a couple days a week will make me gain weight

    Wow that's a lot of posts =D.

    I've read that you can gain weight the first week as your metabolism stabilizes...but after that it's all down hill. Others never gain weight at all.
  • craft338
    craft338 Posts: 870 Member
    i really want to try zig zagging, but i'm REALLY scared to eat 1660 and 2460 calories when i'm used to having 1350ish! :(
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    i really want to try zig zagging, but i'm REALLY scared to eat 1660 and 2460 calories when i'm used to having 1350ish! :(

    Look at it like this hun...what's 2 weeks worth of 'possible' gain (a few lbs?)...versus the chance of losing as much as all these people who've done it say they've lost?
  • kir911
    kir911 Posts: 228 Member
    I am new to MFP how do I save a post that I like for later so I can reference it? I like this cal zig zag reference alot
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    I am new to MFP how do I save a post that I like for later so I can reference it? I like this cal zig zag reference alot

    You just did, by posting to it. Now when you click 'my topics' above, it'll be in the list =D.
  • Bump!
  • Bump!
  • justkelley
    justkelley Posts: 53
    bump
  • psb13
    psb13 Posts: 629
    bump
  • ksmittens
    ksmittens Posts: 65
    saving for later
  • weeziews
    weeziews Posts: 162 Member
    bump
  • shallo
    shallo Posts: 353 Member
    Saving for later
  • bump thank you maybe this will be the thing to get me out of my month long plateau
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    It's working for me...along with a major calorie bump. The Saturday before this one past...I ate like a pig...good foods, but a crapload. I'd been locked down at 1530cal for two weeks, and wasn't losing much at all...and could NOT get below 187lbs...with my midweek weights fluctuating as much as 5lbs to the plus side. Sunday I ate a lot as well. Then, Monday...I bumped my calories up 500cal on average, and began my zig zag cycle. I also tried to keep my carbs below 100g, and closer to 50g if I could. I'll tell you this, eating 2600cal and keeping your carbs near 50g is a REAL challenge lol.

    Anyhow, this Monday's weigh in...I was at 186.6lbs...and as of this morning, I'm at 187lbs even...where normally I'd be over 190lbs being midweek. I'm VERY much looking towards Monday...and seeing how much I've managed to lose over the week =D.

    Prior to my little plateau, I'd lost 20lbs in about a month. That's a little under 1lb a day. Now that I'm down to the last 10lbs or so...I'll be content with 1 solid pound a week.

    Cris
  • vitamina19
    vitamina19 Posts: 30
    bump:happy:
  • MrsHilgert
    MrsHilgert Posts: 33 Member
    makes total sense. when I think about the times I ate more after eating less and being astonished at the lbs coming off, now I understand why. Saving for later, also!
  • annrum
    annrum Posts: 144
    Bump to save for later too :)
  • Swimgoddess
    Swimgoddess Posts: 711 Member
    Bump; though I'm going to use the Katch-McArdle method for BMR and TDEE multipliers for maintenance.
  • Leanz
    Leanz Posts: 2,025 Member
    Bump - to read later
  • kje2011
    kje2011 Posts: 502 Member
    bump
  • jilld76
    jilld76 Posts: 324
    Great information, thank you! I'm going to give it a try!
  • fit4life_73
    fit4life_73 Posts: 433 Member
    I've done something similar in the past without counting calories and had lots of success. Will try again. Thanks
  • fit4life_73
    fit4life_73 Posts: 433 Member
    I've done something similar in the past without counting calories and had lots of success. Will try again. Thanks
  • warphoenix
    warphoenix Posts: 47
    Bumped for advice awesomeness!
  • nicole716
    nicole716 Posts: 43 Member
    BUMP!:happy:
  • bump
This discussion has been closed.