How to zig zag cals properly/caloric cycling properly

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  • mamagooskie
    mamagooskie Posts: 2,964 Member
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    I might have to give this a try. I want to lose my last 16lbs.....gotta try to kick things up a notch!
  • redheadmommy
    redheadmommy Posts: 908 Member
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    Are we talking about NET calories here or total calorie intake? I am totally confused.
    Based on my height/gender/age MFP thinks my maintenance diet with my desk job is 2170 per day.
    It suggest to do a 1 lb / week loss and make 500 deficit a day, that gives me 1670 cal per day. I eat roughly this amount every day, but I do not eat back my exercise calories, and excercise every second or 3rd day.

    Would that give me the exact same zig-zag NET calories?While actually my calorie intake is almost the same,
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    Are we talking about NET calories here or total calorie intake? I am totally confused.
    Based on my height/gender/age MFP thinks my maintenance diet with my desk job is 2170 per day.
    It suggest to do a 1 lb / week loss and make 500 deficit a day, that gives me 1670 cal per day. I eat roughly this amount every day, but I do not eat back my exercise calories, and excercise every second or 3rd day.

    Would that give me the exact same zig-zag NET calories?While actually my calorie intake is almost the same,

    I don't believe it would. First...there's a reason you modify your 'intake' calories...then eat back exercise calories. There is also a pattern to the days you're supposed to eat less. And the third reason, is even using the simplest form of zig zagging (eating the minimum for two days, and eating at maintenance + on the third)...you're backwards. You are eating at a slight deficit for two days, then eating the minimum (net) on the third.

    I don't know...but I don't think that all adds up to the same thing as zig zagging?

    Cris
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    Oh, by the way...I'm ending my second strict week of zig zagging this weekend. I haven't lost much...about 1lb...but I also got a new digital scale this week that averaged 3-4lbs more than my old digital scale (which was wearing out and giving different numbers every time I got on it). The point being, upping my intake by 500cal a day average, and zig zagging hasn't made me GAIN any weight at all. I also went from straight bodyweight training for the last month and a half, to doing P90x starting this past Monday.

    I'm SO ready to see the back side of this plateau...and FULLY intend to kick it square in the *kitten* on its way out...

    Cris
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  • sarahttini
    sarahttini Posts: 186
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    Can anyone message me on this and let me know with my height and weight what my zig zag 7 day a week calorie intake would be for each day and how long are we suppose to do it?
  • KrazyKatie
    KrazyKatie Posts: 42
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    I am bumping so I can read more later thanks!
  • LHann360
    LHann360 Posts: 159 Member
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    Doin the bump !! burns a calorie doesn't it ?? :bigsmile:
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    Bump:flowerforyou:
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  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    Ok guys, I thought I'd add something here. If you go back to the original post, he suggests doing this on a three day cycle. I ended up using one of the calculator's online...which gave me a 7 day schedule of what calories to eat. It does NOT match the original poster's 3 day schedule.

    It was a dismal failure. I ate clean, for three weeks, using that 7 day schedule...and nothing. I didn't gain weight...I maybe lost half a pound (negligible...I go up and down 3lbs or more from day to day). Then I got sick for a few days...and I mean violently ill. I didn't eat anything...hardly at all, and stopped exercising completely. Then, when I went back to work...I ate taco bell for lunch, sometimes pizza for dinner. I still wasn't 'well' enough to want food...but some food is better than none. Two days of that, and I decided to try out the original poster's 3 day schedule...but with a twist. I would eat at minimum (1300-1500) for 2 or 3 days, then eat at maintenance or just over for 1 or 2 days. I'm not locking myself in to anything now (until the losses go away). I'm not exercising 'perse'...but I am working out in the forge for 4-5hrs a day. That means swinging a hammer, holding onto orange hot steel, while standing over a 2000f furnace. I think it qualifies as activity anyhow.

    The point is...the above paragraph has resulted in a loss of over 5lbs in a little over a week. That's at 19% bodyfat. My waist has dropped 3" or so, and my biceps have grown 1/4" (so I know I'm not killing muscle tone).

    Now...before anyone freaks out that I'm not eating clean and exercising...please, don't. I'm not recommending this, other than to say sometimes what your body needs is a complete 180 from the routine. I'd been eating totally clean and large calories for months...I was on a 6 week plateau. Once the losses from this...uhh...diet/exercise plan (NOT!) stop, I'll switch back to my regular eating style...which is around 1800cal average, and only whole foods.

    Anyhow, just thought I'd share.

    Cris

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