Mixing things up

fatlass70
fatlass70 Posts: 136 Member
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I have spent this week reading up on plateaus and kick starting my loss again as I have now been bouncing around the same weight for about 2 months now. During this time I have been good and bad and when my weight has gone up I have brought it back down again the following week but I'm yo-yoing the same 2-3lbs on and off.

So I have decided that I am going to make some changes and I think they're mostly changes to my way of thinking;

1. I'm changing my weigh in day from Monday to Friday. My scales have got wise and whilst I might be showing a 2lb loss on Saturday morning, I work out lots and net my cals at 1200 I still am up 1lb or have maintained by Monday morning! Weekends are my biggest opportunity to burn cals so I'm going to use this to motivate me to continue the big burns through the week rather than feeling I have to burn big numbers to see a result.

2. I'm going to give zig-zagging a go. If I manage to lose this coming week (I'm at the lower end of my 2-3lbs plateau this week) I'll continue for another week and so on.

3. I will try and keep my water intake up when I'm at home. Whilst at work I drink my 8 glasses a day without a problem and usually more. When at home I barely drink water. Drinkign lots of water makes a massive difference to my losses. Coupled with changing my weigh in days to Friday I will be coming to the end of at least 5 great water drinking days rather than on the end of 2 days of not really drinking enough water.

I know losing keeps me motivated so I want to see the numbers shrinking again.

If anyone's interested in how I get on - let me know and I'll post the results up each week.

Wish me luck! :smile:

Replies

  • ebramlett
    ebramlett Posts: 306 Member
    Great idea! I do the same. i am always mixing things up with my cardio and strength training. Keeps the body guessing! Good luck!
  • arotella
    arotella Posts: 98 Member
    I would love to know how this works! I've hit a plateau as well!
  • vladikavkaz
    vladikavkaz Posts: 137 Member
    Certainly keep us posted. I've tried zig-zagging, but I appear to be stuck on zag at the moment!

    Best of luck
  • olyrose
    olyrose Posts: 569 Member
    Good luck! I just had to reevaluate my habits after a few weeks of not losing. Laying out what I wasn't doing well and how I could change it really helped. I also went back a couple months to when I was losing, and figured out what I was eating then vs. now, and changed my breakfast and lunch to better match my old diet.

    It's great you have re-focused, and that will probably be just what you need to restart your weight loss!
  • fatlass70
    fatlass70 Posts: 136 Member
    Slight flaw in my plan I forgot to weigh myself this morning - I'll weigh myself in the morning (Saturday) for this week only.

    I threw some HIIT into my workout tonight too - to add to the fun!
  • fatlass70
    fatlass70 Posts: 136 Member
    OK - so starting weight - 173.4 which is 1.6lbs down on last week!! Maybe this isn't necessary after all - LOL but I'll give it my best shot and see how i go
  • fatlass70
    fatlass70 Posts: 136 Member
    Week 1 results:

    All was looking good until yesterday I was down another 1.4lbs as of Wednesday am. But yesterday so a leap in the scales that has not gone yet - I think I am due a visit from my old friend TOM so not unduly worried. I had a takeaway treat yesterday so I'll stick with it another week and see where I get to.
  • fatlass70
    fatlass70 Posts: 136 Member
    Week 2 results: back down again this week. Now at 173.8 so pretty much at the starting point. I haven't been too good this week though and have zagged a bit more than I intended - LOL ( a night out with the girls involving too much prosecco and a comfort food day which followed)

    I'll stick with it a little longer.!
  • CARNAT22
    CARNAT22 Posts: 764 Member
    I have not managed to lose anything since early May :-(

    I gained 3lbs whilst off plan and the lost them when I got back to it, but I am still 3lbs shy of goal.

    I know it gets harder the closer you get and I know my main downfall is exercise (I don't so nearly enough) but I am trying not to be too harsh on myself.

    In early May I had some female health problems and also gave up smoking so all in I think I am doing pretty well to not show any real gain.

    That said I am don't want to become complacent. I have taken to having a 30 minute power walk at lunch, it's not so much a calorie burner but it gets me outside, it perks up my energy levels and gets me through that time of day when I want to reach for the biscuits.

    I am considering trying to zig zog - but with 1200 cals I find it so hard??? How do you manage to do it?

    Oh - by the way I love Prosecco - not had any since my Birthday in June though !!
  • fatlass70
    fatlass70 Posts: 136 Member
    HI Carnat,

    My original plan had me on 1200 cals per day but this was set to try and lose me 1.5lbs per week. I have adjusted it to be 1lb per week and my net target has increased to 1340. I also looked at what my maintenance cals would be - i.e. the most I can eat without gaining (in the Goals section ) and for me that's 1840

    So my plan is as follows (all cals are net);

    weigh in day is Friday - first thing.

    Friday - 1840 cals
    Saturday - 1200 cals
    Sunday - 1200 cals
    Monday - 1200 cals
    Tuesday - 1850 cals
    Wednesday - 1200 cals
    Thursday 1200 cals.

    Every day 2+ litres of water to be drunk. (that's only 8 glasses) This one I breexe during the week when at work but fail miserably at over weekends. I've found this gives me a weight gain as my body holds it over the weekends - hence my weigh in day now being Friday.

    I haven't been too clever at sticking to this in the last few days as I've had a few impromptu drinks and meals with friends so I haven't planned very well. But with just over a week to go to my hols I now need to pull out the stops and focus.

    Good luck with it - if you do give it a go can you share your results as it would be interesting to see if it does work and there's a few others watching.
  • CARNAT22
    CARNAT22 Posts: 764 Member
    I'm not sure if I get this whole zig zagging thing?

    if you need to take 1340 cals per day (that is 9380 per week) I thought you just did some days a little under and some days a little over BUT you keep to 9380. I didn't think you used you maintenance amount? That is pretty much what you seem to be doing? (I calculate your totals a bit differently - I get 9690 from your daily amounts?))

    To lose 0.5lbs per week I am on 1220 cals per day and my maintenance cals are 1470 (which is quite low - damn being sucha short *kitten* LOL)

    It would be very difficult for me to zig zig though and not be under 1200 cals?
  • ljbhill
    ljbhill Posts: 276 Member
    Cut your sugar/carbs and eat more fat. Switch your normal bread to gluten free. Sounds crazy but it works for me every time!!! Good luck! :smile:
  • fatlass70
    fatlass70 Posts: 136 Member
    Hi there Carnat22

    Here's a link to the article I read that helped me work it out - it might explain things better than I do and there's lots of questions and answers which follow.

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

    Hope this helps
  • fatlass70
    fatlass70 Posts: 136 Member
    Week 3 results : down another 1.4lbs this week (weighed in last Friday - sorry just realised I forgot to post). I'll weigh in on Wednesday this week as then i'm off on hols.
  • fatlass70
    fatlass70 Posts: 136 Member
    Week 4 results - I was back up again 3 lbs weighed in a couple of days early though as away on the Friday

    Weeks 5 away on hols and enjoying myself!
    Week 6 back from hols and 1lb down
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