Zig-zagging calories?

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webbie93
webbie93 Posts: 4
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been looking at various weight loss websites lately and I keep seeing zig-zag diets come up. Supposedly it is better because it prevents plateaus. So, being curious I plugged some numbers into a calculator that formed a plan for me. Has anyone done this sort of thing before? Does it work and is it work trying? Do you still eat exercize calories? Also, the plan it gave me has me eating more than mfp says to each day, but less other days?

Mon-1950 Tue-1672 Wed-2340 Thur-1755 Fri-1755 Sat-2145 Sun-1950

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  • peachNpunkin
    peachNpunkin Posts: 1,010 Member
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    Bump! Very intersted in this subject as well.
  • BJC78
    BJC78 Posts: 324 Member
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    Bump!
  • sesecat
    sesecat Posts: 124 Member
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    Well... I've been on a plateau I increased my intake, and I'm losing again. So likely has some sort of validity I guess. I think I'll follow MFP as listed, and when I plateau, just up my intake for a little bit.
  • divalovely
    divalovely Posts: 65 Member
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    Bump!
  • MedievalFreak
    MedievalFreak Posts: 55
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    I think the technical term for it is caloric cycling. The idea behind it is to keep your metabolism guessing. The logic is sound, however, the metabolism can be so finicky that no one will know for sure whether it will work for you. I have personally seen many people have success with this kind of diet. On the other hand, I do know a couple people struggle with it.

    Try it for a week or two. If you have success, then great! If not, mfp calorie counter will be here waiting for you!
  • dawnmichelea
    dawnmichelea Posts: 112 Member
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    It's working great for me! I have not been eating my exercise calories back because the website I went to asked how many days and how long I would be working out so I figure they calculated that in. hope I'm not doing that part wrong! Anyway, I love it, and I'm back to losing a pound a week! I love Wednesdays because I get 1868 calories!
  • kandrews24
    kandrews24 Posts: 610 Member
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    This has worked for me in the past. I think the theory is sound. The difficult part (for some, I think) is eating different amounts (in that after you have a large calorie day, it is sometimes hard to be comfortable with a low calorie day). Give it a try and let us know how it works for you.
  • titletown
    titletown Posts: 377 Member
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    I used zig-zagging and it broke me out of a stubborn 6+ week plateau.

    I also ate most of my exercise calories back.
  • karamille
    karamille Posts: 79 Member
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    I do it less for the metabolic reasons and more for the "living in the real world" reasons. Shuffing my calories around allows me to have a slice of cake a my best friends baby shower or a hotdog at my son's first trip to a minor league game. At the end of the week, if you divide the total by 7, the average is within my calorie goal.
  • ChantalGG
    ChantalGG Posts: 2,404 Member
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    I just bumped up my calories today to 1500 but i couldnt eat them all, i was so full at dinner. only got about 1200 in. :S
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    I'm doing this right now. If you look at my diary, my goal is set at 1500 calories, but every 4th day it looks like I go way over because my actual goal for every 4th day is 1800 calories.

    I also cycle my carbs along with the calories. The lower cal days are also lower carb days (though not technically "low" carb since it's around 100-120 grams or so) and the 4th day is much higher carbs (like around 50% of my total calorie percentage).

    It has worked for me in the past, and that is why I started it again this week. For the past month I have been steadily gaining quite a bit of weight and inches for various reasons (mostly wedding and honeymoon food frenzies) and I re-started my weight loss journey this Monday.

    I can already feel my clothes are a little looser, but only time will tell as I am still only 3 days in.
  • FAtGiRLFItGiRL
    FAtGiRLFItGiRL Posts: 156
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    bump!! im also at a plateau and would love to know if this works
  • FAtGiRLFItGiRL
    FAtGiRLFItGiRL Posts: 156
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    i found a zig zagging cal calculater here is the website

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

    i will be trying this starting next monday if i dont lose anything this weekend. wish me luck!!
  • FAtGiRLFItGiRL
    FAtGiRLFItGiRL Posts: 156
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    i found a zig zagging cal calculater here is the website

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

    i will be trying this starting next monday if i dont lose anything this weekend. wish me luck!!

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