Zig Zag Method

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Vegan_Chick
Vegan_Chick Posts: 474 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Has anybody here tried the zig zag method for weight loss? I am currently on a plan that I started yesterday that involves this. You eat 5 meals per day about 3 hours a part. For the 1st 3 days, I eat low calories (1300) and the 1 day high calories (1900). Then repeat. It seems to be big in the weight lifting world but there is little information on it. It is supposed to help you psychologically so you can have a somewhat "cheat day". Plus it is supposed to confuse your body to prevent starvation mode. If anyone has done this, please respond. Any recommendations or experiences would be nice to read about,

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  • getsveltEagain
    getsveltEagain Posts: 1,063 Member
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    I suggest that you read this thread.... http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/212510-how-to-zig-zag-cals-properly-caloric-cycling-properly

    Hope it helps :wink:
  • armaretta
    armaretta Posts: 851 Member
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    I used to zig zag, but I recently stopped because I was struggling with energy on the low days. I saw pretty consistent results from it though, so I'm thinking about going back if my body doesn't stop ticking me off! I might just have to go lighter on the exercise on the low days.

    Worked great for me, but the low days were just low energy
  • JenniCH
    JenniCH Posts: 74
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    I am currently zig zagging --- my weeks look like this...

    Mon (low day) - 1510
    Tues (high day) 1810
    Wed (low day) - 1510
    Thurs (Medium day) - 1660
    Fri (low day) - 1510
    Sat (high day)-1810
    Sun (medium day) - 1660

    I've been doing it for almost 3 weeks and went from losing NOTHING for a month or more to now I've lost about 3.5lbs by zig-zagging... I do cardio 2-3x a week but mainly focus on weight-lifting & toning... so far, so good :-) I'll do it until I reach another plateau and then I'll re-adjust (probably up my calories a bit more) and see what happens.
  • sunshinestorm
    sunshinestorm Posts: 81 Member
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    If my goal caloric intake without exercise is 1460, set at losing a lb a week, what would my caloric intake be for the low days and the maintance days? Or how would I find out this information? The idea makes sense to me, but not the math. I would like to try zig zagging my calories. Can someone help me out? Thanks!
  • sunshinestorm
    sunshinestorm Posts: 81 Member
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    I think I answered my question. Here's a website that calculates calories based on height, weight and age. So, it would make sense that this would need to change as you drop weight.

    <http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm#&gt;
  • Vegan_Chick
    Vegan_Chick Posts: 474 Member
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    If my goal caloric intake without exercise is 1460, set at losing a lb a week, what would my caloric intake be for the low days and the maintance days? Or how would I find out this information? The idea makes sense to me, but not the math. I would like to try zig zagging my calories. Can someone help me out? Thanks!

    If your average daily calories are 1460 (which seems a little low), you might want to try to eat 1200 on low days and 1720 on high days. From what it sounds like 3 low days and them one high day works the best. If you feel weak or still hungry I would up each day by 100 calories or so.
  • Vegan_Chick
    Vegan_Chick Posts: 474 Member
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    g
  • Vegan_Chick
    Vegan_Chick Posts: 474 Member
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    I am currently zig zagging --- my weeks look like this...

    Mon (low day) - 1510
    Tues (high day) 1810
    Wed (low day) - 1510
    Thurs (Medium day) - 1660
    Fri (low day) - 1510
    Sat (high day)-1810
    Sun (medium day) - 1660

    I've been doing it for almost 3 weeks and went from losing NOTHING for a month or more to now I've lost about 3.5lbs by zig-zagging... I do cardio 2-3x a week but mainly focus on weight-lifting & toning... so far, so good :-) I'll do it until I reach another plateau and then I'll re-adjust (probably up my calories a bit more) and see what happens.

    Good to hear this is working for you! It gives me a little more motivation to keep at it.
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
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    Wouldn't eating excersize calories on excersize days count as zig-zagging?
  • sunshinestorm
    sunshinestorm Posts: 81 Member
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    Thanks! I'll see what works for me. I'm 5'1" so maybe that has something to do with my calorie setting being a bit lower.
  • Vegan_Chick
    Vegan_Chick Posts: 474 Member
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    Wouldn't eating excersize calories on excersize days count as zig-zagging?
    It probably could depending on how many days you excersise. I am trying to make my high calorie days on the most strenous excersize days.
  • Vegan_Chick
    Vegan_Chick Posts: 474 Member
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    Thanks! I'll see what works for me. I'm 5'1" so maybe that has something to do with my calorie setting being a bit lower.
    That makes more sense

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