How it works
MaryinBflo
Posts: 437 Member
This is taken from the original poat and we can add to it as we do this and learn more.
Go to http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm fill out the form and click at the bottom where it says "7 day calorie cycle (zig-zag)"
All you have to do is follow the schedule (weight loss and extreme weight loss) and you will start to lose weight.
To adjust myfitnesspal I customized my calorie goals to my lowest calorie day ( tuesdays for me) and created 6 work outs with the calorie adjustments so I can just add it each day and count my calories the regular way. For example:
My daily calorie is set up at 1298
Then I add a "Monday zig-zag" exercise that I set up at 325 calories, this sets my Monday net calories to 1623
Do the same each day with a pre-set work out for each day and you are done.
Go to http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm fill out the form and click at the bottom where it says "7 day calorie cycle (zig-zag)"
All you have to do is follow the schedule (weight loss and extreme weight loss) and you will start to lose weight.
To adjust myfitnesspal I customized my calorie goals to my lowest calorie day ( tuesdays for me) and created 6 work outs with the calorie adjustments so I can just add it each day and count my calories the regular way. For example:
My daily calorie is set up at 1298
Then I add a "Monday zig-zag" exercise that I set up at 325 calories, this sets my Monday net calories to 1623
Do the same each day with a pre-set work out for each day and you are done.
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Replies
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Thank you for setting this up!
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Thank you for setting this up!
Sure! I'm really hoping this will help me! Thanks for posting the info!0 -
Sounds interesting.0
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and since it already takes your workout schedule in to account, I'm not looking to add my exercise calories to my exercise log and eat them back...right? If Monday is a 1645 cal day, then I just need to worry about hitting 1645 regardless of whether I worked out that day or not...correct?0
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Maybe this is a stupid question, but does it matter WHICH days you eat the amount of calories that it suggests? Mine shows:
M 1577
T 1262
W 1892
Th 1577
F 1419
Sat 1734
Sun 1577
Could I make my high calorie days the weekend (or whichever days I want)? Thanks!0 -
and since it already takes your workout schedule in to account, I'm not looking to add my exercise calories to my exercise log and eat them back...right? If Monday is a 1645 cal day, then I just need to worry about hitting 1645 regardless of whether I worked out that day or not...correct?
Right since you tell it how much you exercise you don't add them in again. BUT I guess you could tell it you don't exercise and then log them as you do them too...0 -
Maybe this is a stupid question, but does it matter WHICH days you eat the amount of calories that it suggests? Mine shows:
M 1577
T 1262
W 1892
Th 1577
F 1419
Sat 1734
Sun 1577
Could I make my high calorie days the weekend (or whichever days I want)? Thanks!
I would think you could start on any day so your high day falls on the day you want it to but I don't think you should have your 2 high days together. Still do them in order no matter waht day you start. Of course you can try it however you want but I think to get the best results you should so them in order.0 -
I saw that website a while back. I'm on synthroid but supposedly I am on the right dose so I don't know how much that affects things. But for the last 3 weeks I was in a plateau cycling over the same 1.5 pound weight range.
So I decided to try some zig-zagging starting about 10 days ago. Just some random days with higher calories, not scientifically calculated. At first I went up to the top of the range I was in, but then back down to the low end, and then... bingo! yesterday I went down by a full pound. Then today I was down another quarter-pound. It worked! I finally got below 160 pounds, which I had not managed to do before!
Now I need to schedule out a real zig zag calorie plan, but the hard part is doing meal planning to know what I am going to eat to meet the calorie count for each day. Anyone have advice on that?
The tip for making the Zig Zag exercise for each weekday was very clever! It would mean I can't put in my actual exercise calories though, which vary each day. I will have to think about how I want to track things on MFP, but the important thing is that the zig zag strategy appears to be working.0 -
I am not Hypothyroidism (at least that I know of), but I have not lost weight after really trying for about 6 months. So I am really wanting to try this. I have figured out my chart and I am putting my highest calorie day on Saturday. Feel free to friend me!0
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Do some of the numbers seem kinda high to you? heres mine for example:
Gender: Male
Age 21:
Weight: 282lb
Height: 6'1"
Maintenance Fat Loss Extreme Fat Loss
Monday 3219 2575 2256
Tuesday 2575 2256 2256
Wednesday 3863 3090 2708
Thursday 3219 2575 2256
Friday 2897 2318 2256
Saturday 3541 2833 2482
Sunday 3219 2575 2256
This is with exercise 3x a week
I normally eat around 1800-2000 cals a day, but im def willing to try.0 -
and since it already takes your workout schedule in to account, I'm not looking to add my exercise calories to my exercise log and eat them back...right? If Monday is a 1645 cal day, then I just need to worry about hitting 1645 regardless of whether I worked out that day or not...correct?
Yes, you have that right. No need to worry about eating exercise calories back. They are already calculated in the zig-zag schedule 0 -
See, mine has be at 16,470 cals a day.
That seems like SOOO much to me?0 -
Maybe this is a stupid question, but does it matter WHICH days you eat the amount of calories that it suggests? Mine shows:
M 1577
T 1262
W 1892
Th 1577
F 1419
Sat 1734
Sun 1577
Could I make my high calorie days the weekend (or whichever days I want)? Thanks!
Just move your Saturday to Wednesday and Sunday would be Thursday which is still sort of high, then just continue the schedule, for example:
Thursday 1577
Friday 1262
Saturday 1892
Sunday 1577
Monday 1419
Tuesday 1734
Wednesday 15770 -
Do some of the numbers seem kinda high to you? heres mine for example:
Gender: Male
Age 21:
Weight: 282lb
Height: 6'1"
Maintenance Fat Loss Extreme Fat Loss
Monday 3219 2575 2256
Tuesday 2575 2256 2256
Wednesday 3863 3090 2708
Thursday 3219 2575 2256
Friday 2897 2318 2256
Saturday 3541 2833 2482
Sunday 3219 2575 2256
This is with exercise 3x a week
I normally eat around 1800-2000 cals a day, but im def willing to try.
Are you currently losing weight at 1800-2000 cals? If you are, don't do the zig zag until you hit a plateau. I'm really of the mentality that if it's not broken, don't fix it.0 -
See, mine has be at 16,470 cals a day.
That seems like SOOO much to me?
Are you lifting those 3 days a week? You are a tall guy, it doesn't sound that high to me. You have to feed all that muscle!0 -
No im not losing weight on the 1800-2000 cals a day, thats why im considering this, been reading/looking through it all day.
Does it not seem that off to you really? Ive had another buddy of mine tell me the same thing, I seem to always forget that i need alot more cals than most people i guess lol, I'll give it a shot. I dont lift at all right now, just doing some walk/jogging until my stuff i ordered arrives, then i will be. But i guess everyone keeps saying it looks good, so i must just be so shocked of the high numbers thats all, Im also a noob, so ya lol.
But cool, will give it a shot, even today I made it to the 2500cal mark
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No im not losing weight on the 1800-2000 cals a day, thats why im considering this, been reading/looking through it all day.
Does it not seem that off to you really? Ive had another buddy of mine tell me the same thing, I seem to always forget that i need alot more cals than most people i guess lol, I'll give it a shot. I dont lift at all right now, just doing some walk/jogging until my stuff i ordered arrives, then i will be. But i guess everyone keeps saying it looks good, so i must just be so shocked of the high numbers thats all, Im also a noob, so ya lol.
But cool, will give it a shot, even today I made it to the 2500cal mark
If you are not losing right now, I totally think you should give it a shot. I weigh myself on Thursdays which is the day after my highest calorie allowance day and I have consistently lost 1lb a week for almost 6 weeks. I think the trick is on having a very low day, followed by a high day, but I don't really know, I just know that this is the only method that has worked for me. Good luck!0 -
Ya, today is Wednesday, so for extreme it wanted me to have like 2700 cals today, I only made it to 2500, so full, not use to that much food haha.
One other thing i noticed, that seems like it kinda defeats the purpose of the zig zag, most of my days for extreme loss are sitting at around 2256 calories, 5/7 days are actually, do you think I should play around with those number to make them all diff?
And great job on your success, always awesome to hear someone break their own plateu!!0 -
I saw that website a while back. I'm on synthroid but supposedly I am on the right dose so I don't know how much that affects things. But for the last 3 weeks I was in a plateau cycling over the same 1.5 pound weight range.
So I decided to try some zig-zagging starting about 10 days ago. Just some random days with higher calories, not scientifically calculated. At first I went up to the top of the range I was in, but then back down to the low end, and then... bingo! yesterday I went down by a full pound. Then today I was down another quarter-pound. It worked! I finally got below 160 pounds, which I had not managed to do before!
Now I need to schedule out a real zig zag calorie plan, but the hard part is doing meal planning to know what I am going to eat to meet the calorie count for each day. Anyone have advice on that?
The tip for making the Zig Zag exercise for each weekday was very clever! It would mean I can't put in my actual exercise calories though, which vary each day. I will have to think about how I want to track things on MFP, but the important thing is that the zig zag strategy appears to be working.
My medication also puts my TSH in the normal zone but I still think I lose weight really slowly and not sure if the reason is my thyroid or a very bad metabolism. I am going to try this hoping it will help me eliminate "cheat days" where I get out of control. more like a controlled cheat day0 -
Ya, today is Wednesday, so for extreme it wanted me to have like 2700 cals today, I only made it to 2500, so full, not use to that much food haha.
One other thing i noticed, that seems like it kinda defeats the purpose of the zig zag, most of my days for extreme loss are sitting at around 2256 calories, 5/7 days are actually, do you think I should play around with those number to make them all diff?
And great job on your success, always awesome to hear someone break their own plateu!!
Yeah, I have something similar for my other days, that's why I think that the really low day followed by the high day is the key on the weight loss. Don't switch anything yet until you've tried this at least a week.
Did you know that for most men 1800 calories is needed to sustain basic body function like nail and hair growth? If you were to eat below that number you will start to lose lean body mass. I'm not expert but I do have a minor in nutrition 0 -
Well you certainly know more than me!
I will give it a shot for a week and see where it takes me, thanks again! 0 -
Thanks for starting this group. I am on synthroid, I am hypoglycemic and on the border of being diabetic. I have lost 13 pounds in 5 months trying very, very hard. My doctor confirmed yesterday that my insulin resistance/prediabetes is causing the slow loss. I will give this a try!0
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I put my exercise level at 2-3 times per week when I try to get 5. I don't always get 5, which is why I didn't choose that activity level, but I'm wondering if I should use those numbers (5 days a week exercise) anyway. On average I get 4.0
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I put my exercise level at 2-3 times per week when I try to get 5. I don't always get 5, which is why I didn't choose that activity level, but I'm wondering if I should use those numbers (5 days a week exercise) anyway. On average I get 4.
If you don't always do 5 I would go conservative and put 3 days a week. That way you don't have to feel guilty if you miss one of your work outs.0 -
I put my exercise level at 2-3 times per week when I try to get 5. I don't always get 5, which is why I didn't choose that activity level, but I'm wondering if I should use those numbers (5 days a week exercise) anyway. On average I get 4.
If you don't always do 5 I would go conservative and put 3 days a week. That way you don't have to feel guilty if you miss one of your work outs.
Thanks, that's kinda what I was thinking too.0 -
I'm still a little not sure about this exercise calorie thing. If I tell it I exercse 5 days a week how many calories does it assume I am burning? I did the corporate challenge yesteray and burned 930 cal which is way more than I normally burn because I also butned 200 during my morning routine.0
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I am on Synthroid also and just recently crossed from Pre-Diabetes into Type 2 Diabetes. My Dr said I have metabolic syndrome also . I have been really trying hard and have only lost 20 pounds since January 1st. It is really rough going so I am going to give this a try and hope it helps. Not only zigzagging, but actually increasing my calories. I don't think 1200 a day is right for me. I have been at between 1000 and 1300 calories a day for the past month and not even lost one pound.0
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I'm still a little not sure about this exercise calorie thing. If I tell it I exercse 5 days a week how many calories does it assume I am burning? I did the corporate challenge yesteray and burned 930 cal which is way more than I normally burn because I also butned 200 during my morning routine.
I figure if I burn more than the chart estimates, that's just extra cals I've burned. I think the important thing is to keep the body guessing. If you feel you're constantly burning a lot more, maybe you should just add a hundred to your lowest number and adjust the days accordingly.0 -
I am on Synthroid also and just recently crossed from Pre-Diabetes into Type 2 Diabetes. My Dr said I have metabolic syndrome also . I have been really trying hard and have only lost 20 pounds since January 1st. It is really rough going so I am going to give this a try and hope it helps. Not only zigzagging, but actually increasing my calories. I don't think 1200 a day is right for me. I have been at between 1000 and 1300 calories a day for the past month and not even lost one pound.
Your calorie intake is definitely too low. I think an increase is a smart idea. Good luck!0 -
I'm still a little not sure about this exercise calorie thing. If I tell it I exercse 5 days a week how many calories does it assume I am burning? I did the corporate challenge yesteray and burned 930 cal which is way more than I normally burn because I also butned 200 during my morning routine.
This was kind of my problem. I am a runner and if I go on a 10 mile run I can burn almost 1000 calories- I don't want my body to NOT get the nutrition it needs so this is what I did: I put in that I was sedentary (no exercise) then I still add in my exercise calories each day. So today is a high cal day (1445) but I also burned 770 cal on my run today so in total I have to eat 2215 calories today (I have no idea how I am actually going to eat that much!)0
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