I think it would work both ways--in either case, the principal is the same. It's your average daily calories for the whole week that seems to matter most, so whether it's alternating high and low every day or doing little chunks of high and low days, the idea is that your body just never settles into one specific calorie amount. Like I said, I didn't even do it on purpose. It actually just accidentally happened by me trying to stick to 1200 calories EVERY day and then ending up eating out too often around the weekends
Maybe I'll start eating out every weekend then, lol!
Just kidding.
Thanks for the information. I definitely need to do something. I haven't weighed myself this week because I keep forgetting, but I'll be weighed for sure tomorrow because I have a doc appt. The only thing is the doc scale always shows me higher than my scale at home because by the time I get to the doctor (in the afternoons, usually) I'm dressed, I have shoes on and I've already eaten 2 meals and taken in quite a bit of water. I don't let it bother, really. It just stinks to go in and you weigh, say, 155 and you're like I was 150 this morning, I swear!
I might try this method. It makes sense to me. I had an awful long plateau last year from June to pretty much the start of 2006. During that plateau I kept my calorie intake the same.
Editing to say that it's very possible I've not been consuming enough calories all this time. In the beginning that drastic of a drop pretty much forced my body to dump the weight, but now that it's beginning to settle down a little and I'm getting closer to goal, I may not be eating enough.
Hi...I am new to the site but would like to comment on this subject...I have been doing the ZigZag diet for about 3 years (reccommended by my trainer) It is a great way of being able to allow yourself the occasional treats in life (birthdays/drinks/chocolate) without feeling guilty about it...I know that you are not able to give external sites here-but if you google zig zag calculators-you should be able to find something that will help you... I zig zag low/medium/high/low/medium/medium/high...so I get one high day during the week and then one on the weekend...it's nice because I have something to strive for...2 days of clean eating then Bam! Candy time...3 clean days...then Bam! cheesecake, yum! Hope this helps
Yep, I already have one high-calorie day, which is Sunday. I've always allowed myself that one meal a week (Sunday dinner) to eat what I want and how much I want. But I'm going to try to sneak in one more. However, you naughty thing you, it won't be candy and cheesecake I eat, lol! Knowing me I'll probably stick in more veggies. I need more veggies than I do anything else, so I'm going to use this opportunity to get them in
As everyone may have noticed by my new ticker, I've finally made it to 140 after almost 2 months of being stuck at 141. I mean STUCK. The scale wouldn't budge from that number, except maybe once it slid up to 142 and that's because my day before was high sodium. Anyway, 140 has finally come. So we'll see by this zig-zagging if the weight loss is going to move a little faster than it has been. I just wanna get to goal, dangit, so I can work on figuring out how many calories I can eat for the rest of my life without putting weight back on.
LLV, you said once your weight went up to 142 because you had high sodium the day before. What does sodium do, make you retain water or something?
Yes, it does. Excess sodium causes your body to hold onto water for hydration. That's why, typically, when I know I've eaten a lot of sodium on a particular day, I drink more water than usual to help flush out the excess.
I'll never forget one Sunday dinner we had a big pot of ham and beans. I was up 5 pounds on the scale the next day from water retention alone, lol.
I avoid ham most of the time now, unless it's a small slice of deli ham on a sandwich.
Boy howdy, it sure does make you retain water! I was down to 171. Wednesday night I was having one of those kitchenphobia nights so we had subway. I was very good only having the turkey breast wrap with brown mustard (not even the 100 calorie chipolte sauce). I drank an unsweet tea with it (made at home). Okay, one night out but done so with sense. No biggy. Yesterday I got on the scale and it said 172. Okay, normal fluctuations. No biggy.
Yesterday as I walked outta the daycare with my 4 year old I found my back tire to be flat. So, some nice men changed it for me (in the rain, God bless 'em) and I went to have it fixed. I headed out that morning ready to go straight home after work for lunch (I only work 9-12). So, here I am feeling the hunger panges and can only see a McDonalds. I wait. I don't want to eat at McDonalds when I have my cottage cheese at home waiting for me. *sigh* They have yet to take my car in the bay so I give in to those golden arches. I only had a hamburger, 1/2 of a small fry, and unsweet tea. I just had a salad for dinner to compensate it but I got on the scale this morning and it said 172.5.
Understanding that these are also normal fluctuations, I also know that it's probably up because of 2 days of fast food. The subway wrap had 1290 mg on it's own!
Today, I push the water. Water...water...water! And I'm taking something with me just in case.
Understanding that these are also normal fluctuations, I also know that it's probably up because of 2 days of fast food. The subway wrap had 1290 mg on it's own!
Yep, and eating one of their salads would have been no better in the sodium department. The California Cobb (which I love, I love McDonald's salads) has 1060 mg of sodium. The Grilled Chix Caesar has 820. Heck, the grilled chicken sandwich has 939 and that's without the mayo.
Phooey!
Anyway, yep, drink that water and get that excess sodium out of there. After that ham and beans meal, it took 2-3 days to recoup. I won't do that again.
Another good thing about calorie cycling is that if you have an event (party, dinner out, whatever), you can just use that as one of your high-calorie days and replace your normally planned high day with a low day to balance things out
Another good thing about calorie cycling is that if you have an event (party, dinner out, whatever), you can just use that as one of your high-calorie days and replace your normally planned high day with a low day to balance things out
Hey, would anyone be interested in starting a calorie cycling group here in the calorie counters section? I know I can always use more support--it's hard sometimes to have a high-cal day and think, "oh, it's okay, I'll do a low day tomorrow," and then end up having a bunch of high days in a row We could help keep each other accountable--anyone up for it? I'm going to go start a new thread about it now, and anyone who would like to can fel free to join me!
Hey, would anyone be interested in starting a calorie cycling group here in the calorie counters section? I know I can always use more support--it's hard sometimes to have a high-cal day and think, "oh, it's okay, I'll do a low day tomorrow," and then end up having a bunch of high days in a row We could help keep each other accountable--anyone up for it? I'm going to go start a new thread about it now, and anyone who would like to can fel free to join me!
