Advice on calorie shifting, cycling, zig zagging, etc.

First, please do not post the freedietingtips calculator or anything similar. I already know about it but I don't really like it too much.

Anyway, I'm 20 yrs. old 5'-5" and about 156 lb. I work in an office from about 7:30am to 5:00 PM as an intern so I don't really move around much during the day however when I get home I go work out for about an hour to an hour and fifthteen where I do the elliptical for about half an hour alternating speed and resistance and then lift weights working my upper body, lower body and core on alternating days (5 or 6 times a week) I'm just really starting to buckle down again this week and seriously try a new dieting technique...zig zagging. (sorry for the long background haha)

Anyway I've decided to do a cycle of 1250, 1450 and 1650 caloric intake. My question is does this sound alright? Any advice or responses are really appreciated.

Thanks!

PS. I forgot to mention my goal weight is ultimately 130 lb. woops

its good as long as you still stay with in your amount of calorie intake for the day/week....figure out how many calories a day your suppose to have to lose 1-2 pounds a week. For example I eat 1245 and multiply that by 7 and then divide the calories how you want them per day and stay within the limits. This is what I do and I lose 2 pounds a week...now this amount is what I need to eat after a 1000 cal deficit for you it may not be the same...all depends on what CC says your burn meter is at ect. Message me if you want help with this.

also i was wondering what burn meter value i should go by. on this site it says i burn aroun 1800 a day but on the free dieting tips calculator it says i burn 2100 a day im confused

I also had the same issue but since I was losing the 2 pounds a week going by what CC says then I am thinking that CC is pretty close to accurate.

Original Post by tomcat14:

also i was wondering what burn meter value i should go by. on this site it says i burn aroun 1800 a day but on the free dieting tips calculator it says i burn 2100 a day im confused

Hey tomcat: there's no way that your body burns less than 2000 calories per day. 2000 is what almost every body on earth burns just to function (breathing, brain and internal organ function) here's a copy of a post I made last week regarding calories and calculating intake for weight loss (my husband is a nutritionist)

"1500-1600 is fine for losing significant weight, if you're active. 1 lb of fat = 500 calories (per day) so if you eat 500 more calories than you burn per day, then you'll gain 1 lb per week. The same applies to weight loss (simple math)

My husband is a Nutritionist and Personal Trainer (he's also Active Duty in the US Military) Here is the formula that he uses to calculate how many calories per day you should consume to lose weight:

Explaining how to calculate sedentary calories burned per day is too complicated, so let's assume that you know your daily sedentary caloric burn (2230);

2230 x 7 (days in the week) = 15,610 : that's how many calories your body burns to keep your heart beating, brain working, all organs running, etc. in a week.

In order to loose 1 lb per week, you would need to burn an extra 500 calories per day:

500 x 7 (days in a week) = 3500 : the amount of additional calories you would have to burn in a week to loose 1 lb

15, 610 (calories per week you burn) - 3500 (the deficit you need per week) = 12,110 calories (the amount to eat per week)

if you take the calories per week you need in order to lose weight, and divide by the number of days in a week, you get your daily caloric intake needs to loose 1lb per week. 

12,110 / 7 = 1730 calories per day

However, I'm sure that you want to lose more weight than 1 lb per week. 2 lbs per week is the healthy amount to lose (any more than that, and you may be losing muscle mass to feed your body...not good) so you would either need to burn more calories through exercise, or eat less to loose the weight naturally; here is your equation for losing 2 lbs per week (w/ out exercise):

1000 (calories in 2lbs) x 7 (days in the week) = 7000 (deficit you need)

15, 610 (calories you burn per week) - 7000 (deficit needed) = 8,610 (calories to consume per week)

8,610 (calories per week) / 7 (days in the week) = 1230 (calories to consume per day)

If you add exercise into all that, you'll burn even more, and tone yourself up! bonus!

Sorry, I know that was a ton of math. lol"

thanks guys! trueblue...i thought 1770 was ridiculously low for a body to burn that explanation helped

you're so very welcome! Good luck!

I have had good success with calorie cycling.  I cycle my calories by adjusting my carbs.  More carbs on weight training days and less on non-weight training days.  Moderate amounts the other day.

Original Post by beastypixie:

I have had good success with calorie cycling.  I cycle my calories by adjusting my carbs.  More carbs on weight training days and less on non-weight training days.  Moderate amounts the other day.

Yeah, carb cycling is the way to go.

Google will return any number of guides and discussions about it, OP.  It works better than plain calorie cycling because of the important role that carbs (And often the lack of them) have in weight loss.

I am totally blown away due to the fact that I am mathematically challenged. My suggested daily caloric intake is 1200, however most days I am at about 1000, with a 7 mile walk each daily. If I do more than walk, I will allow myself more ( I try to pick one of my pleasures or comfort foods in small quantity so I keep a good demeanor). I am not an exerciser by nature, I have only been watching what I eat and exercising a month now and I have lost 25 pound, and I already feel much better. I started out at 238 and fluctuating on the side closer to 250. I am now at 210-213, and I feel great, I am trying not to get bored with my food intake. It sounds like I am doing the right things...according to your Greek mathematics.

i forgot to mention im a female too

Beastypixie and ibez...if i had the power to fight off bread i would carb cycle but...unfortunately bread is my weakness yummy

Hey Appy: try not to go below 1200 calories per day. if you're walking for 7 miles every day, then there is no reason to deprive your body of needed calories. If you eat less than 1200 calories per day, you run the risk of losing muscle mass (your body will pull protein and nutrients from your muscles to feed itself) which is NEVER good.

Also, remember that muscle weighs more than fat. Always use a tape to measure your success. Inches lost are just as awesome as pounds! And even though you may not being losing weight, you might be losing inches (woohoo!)

I know this reply is soooo late, sorry. OK, so I will up my calories since I am walking everyday and when I am not  then I will reduce them. I think that would explain my hunger the last couple of days.

Well I will find a tape measure or buy one and measure my success that way. I am determined to reach my goal, and finish something I have started! I injured my knee last year pretty badly and I have been discouraged by the weight I added to my already not so small frame while recuperating. I have found some things I can do, my knee is being cooperative thus far, plus I know the weight loss will help with my comfort level. Thanks for the feed back trueblueta2ood.

just my two cents: i believe the idea of the OP sounds good - after all, isnt it natural to eat different things and have different caloric intake? who eats the exact same amounf of calories a day when having normal days?