Should you zig-zag your calorie intake or your calorie deficit?
I have heard competing thoughts on this. I always end up eating between 1700-1900 calories a day, every day. My body just doesnt seem satisfied at all eating less than 1700 calories. However, my daily calorie deficits are always changing depending on how much I exercise and what type of exercise I did. This week, I had a deficit of 700 cals on Mon, 580 cals on Tues and 350 cals on Wed, so my calorie deficits are definently zigagged, but the number of calories I ate for this week is 1911, 1906 and 1770 respectively.
So my question is, is zigzagging your calorie deficit as effective as zigzagging the amount of calories that you eat?? I have seen so many posters saying that you need to mix things up and keep your body guessing so that it doesnt use to a certain routine because then your routine isnt as effective.
What are your thoughts on this and what I am doing??? Should I try to mix up my calorie consumption a bit??
As long as you have a reasonably steady calorie intake and are reasonably active every day (rather than sporadically), creating a deficit of some kind every day then you should be able to control your weight.
If you're satisfied with 1700 calories per day, why eat 1900...as long as you don't feel that you're depriving yourself with food and feels the contentment in 1700 calories, then stick to 1700 calories to increase your deficit more, this is if you're only trying to lose more weight. But if you are just maintaining it, as long as you don't over 1900 calories per day and continuously exercising, you'll stay right where you are.
More power to you!
Original Post by gi-jane:
As long as you have a reasonably steady calorie intake and are reasonably active every day (rather than sporadically), creating a deficit of some kind every day then you should be able to control your weight.
So Gi-Jane, you dont believe that your body becomes accustomed to a certain amount of calories?
This is exactly the way I have lost 47lbs since April. I have a pretty steady intake of 1400-1500 cals per day, yet my deficit runs from 400-700 per day depending on that days activity level, and I "cheat" every other Saturday with a 0 deficit. Only one short plateau so far, so I must have been doing something right.
Original Post by keb1984:
So Gi-Jane, you dont believe that your body becomes accustomed to a certain amount of calories?
Yes, I think it does in time. But a good eating & regular exercise habit is what'll get the weight off and help you keep it off. For that reason I think it's better to stay with a steady intake for a week or two at a time and then have a day where you eat a little more than normal. Just as thmheh describes, in fact.
Thanks for the replies girls! I will keep doing what I am doing, because it is pretty similar to what you suggested. Its just that you read so many conflicting things and I just wanted to make sure I am doing everything I can to keep the weight coming off. And, the more reasons I can get to have a cheat day, the better! LOL.
