Good News, Bad news!

[JaimeSTL 4]

Congrats on breaking your plateau!! Hopefully now you'll just keep going down down down.

I was looking at this website that tells you how many calories you should eat a day to lose weight and it recommended a "zig zag" pattern. Basically five days you stay on your regular plan, one day you add a few calories (the numbers it gave me said to add about 200) and one day add even more (about 500 more for me). That is supposed to result in optimal weight loss. I'm trying it to see if it works out. My base will be about 1000, then one day go up to about 1200, then one day about 1500. I'm not sure if I can manage 1500, but I could let that be my "treat" day.

[coolcrystal 1]

Congrats on breaking your plateau!! Hopefully now you'll just keep going down down down.

I was looking at this website that tells you how many calories you should eat a day to lose weight and it recommended a "zig zag" pattern. Basically five days you stay on your regular plan, one day you add a few calories (the numbers it gave me said to add about 200) and one day add even more (about 500 more for me). That is supposed to result in optimal weight loss. I'm trying it to see if it works out. My base will be about 1000, then one day go up to about 1200, then one day about 1500. I'm not sure if I can manage 1500, but I could let that be my "treat" day.

Good idea, thanks for sharing that!! that's about what I did this weekend... I ate more throughout the day... on Saturday and then even a little more on Sunday... makes total sense... Maybe eating a dessert can help... I rarely eat Desserts, but maybe a custard or icecream could count.. a shake or something..

[coolcrystal 1]

Oh, I would love to, but I'm leaving for vacation tomorrow. Five days at the lake, Baby. I've been looking forward to this for three solid months. Can I catch you one day next week? That would be super!

Shoot, I forgot.. I remember you telling me about that!! Have a blast and heck yes, next week will be fine! :-)

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

Great Crystal I'm so glad to hear you broke through you nasty plateau!!

Thanks Jaime for the 411, I'm going to try it out.

So M-F are strict

Sat is a little extra treat

Sun is a few extra little treats.

Yeah, I can do that!! LOL!!

[BlessedTwice 1]

Hey Jaime,

I'm going to try that plan too. Can you share the website?

Thanks

[JaimeSTL 4]

This is the website: Calorie Calculator

When you enter your information, it will give you what your BMR should be for your weight and height. For me, it gives numbers over 2200 per day but there is no way I'd go anywhere near that. LOL I tweaked it, using the same basic premise. Make sure to click where it says "7 day calorie cycle (zig-zag)."

This is what the site says about zig zagging: "*Calorie cycling provides same amount of calories per week, but 'tricks' your body by constantly changing daily calories. This helps to prevent or break plateaus. Guideline only."

I also found this one: NY Times Calorie Calculator This one tells you how many calories a day you should get to lose a certain amount of weight by a certain date. Pretty cool. It won't let you get too aggressive and calculates about 1.5 lbs a week. It told me that I could be at GOAL by my 1 year bandiversary if I stick to 1200 calories a day!!

Edited June 16, 2008 by JaimeSTL

[coolcrystal 1]

I copied this from the site and thought it was pretty interesting:

The Weight Loss Plateau

Over time our bodies adapt to the lowered calorie level. Our body becomes more efficient at using energy (lowered metabolism), and therefore burns less fat.

This is why most of us reach a weight loss plateau. At this point, the only option is to boost metabolism; increased cardio, weight training, 'cheat' meals (i.e. ocassional high-calorie meals), cycling (or zig-zagging) calories, and even manipulating macro-nutrient ratios can all help to do this (don't forget adequate sleep and hydration). You often find that the nearer you get to your goal weight (or body fat percentage) - the harder things get!

Continually dropping calories only serves to lower metabolism even further - the moment you return to 'normal' eating - the weight comes back on.

Minimum Daily Calorie intake

It is difficult to set absolute bottom calorie levels, because everyone has different body composition and activity levels. Health authorities do set some baselines - these are 1200 calories per day for women, and 1800 calories per day for men. This doesn't really make too much sense - are you are sedentary person with little muscle mass? Or someone who is tall, muscular, and exercises a lot? Absolute levels don't work - but do give us a starting point.

When reducing calories:

Try not to lower your calorie intake by more than 1000 calories below maintenance. Doing so may invoke the bodies starvation response, which can lead to the Yo-yo dieting effect.

Try to gradually lower calories. A sudden drop (such as 500 calories or more) can cause your metabolism to slow.

What happens when calories are too low?

1) Muscle mass is broken down for energy (catabolism).

2) Metabolic rate will begin to drop (typically) after 3 days of very low calories - this is related to, and compounded by the loss of muscle mass.

3) With very low calories you risk sluggishness, nutritional deficiencies, fatigue, and often irritability. You are completely set-up for a regain in fat if you suddenly return to your previous eating patterns.

[coolcrystal 1]

PS: this could make sense as to why people who have tighter fills don't seem to lose as much as people who can eat small meals and aren't too tight. Because I seemed to lose more weight when I wasn't at the tightness I was with my last fill.

[marathinner 1]

This info is so great and ultimately validates the "everything in moderation" philosophy. Last Friday I had a piece of thin crust pizza for lunch, a couple of chicken tenders for dinner and a few (ok...like 4 glasses of wine!!) My scale was down 2.5 the next day. This came after a very strict week of healthy eating. God bless the band for helping us with our Portion Control which was obviously the demise for most of us! Ahhhh...it's good to be a bandster. Oh and Crystal...you look like Carmen Electra in your avatar pic....total hottie!!

[coolcrystal 1]

OOh, Carmen Electra!! She's totally hot! thanks! I've tried the dark hair like hers and liked it, but it looked better with my skin when I was tanner. I did one of those celebrity look alike things on my myspace and my closest matches were : Alicia Silverstone, Katherine Heigl, and Rebecca Gayheart. lol. But I used a different picture. Maybe I should use this one and see if I get Carmen Electra! :tongue:

[marathinner 1]

I definitely think you're a ringer for Carmen! Oooo....good new thread topic!! What celebrity have you been told you look like! :tongue:

[ahooge 0]

lon chaney. ha