Zigzag Diet: Can You Do This.....?

[cytrix]

on the zigzag diet for optimum fatloss you reduce total daily calories by 2 cal per lb bodyweight on 5 days and add 2 cal per lb lean bodyweight on 2 days.
question: could i devide the total of additional calories for those 2 days and devide it in 3 days? i would like to add calories every time i train after working out for recovery. i'm asking, because it wouldn't be exactly 2 cal per lb lean bodyweight anymore each day i do this, but only 1.33 cal. does this matter?

 

[2ordinary]

This sounds fine to me and I think Dr. Squat would agree also. The only thing to take note of (though I don't think it's a big deal) is that you are spreading the caloric increase over 3 days instead of 2 days. But remember that for 5 days you are supposed to be in a caloric deficit, and you have taken one of these five days to be one of your caloric increase days. So you may want to restrict calories more than 2/lb bodyweight during these 4 days to make up for it. But it's not like it's an exact science anyway so it doesn't seem like a big deal. What are your goals--to lose fat or maybe lose fat and gain muscle and stay the same bodyweight?

Original Zig-Zag
--------------------
(2 days) * (2 cal / lb bodyweight / day) * (your bodyweight) -
(5 days) * (2 cal / lb bodyweight / day) * (your bodyweight)
= caloric deficit

Revised Zig-Zag
--------------------------
(3 days) * (1.33 cal / lb bodyweight / day) * (your bodyweight) -
(4 days) * (2.5 cal / lb bodyweight / day) * (your bodyweight)
= the same caloric deficit overall as original

later bro

 

[cytrix]

thanx for the extensive reply, 2ordinary! you say to deduct 2.5 cal per lb bodyweight instead of 2 cal, since i only do 4 days instead of 5 below maintenance, but i already lowered the added calories to 1.3 cal instead of 2 cal. 2 days x 2 cal = 4 cal, same as 3 days x 1.3 cal = 4 cal. is there something i did not get???

 

[2ordinary]

thanx for the extensive reply, 2ordinary! you say to deduct 2.5 cal per lb bodyweight instead of 2 cal, since i only do 4 days instead of 5 below maintenance, but i already lowered the added calories to 1.3 cal instead of 2 cal. 2 days x 2 cal = 4 cal, same as 3 days x 1.3 cal = 4 cal. is there something i did not get???

If you are interested in having the same caloric deficit as the original program advises, then you would want to subtract 2.5 cal per lb of bodyweight per day for four days. The reason you would need to do this mathematically is because: although you are decreasing your extra days to 1.33, you are also replacing one of the 5 days you are supposed to be taking calories off. So to make up for this, you must use the 2.5 cal for the four days.

Just add the total calories for the week and make sure your revised plan is equivalent to the original plan (since this is what you're after). In the original plan you are effectively creating a weekly caloric deficit of six times your bodyweight. In the revised plan I've outlined, you also have this same caloric deficit of six times your bodyweight. If you used your plan of 1.33 additional for 3 days and then 2 subtracted for 4 days, then you would achieve a caloric deficit of four times your bodyweight. This may be acceptable to you, but to have the same deficit as the original plan you must subtract 2.5 for the 4 days. later bro

 

[cytrix]

now i got it - you're right, thanx again!!