The Zig Zag Diet - Calorie Cycling for Weight Loss
What exactly is a zig zag diet? Many of the clients I see as a dietitian run into a weight loss plateau sooner or later. This can be very defeating when you feel like you’re putting your all into your diet. So, many people are turning to zig zag dieting to combat this stall in weight loss. But does it work? Here's what I have to say as a dietitian.
What Is Calorie Cycling For Weight Loss?
In my practice, I’ve seen that running into weight loss plateaus is often a part of the journey. However, for people who are dieting on their own without the guidance of a dietitian, many people don’t know where to turn when they run into this road block. So, some may try calorie cycling.
Calorie cycling, also known as zig zag dieting, is a structured and methodical way of dieting that some people find easier than traditional dieting.
Many people will use a zig zag calorie calculator to determine how many calories they need to eat per week to be in a calorie deficit, which must be maintained in order to achieve weight loss.
Once this number is determined, people will “zig zag” by alternating between days of eating very low calories and days of eating very high calorie.
The rationale of eating this way is that the intake keeps your body guessing. The idea is that the body tends to become accustomed to a calorie deficit after a while, and thus will slow or stall weight loss. This typically results in a weight loss plateau. By switching up your intake with zig zag calorie cycling, the theory is that this plateau will not happen.
Does Calorie Cycling Work To Lose Weight?
So the big question you must be asking is: does zig zag dieting work for weight loss? Here are notable results from two scientific studies.
Study #1: Calorie Cycling + Exercise Program
Well, according to a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, it does.
The study included 36 overweight, non-active women who participated in calorie cycling and an exercise program. The exercise involved both high-intensity cardio and brisk walking 6 days out of the week.
Here is the catch though, the study also mentioned that even though zig zag dieting does result in weight loss, it does not work any better than traditional dieting. Which makes sense because, as long as you adhere to a weekly calorie deficit, it doesn’t really matter which days of the week you eat a certain number of calories. The weekly total of calories is always going to be the same regardless. There is no real evidence that zig zag dieting prevents weight loss plateaus, either.
Study #2: Zig Zag Dieting vs. Traditional Diet
Another study examined resistance-trained athletes who participated in a 1 week diet break after 3 months of intermittent dieting. The University of Western Australia found that people who engaged in zig zag dieting lost the same amount of weight and had the same metabolic rate as those who stayed on a traditional diet. Muscle endurance in the legs (but not the arms) also improved following the diet break, but fat free mass and muscle strength did not change. Researchers therefore recommended that athletes coordinate their diet breaks with training sessions that require leg muscle endurance.
How to Calorie Cycle for Weight Loss
That said, there is good news! There are plenty of benefits to calorie cycling for weight loss. For one, it is true that being in a calorie deficit causes an increase in hunger hormones which makes a diet harder to stick to the longer you are on it. People who do calorie cycling, however, find it much easier to eat low calorie on some days and then “take a break” from the diet on the high calorie days.
So, although this method isn’t more effective at helping you lose weight, it can make dieting more mentally sustainable. And the most effective diet tends to be the one you can stick to. So, if this sounds like an appealing way to go, keep reading to find out how it’s done.
What Are Calorie Cycling Methods
There are several ways you can go about calorie cycling.
Most people have their low-calorie days 4-5 days a week with the higher-calorie days 2-3 days a week.
Some people will even take the monthly route, which involves sticking to a calorie deficit for 3 weeks out of the month and then eating in a surplus for a whole week.
Whichever method works best for you, the Australian study noted that people who adopted these methods reported feeling less hunger during their diet and even had more mental clarity in terms of focus and less irritability. In other words, it just made dieting more comfortable.
In the studies done on zig zag dieting, results typically begin to appear after following the diet for a minimum of 4 weeks, but no longer than 3 months. If you have been calorie cycling for 3 months and still haven’t loss weight to a significant degree, it’s either not the approach for you or you should start seeking guidance from a nutrition professional.
Calorie Cycling Vs. Yo-Yo Dieting
Not to be confused with yo-yo dieting, zig zag dieting is very different. Zig zag dieting involves altering your calorie intake from day to day. Yo-yo dieting involves going through weight changes.
Basically, yo-yo dieting is the term for people who do an aggressive diet in the summer time in order to lose a ton of weight (the yo-yo going down). Then, when that beach party is over, eating in a surplus again and gaining that weight back (the yo-yo going up). This has been shown to be damaging to your metabolism which can make it harder to lose weight over time.
Luckily, calorie cycling involves more short term diet changes with the goal of getting weight down and keeping it off, rather than intentionally fluctuating weight. Thus, it doesn’t carry the same metabolic harm that yo-yo dieting can cause.
Is Carb Cycling The Same As Calorie Cycling?
If you’ve heard of carb cycling, this zig zag thing may sound familiar. However, though very similar, carb cycling is not the same as calorie cycling. Carb cycling is another weight loss method that people use that involves eating high amounts of carbs some days and then eating low carb on other days.
For the same reasons that we noted with calorie cycling, it’s not more effective at causing fat loss because, again the weekly average is what matters in the diet rather than the day to day consumption. However, calorie cycling involves altering intake from all macronutrients: protein, fat and carbohydrate, making it slightly different from carb cycling.
How to Calorie Cycle for Muscle Gain
Let’s talk for a second about what happens when you are trying to gain muscle in a calorie deficit. While in a deficit for an extended period of time, studies show you experience a decrease in testosterone and thyroid hormone, which isn’t ideal when one is trying to put on mass.
Thus, zig zag dieting should really only be used by those of an advanced fitness level as it’s likely going to do nothing but help you lose muscle if you’re more of a casual or beginner at resistance training. Whenever we get more trained and gain more muscle, our body starts slowing down the progress we saw at first.
So, we only need a small calorie surplus, like the 2-3 high calorie days in a zig zag diet, to gain muscle. But this happens at a very gradual pace. Basically, if you plan to calorie cycle to gain lean body mass, don’t expect it to happen quickly. However, you can look forward to not gaining the amount of fat you would with a traditional bulk that requires a larger surplus. For that reason, this method is popular among weightlifting females and hard gainers.
How To Make A Zig Zag Diet Schedule
A zig-zag diet schedule will look different for everyone and their lifestyle, which is one of its benefits. But here is an example of what a week on a zig zag diet would look like for someone consuming an average of 2,000 calories per day. Essentially, the plan below is an alternative to eating 2,000 calories a day, but has the same weekly average:
Monday: 1,400 calories
Tuesday: 1,400 calories
Wednesday: 2,800 calories
Thursday: 1,400 calories
Friday: 1,400 calories
Saturday: 2,800 calories
Sunday: 2,800 calories
Many people prefer to reserve the weekends for higher calorie days to have more freedom to go out to eat with friends or do other day-off activities that may end in a higher calorie intake. That said, you may also choose to break up your week with a high-calorie day in the middle on Wednesday, as is shown above, which is an ideal format for people who struggle with the hunger you get with a week-long calorie deficit.
It is also advised to get most of your calories on surplus days from protein and carbs to help prevent muscle breakdown and ensure you are getting all of the fuel you need, especially if you are exercising heavily with your zig-zag diet.
How Do You Cycle Calories Around A Workout?
Using the schedule example above, it is likely best to schedule your hardest workout days on the high-calorie days to ensure you have enough energy to make the most of your workout. The extra calories can not only help improve your performance better than a day you’re restricting intake, but it may result in better recovery as well.
The Bottom Line on Calorie Cycling for Weight Loss
Calorie cycling may appeal to those who find traditional dieting challenging to stick to due to the changes in hormones caused by being in a calorie deficit. So, getting a “break” from the calorie deficit on certain days can be a more sustainable option.
Does Zig Zag Dieting Work?
Just know that it is not more effective at helping you lose weight than being in a consistent calorie deficit as your weekly calorie intake is all that matters and it would end up being the same regardless of which method you choose.
When you're trying to gain muscle, calorie cycling isn't recommended because it will more likely cause muscle breakdown, since muscle gain is best achieved while you are eating in a sustained calorie surplus.
Who is Zig Zag Dieting For and How Is It Best Used?
Finally, calorie cycling is not a good fit for you if you have a very busy schedule or do not have the means and equipment to track how much you are eating. You will need to closely monitor your caloric intake to ensure you meet the required number of calories every day, adding a level of complexity that can be confusing, especially if you are new to dieting.
So, if you want to make dieting easier, the best way is to work with a registered dietitian. If you want to try calorie cycling for yourself, I don’t recommend finding out your calories from a calculator online as they may not give you the most accurate recommendations.
Consult with a dietitian to perform an assessment to determine the appropriate calorie goal for you. No matter which method you think is best, check out my services to get the full support you need for a successful weight loss journey.
