Quote from Tom Venuto's book 'burn the fat feed the muscle':
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"Zig-zag method

Every time you cut calories below your maintenance level, it’s never long before your body recognizes the deficit and adjusts your fat burning thermostat so fewer calories are burned. The larger the drop in calories and the longer the drop is maintained, the bigger the drop will be in metabolism.Your body is an amazing machine that is remarkably adaptable to any situation or environment. Your body likes to stay in a state of equilibrium and will always fight your efforts to change.

Fortunately, there is a way you can “trick” your body into keeping your metabolic rate up while you’re dieting for fat loss – It’s called the zig zag method and it’s without question the most powerful fat burning technique ever developed.

You must have a deficit to lose fat, but what you don’t want is a large deficit for a long period of time. The way to “outsmart” your body’s starvation response is to avoid prolonged calorie deficits. You simply drop into a calorie deficit for a brief period of three days, then – before your body has a chance to decrease your metabolic rate– you raise your calories back up to maintenance level (or even above aintenance) for one to three days. You then repeat this process until you reach your desired body fat percentage."

sounds similar like carb cycling... http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/par30.htm

definatly a great post peter!

something i shall be doing durring my cutting phase.

i also plan to increase my cardio on higher caloric days, and try to up the calories on day i train a more intensive muscle group, IE leg day or a back/bicep/forearms day.

I have a zig-zag calculator up at the site:

http://www.naturalphysiques.com/tools.php?itemid=64

Keep in mind that daily zig-zagging is only one of the many ways to do it. Often, I will ramp by week - in other words, do 2400 one week, then 2300 the next, then 2200 the next, etc, before resetting back to a higher level.

Of course, you also should remember - If it's not broke, don't fix it. In other words, if your current calorie level is producing results, then stick with it. The only need to zig-zag comes when you hit a plateau and need to break through and keep going.

Some people often worry about if they should have a high calorie day on the weight training and low calorie on cardio or rest days, etc. Frankly, in my experience, it is arbitrary - it is more whether or not you are zig-zagging and not exactly HOW you are zig-zagging that impacts the ultimate results.

Jeremy

The zig-zap method is definately the way to go; I have used it for several years with a good deal of success. The other benefit that really didn't get mentioned is that it helps preserve lean mass during weight loss as well.
Just don't get discouraged by day to day variations in weight during the +cal days!

my problem with these articles is they are all writen in a "my way is right, all the others don't work" way.

he says if you go into deficite your body will compensate and your metabolism will slow.

Yet there's first hand proof all over the place of plenty of people who pick a diet, stick to it for months and don't see any drop off in their fat loss, thus proving his theory atleast doesn't relate to everyone.

I'm sure zigzagging works, as one of many many techniques that work, i just wish everyone wouldn't write their way as the only way or the best way all the time.

Yet there's first hand proof all over the place of plenty of people who pick a diet, stick to it for months and don't see any drop off in their fat loss, thus proving his theory atleast doesn't relate to everyone.
I agree, but like Jeremy said "if it's not broke, don't fix it". I've been on the same diet program for five months and still haven't hit a plateau. When I do hit the eventual plateau, zig zagging will be one of my first considerations to break through it.

Yes, I also agree that it seems that everyone who writes a book or an article seem to think that their's is the only way to success. Surely they don't truly believe it. I think it's just an obligatory statement for all diet authors.

my problem with these articles is they are all writen in a "my way is right, all the others don't work" way.

I have quoted a few sentences from a 375 page book. Believe me Tom Venuto states many times in his book that he hates the 'my way or the highway' methods, and if you read the entire book you'd see that it just explaines the basics, and leaves A LOT of room for your own interpretation/execution.

Yet there's first hand proof all over the place of plenty of people who pick a diet, stick to it for months and don't see any drop off in their fat loss, thus proving his theory atleast doesn't relate to everyone.
This proves nothing in my opinion. Who knows what would have happened if they did use the zig-zag method?

So how does this zig zag fit in with, say, a cheat meal? For example, if i ate well for 6 days then had a high cal meal or 2 on the seventh day, would that work the same way? Have no desire to have a cheat meal as such, but if zig zagging involves giving your body a kick with high cals, wouldnt this work in the same way?

if you do the same thing over a long period and get the same results, your body is not adapting by reducing your metabolism. Many people have had this happen, thus their bodies are not doing what he says happens "Every time you cut calories below your maintenance level". So ya it really does proove what i said.

I didn't say zigzag didn't work, i just said that it isn't necessary for everyone. By the definition he gave, zigzag is to stop your results tailing off as your body adapts, therefore if you experience no tail off, you will see no benefit in zigzaging.

So how does this zig zag fit in with, say, a cheat meal? For example, if i ate well for 6 days then had a high cal meal or 2 on the seventh day, would that work the same way? Have no desire to have a cheat meal as such, but if zig zagging involves giving your body a kick with high cals, wouldnt this work in the same way?

If you eat much more cals than your maintenance level while cutting, you will most probably gain weight. But if your cheat meal is around your maintenance level, it's pretty much okay. However I would advise eating as much 'clean food' as possible.

Good info!!

At least this makes me feel a bit better after my weekend of poor diet :D

Great post!!! :tucool: I am going to try i this way in a week after finals. :jumping: