I was looking at John Stone's food journals, and on some days he eats 1500 calories, and other days it's more like 3000. Obviously this technique is working for him. Do lots of people do this, or do most people eat about the same number of calories every day? It would seem like varying the amount would make it less likely for the body to hit a plateau.

I usually stay around 2000 calories a day and one or two days a week may go up near 3000 cals. I'm 6'1 173 lbs with approx 12% BF. I've been able to lose fat doing this over the course of the last couple of months.

I was looking at John Stone's food journals, and on some days he eats 1500 calories, and other days it's more like 3000. Obviously this technique is working for him. Do lots of people do this, or do most people eat about the same number of calories every day? It would seem like varying the amount would make it less likely for the body to hit a plateau.

It´s not good to eat the same number of calories every day. The body will get used to it and will adapt. That means the MBR will slow down and fat-loss will get slower and might stop if you are unlucky.
At first the same number of calories will work. But after some time most people will find that they have to "zig-zag" the calories if they want good fast progress to continue. To keep the MBR high and burn fat fast...

Regards!

It´s not good to eat the same number of calories every day. The body will get used to it and will adapt. That means the MBR will slow down and fat-loss will get slower and might stop if you are unlucky.
At first the same number of calories will work. But after some time most people will find that they have to "zig-zag" the calories if they want good fast progress to continue. To keep the MBR high and burn fat fast...

Regards!
It also matters when you eat and how much when exercising. For instance, if you eat a lot one day and exercise, but the next day you eat less and don't exercise, the net calories can actually be the same. I think each individual has to learn to adapt to their bodies' signals. If you are eating healthy, exercising and not starving yourself then you will see results. Your body can adapt, but you don't necessarily have to change your amount of calories for change. i.e. changing your daily meal structure (when you eat carbs, fats, etc..) can have a large effect on success. So can exercising more or less to make changes in your net calories. I am not saying you are wrong (in fact I agree somewhat), there is just a lot more to the answer as well as different solutions. :tu:

Pretty much. On a cheat day it's a lot more, of course, but on regular loss days I have around 1800-1900, consistently, mostly from the exact same "meals" (double quotes, because 300 calories is not a meal) too.

It also matters when you eat and how much when exercising. For instance, if you eat a lot one day and exercise, but the next day you eat less and don't exercise, the net calories can actually be the same. I think each individual has to learn to adapt to their bodies' signals. If you are eating healthy, exercising and not starving yourself then you will see results. Your body can adapt, but you don't necessarily have to change your amount of calories for change. i.e. changing your daily meal structure (when you eat carbs, fats, etc..) can have a large effect on success. So can exercising more or less to make changes in your net calories. I am not saying you are wrong (in fact I agree somewhat), there is just a lot more to the answer as well as different solutions. :tu:

The best solution is of course to change both training and diet rather often. But I think it´s best to focus on zig-zaging the calories to prevent the body from adapting. Normally I eat 2000-2200 calories for 3-4 days and then eat 3000-3500 one day. 7 meals/day atm. I think there is a rather nice psyhological effect also when you do that. It becomes rather boring and possibly even painful to eat the same number of calories every day for months. The 3000-3500 calorie days helps motivation and makes you feel better. Gives you a chance to enjoy food that you cant eat other days. :eat:

Regards!

The best solution is of course to change both training and diet rather often. But I think it´s best to focus on zig-zaging the calories to prevent the body from adapting. Normally I eat 2000-2200 calories for 3-4 days and then eat 3000-3500 one day. 7 meals/day atm. I think there is a rather nice psyhological effect also when you do that. It becomes rather boring and possibly even painful to eat the same number of calories every day for months. The 3000-3500 calorie days helps motivation and makes you feel better. Gives you a chance to enjoy food that you cant eat other days. :eat:

Regards!
Boredom is definitely a factor for a lot of people cutting. I just make sure to prepare appetizing meals. Over time once you understand food enough, preparing a little more sophisticated meals that are also healthy gets much easier. I do think the same routine day in and day out will make most people fall off the wagon so "zig-zagging" can be a good release. Remember though, the same number of calories does not mean the same amount of food. When eating clean, it takes a higher quantity of food to reach you goals. In fact, as a foodaholic before, I now actually eating more and more often, but my calories have severly dropped due to the makeup of the food. I would have to eat about 3300 calories a day to maintain my fitness level, but there is no way I can eat that while staying clean. I would explode. :eat:

Remember though, the same number of calories does not mean the same amount of food. When eating clean, it takes a higher quantity of food to reach you goals. In fact, as a foodaholic before, I now actually eating more and more often, but my calories have severly dropped due to the makeup of the food. I would have to eat about 3300 calories a day to maintain my fitness level, but there is no way I can eat that while staying clean. I would explode. :eat:

I couldn't agree more! I get so stuffed and I'm eating less calories than before I started eating clean. I often wonder how I'm going to handle going on maintenance once I am done losing fat. I'm actually a little scared.

Maybe I'm strange, but I'd rather eat the same calories every day. I'm not good at remembering stuff like whether it's a zig day or a zag day. Each meal I eat whatever I want that adds up to the the exact same calorie total. Convenient.

Instead, I burn more calories on cardio day than weights day, so ultimately I'm still zig-zagging (RMe's point).

I couldn't agree more! I get so stuffed and I'm eating less calories than before I started eating clean. I often wonder how I'm going to handle going on maintenance once I am done losing fat. I'm actually a little scared.
I have thought about that too, but depending on how much you lose your caloric needs will drop too. I'll try to cross that bridge when I come to it. I have learned to balance all the low fat low carb crap on the market. Most of it, I end up dropping from my diet b/c it's hard to get enough calories not to starve myself even with all the food. It sure is a balancing act, but one that is definitely worth the struggle.

...I burn more calories on cardio day than weights day, so ultimately I'm still zig-zagging (RMe's point).

The only difference between my weights day and cardio days is the PWO which is about 130 calories. Otherwise, I eat before lifting but not before cardio. I read about ZigZagging on Jeremy Likeness' page and I think it doesn't really have an effect unless the difference is larger. He suggested using your body weight as the difference up and down from a target.

So a 200-lb man targeting 2000 calories daily would eat 1800 one day and 2200 the next. Jeremy's site offers a quick tool that allows for more complex planning too.

I personnally find it eaier to hit a range each day, and I'm really focused on the Macro splits to see if that makes a difference.

I swear that if I ever get stinking, stinking loaded, I will spend a while bumming around on vacations and driving sports cars, but then I will pay for a huge study pitting various twins and others against each other so that we can once and for all find out about things like zig-zag calories, rep ranges, etc. It seems like 99% of information in the bodybuilding world is based upon anecdotal and personal experiences. :(

I swear that if I ever get stinking, stinking loaded, I will spend a while bumming around on vacations and driving sports cars, but then I will pay for a huge study pitting various twins and others against each other so that we can once and for all find out about things like zig-zag calories, rep ranges, etc. It seems like 99% of information in the bodybuilding world is based upon anecdotal and personal experiences. :(

I believe there are several ways to do it. That works! What´s important is that you believe in what you are doing and that you see progress. And you must be able to live with it. It must be something you can do for a long time. For years. For life.

And it´s indivualistic. The best way for one person might not be the best way for you.

Regards! :D

I usually shoot for the same calories (2100-2200) six days a week w/one cheat day (most of the time ends up being one cheat meal) but it usually works out to three days of 200 more on lifting days for PWO shake. It seems to be working for me because I've lost 10 lbs in 8 weeks since I've been tracking what I eat. I haven't measured body fat but I can definitely see a change in my belly. My stomach did stick out a little more than my chest but now they are about even.