Is it cheating to move excess calories to the next day or two?

0nesecret

I keep doing this but I feel like it's the best way for me to stay on track. For example, yersterday I ate more calories than I realised (didn't read the package correctly), putting me at an excess. SO I move a few calories to the next day or two so that I kind of cut back on those days to make up for the excess. Does this work? Theoretically it should be fine if I'm within the weekly range?

strongeriam

If you are within your weekly range you should be fine. You might be hungrier on those days.

xcalygrl

As long as at the end of the week your calories are where they need to be to lose, then you'll be fine.

Hornsby

I base my cals on a weekly basis on purpose so I can have "bigger" days on the weekends. Works just fine.

rickloving

I have done it successfully though both my recent cutting phases.. If you see success on the measuring tape or scale, don't worry about it. It may not work for everyone based on their own particular habits.

janerfitnesspal145

Some days I'm over, some days I'm under due to eating more or exercising more/less. I look at my calorie deficit by the week.

Zedeff

This works for net weight loss but (in theory) will burn more muscle. Energy needs are immediate, not averaged over a week. If you over-eat one day (calorie surplus) you will create some fat for energy storage. If you under-eat the next day (calorie deficit) you will catabolize both fat AND muscle for energy recuperation. The net calories burned/consumed is the same as if you hit your target every day, but on the days you over-eat you generate primarily fat and on the days you under-eat you burn a MIX of fat and muscle.

Weight loss ALWAYS includes an element of lean mass loss. Most healthy diets limit lean losses to at or under 20% of the total weight loss. Still, on the days you overeat, 20% of your "gain" is NOT going to be muscle, resulting in a net muscle loss.

Averaging for a week will keep you on track, but it is not ideal.

BodyByButter

This is such a little thing, but I wondered if anyone knows. I haven't been over my calories in more than a month. There were a few days when I was close though, maybe 10 calories under. But when I look at the rolling 7 days, it shows those days in red. The red really bugs me! Silly maybe. But why does it do that?

Edit, I think I figured this out. I had a recalc a few days ago, and I think it's looking at the new number retroactively.

JenniferLynWhatx

For me...starting a new day is an important part of my process...if rolling over calories works for you I say do it...but for me...I need to be able to say "Okay...I had a bad day...today will be better" and just start over

fitnessgoddess17

I think you're cheating yourself. By not providing yourself with an accurate log. I find it helpful to know exactly what I ate every day but as far as weight loss I think you're fine. I judge my success based on if I was on point for the whole week. Sorry Bodybybutter I don't know the answer to that.

SergeantSausage

No. It's not cheating. Just be sure to accurately log how many and when you ate them.

RoxieDawn

I need the clean slate too. It is so hard to not eat within my calorie allotment as it is. I to shake off the bad day and start fresh..

But, I just looked at my diary and I too am over. I am 146 over and tomorrow I am eating out with friends.. I will just have to shake off today or maybe to get on the elliptical for a few minutes and get back to my normal routine tomorrow!

Sued0nim

I go by the weekly average in the app but I won't move calories from one day to the next ..I will just go over or under on that day and look at the previous 7 days

And to the poster above yes the green / red is based on current goal

feisty_bucket

Read the threads on here about "banking" - that's what this is called. In practice, you carry over your excess calories from one day into the next, like you've eaten in advance. I eat at all times of the day, and it's the only way to usefully keep up with what I'm doing.

It's probably the most useful thing I've picked up from this forum.

sijomial

Zedeff wrote: »

This works for net weight loss but (in theory) will burn more muscle. Energy needs are immediate, not averaged over a week. If you over-eat one day (calorie surplus) you will create some fat for energy storage. If you under-eat the next day (calorie deficit) you will catabolize both fat AND muscle for energy recuperation. The net calories burned/consumed is the same as if you hit your target every day, but on the days you over-eat you generate primarily fat and on the days you under-eat you burn a MIX of fat and muscle.

Weight loss ALWAYS includes an element of lean mass loss. Most healthy diets limit lean losses to at or under 20% of the total weight loss. Still, on the days you overeat, 20% of your "gain" is NOT going to be muscle, resulting in a net muscle loss.

Averaging for a week will keep you on track, but it is not ideal.

No!
It's remarkably difficult to "burn muscle".
One day eating low doesn't even deplete your glycogen stores plus most people have a huge energy store in their fat.
I lost my weight with two very low calorie days a week and had no problems with loss of lean mass.
Sorry but this is complete bro science.

wilsoncl6

^^^---I fully agree, bro science all the way. I have gone over a week with a severe caloric deficit and actually slightly gained muscle mass. It's all about what you eat and how you exercise.

Zedeff

sijomial wrote: »

No!
It's remarkably difficult to "burn muscle".
One day eating low doesn't even deplete your glycogen stores plus most people have a huge energy store in their fat.
I lost my weight with two very low calorie days a week and had no problems with loss of lean mass.
Sorry but this is complete bro science.

Provide a citation "bro."

I didn't even have to dig hard, I just searched on PubMed for "lean body mass" and added terms to that like "caloric deficit" and "weight loss."

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23890352
"Over time, all participants lost weight, lean body mass, and fat mass."

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24602091
Over a 4 day period, participants in a walking and calorie restriction diet lost between 0.4 and 2.8 kilograms of lean body mass.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3592619
In male subjects on a prolonged diet, "reduction in resting energy expenditure was related to a continuing loss of lean tissue."

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19927027
Athletes observed for 2 weeks at a calorie deficit lost between 0.3 and 1.6 kilograms of lean body mass.

You call it broscience... looks more like plain old science to me.

Christine_72

Zedeff wrote: »

This works for net weight loss but (in theory) will burn more muscle. Energy needs are immediate, not averaged over a week. If you over-eat one day (calorie surplus) you will create some fat for energy storage. If you under-eat the next day (calorie deficit) you will catabolize both fat AND muscle for energy recuperation. The net calories burned/consumed is the same as if you hit your target every day, but on the days you over-eat you generate primarily fat and on the days you under-eat you burn a MIX of fat and muscle.

Weight loss ALWAYS includes an element of lean mass loss. Most healthy diets limit lean losses to at or under 20% of the total weight loss. Still, on the days you overeat, 20% of your "gain" is NOT going to be muscle, resulting in a net muscle loss.

Averaging for a week will keep you on track, but it is not ideal.

Why's it not ideal? Obviously I track my calories everyday. But the end result is on Sunday when it shows me my weekly deficit, if it's under, which it always is, I'm good

Zedeff

wilsoncl6 wrote: »

I have gone over a week with a severe caloric deficit and actually slightly gained muscle mass.

Yeah, I'm sure you did.

segacs

Lots of people find success by viewing CICO as a weekly, not daily thing, and endeavouring to stay under their weekly calorie budget while going over some days and under on others. If that works for you, there's nothing wrong with it.

Having said that, if you're the type of person to keep borrowing from next week's paycheque to pay this week's bills, well, that sort of thing catches up to you eventually. So does borrowing from tomorrow's calories to pay for today's pizza.

SLLRunner

0nesecret wrote: »

I keep doing this but I feel like it's the best way for me to stay on track. For example, yersterday I ate more calories than I realised (didn't read the package correctly), putting me at an excess. SO I move a few calories to the next day or two so that I kind of cut back on those days to make up for the excess. Does this work? Theoretically it should be fine if I'm within the weekly range?

Weekly average trumps. I try to save calories for the weekend because we eat out more then.

TimothyFish

Whatever works for you.

sijomial

Zedeff wrote: »

sijomial wrote: »

No!
It's remarkably difficult to "burn muscle".
One day eating low doesn't even deplete your glycogen stores plus most people have a huge energy store in their fat.
I lost my weight with two very low calorie days a week and had no problems with loss of lean mass.
Sorry but this is complete bro science.

Provide a citation "bro."

I didn't even have to dig hard, I just searched on PubMed for "lean body mass" and added terms to that like "caloric deficit" and "weight loss."

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23890352
"Over time, all participants lost weight, lean body mass, and fat mass."

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24602091
Over a 4 day period, participants in a walking and calorie restriction diet lost between 0.4 and 2.8 kilograms of lean body mass.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3592619
In male subjects on a prolonged diet, "reduction in resting energy expenditure was related to a continuing loss of lean tissue."

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19927027
Athletes observed for 2 weeks at a calorie deficit lost between 0.3 and 1.6 kilograms of lean body mass.

You call it broscience... looks more like plain old science to me.

Look at the timelines!
You clearly don't understand that muscle is a fuel of last resort. SMH.

Study one - 12 weeks.

Study two - 4 days with 5000 cal energy deficit!

Study three - 200 days

Study four - Week at 60% of normal calorie intake.

If you think they support your assertion that shuttling calories from one day to another causes loss of muscle you are sadly mistaken.

Zedeff

[Citation needed]

Alatariel75

I go to a weekly target, not a daily. During the week I stay around 1100-1200 then on weekends I hit around 2200. Has worked for 20kg so far and keeps me sane!