Is it possible to save up calories like Weight Watchers save

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PhabPhilo
PhabPhilo Posts: 30 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
If you know that you have a high calorie event coming up during the week, can you manage your calories so that you can eat more calories on the event day, while eating less calories on other days of the week to balance out the weekly calorie intake? Or, is calories intake a daily balancing act?

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  • vicidoesstuff
    vicidoesstuff Posts: 214 Member
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    I reckon it really depends on how far you want to take the high calorie day. Think of it like binge drinking. It's not healthy to 'save up' your drinking units then have them all in one night so it's the same thing with calories. Plus, if you undereat on a few days by a substantial amount, your metabolism might be a bit confused.
  • MacMadame
    MacMadame Posts: 1,893 Member
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    I think it's fine, but there is a limit. For me, if my calories balance out over a 3-4 day running average, I don't see any unexpected loses or gains. But when I was doing WW and I banked for 4-7 days, I don't think that really worked.

    It takes while for the calories in your food to be completely processed. So anything you eat in the later part of the day probably hasn't hit your scales by morning. So it makes sense to me that our bodies are more of a conveyor belt when it comes to calories rather than a cycle where you have to balance very 24 hours. But 6 days of banking? That seems a bit much.

    Some other facts to ponder:

    There are studies showing that people who are very strict during the week but let loose on the weekend don't lose as well (or sometimes at all) compared to people who are more regular in their calorie restriction.

    There is a school of thought that says that you need to vary your calories to get maximum weight loss. (Some call it calorie cycling; some call it zig-zagging.) The idea is to mix things up so your body doesn't think it's in the middle of a famine and lower your metabolism (as much).

    So the one tidbit implies you can't bank over the course of an entire week while the other tidbit suggests you can. Though, the calorie cycling advice I've seen is to mix it up every 3-4 days, not 1-2 out of 7. This corresponds to my own experience that you can't bank all week for the weekend but you can bank for two days (sometimes 3) for a third (sometime 4th) day.
  • TropicalKitty
    TropicalKitty Posts: 2,298 Member
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    I've seen some info about varying your caloric intake so that you aren't always doing say 1500 everyday, but that over the week you average that 1500 per day (and not below 1200). So, yes you can have a higher and lower day.

    But, what are you saving up for? Are you thinking of an all out binge? Another option you have is to do some exercise that day as well, to help balance things out. I just wouldn't look purely at the calories, but also the quality of the food you are planning on eating. I'd look to eat more healthy stuff prior to the event so you are less inclined to have the food that is calorically dense and nutritionally void.

    Good luck! :)
  • PhabPhilo
    PhabPhilo Posts: 30 Member
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    I'm not looking to totally binge but I know that there is a possibilty that I will go over my normal 1200 calorires. I do plan to up exercise this week as much as I can. The 2-3 day banking options sounds like that combined with exercise may be the way for me to go.

    It's a good friends birthday celebration and I just want to be prepared ahead of time to manage the evening. I definitely don't plan to binge.

    Thanks for the feedback. You have really helped me out here!
  • melodyg
    melodyg Posts: 1,423 Member
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    I'm not looking to totally binge but I know that there is a possibilty that I will go over my normal 1200 calorires. I do plan to up exercise this week as much as I can. The 2-3 day banking options sounds like that combined with exercise may be the way for me to go.

    It's a good friends birthday celebration and I just want to be prepared ahead of time to manage the evening. I definitely don't plan to binge.

    Thanks for the feedback. You have really helped me out here!

    Sounds like you have a good plan! Another thing to keep in mind is that if you are looking to lose a pound a week, MFP already has reduced your daily calories by 500. I think there are some special occasions that are completely worth having a "maintain" day and using those extra calories... though I'd definitely add in some extra exercise before doing that.
  • Stewie316
    Stewie316 Posts: 266 Member
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    I don't see a problem. It works for me. My daily limit is 1000 calories, which is a net of 7000/week. I base my calories on my weekly net instead of a strict 1000 a day. On Saturdays I like to eat out and cook a nice breakfast and only having a 1000 limit just doesn't work on Saturdays. So, I workout more a few days a week to bank some extra calories for the weekend, but at the end of the week, I'm still at a net of 1000/calories a day or 7000 a week.
  • LotusF1ower
    LotusF1ower Posts: 1,259 Member
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    I'm not looking to totally binge but I know that there is a possibilty that I will go over my normal 1200 calorires. I do plan to up exercise this week as much as I can. The 2-3 day banking options sounds like that combined with exercise may be the way for me to go.

    It's a good friends birthday celebration and I just want to be prepared ahead of time to manage the evening. I definitely don't plan to binge.

    Thanks for the feedback. You have really helped me out here!

    I save mine up when I know that something is going on at the weekend, so far I've been fine.

    One thing you have to remember is that you are dieting to live better not living better so you can diet, enjoy that birthday celebration and get straight back on it all the next day. Have a wonderful time :smile:
  • PhabPhilo
    PhabPhilo Posts: 30 Member
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    Okay! I'll get my workouts in, not binge, and stay on the low end of my calorie allowance, and then...ENJOY!!!

    I want to be prepared and actually give my food intake thought. I've lost weight before but the keeping it off has been an issue. So, I'm trying to do things that I'll be able to contine when it's maintenance time.

    Thanks for all the feedback. So wish me luck on tomorrow night's celebration!

    I'll let you know how the week works out after my weigh-in.
  • PhabPhilo
    PhabPhilo Posts: 30 Member
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    Okay!!!! I survived the week without gaining weight!!!! I had two chocolate cream pie martinis at the Chocolate Bar resturant. Who knows how many calories they contain???!!! I guess they figure you shouldn't be in there is you care about nutrition. But the good news is I didn't gain any weight, while I did loose .2 pounds!!! Not really happy that I pretty much stalled for a week in my progress. I should have kept it to one martini but the first martini kicked in and convinced me that I should have another...AND it was so damn good!!! Other than that I didn't over eat though! I did work out more which probably kept me from gaining. Overall, I'm not totally pissed with myself but I gotta stay focused now because my vacation is coming up in a couple of weeks.

    Thank you all for the info and support!

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