Anybody @ maintenance doing a high calorie day/lower calorie rest of the week?

ewhip17

I guess this is sort of a variation of a cheat day or cheat meal, but I'm thinking of trying out a system where I have a high calorie day followed by lower calories the rest of the week. The goal would be to hit my maintenance calorie level for the week rather than by the day. Sort of a "one off/six on" schedule for calories.

I'm considering this because lately I've been struggling a bit with food, and I'm wondering if this would help alleviate some of the pressure and allow me to have some of those things that are tough to fit into a daily caloric allowance. Overall I'm wondering if it would still give me the structure to track and control my intake but give me a bit of an escape valve it you know what I mean?

I do have concerns that it would lead to multiple high calorie days too easily though. Obviously that's on me to make those choices - I completely get that. But I'm wondering if anyone has had success in maintenance with something similar?

Anyway, just mulling it over. Open to thoughts.

queenliz99

I count by the week.

ewhip17

queenliz99 wrote: »

I count by the week.

Thanks. How long have you been doing it that way? Has it been better for you overall? Oh, and love the avatar!

bioklutz

A lot of people do that. I would caution you to not be overly restrictive for the 6 lower days as it can lead to feeling run down, grumpy, setting yourself up for a screw it I am eating everything day. If you shaved 100-150 calories off the 6 days that would give you an extra 600-900 calories one day. That is a lot extra for one day!

What is your maintenance calories?

queenliz99

For months, not sure. But I like to go out to dinner on the weekend, so I save my calories for that.

ewhip17

bioklutz wrote: »

A lot of people do that. I would caution you to not be overly restrictive for the 6 lower days as it can lead to feeling run down, grumpy, setting yourself up for a screw it I am eating everything day. If you shaved 100-150 calories off the 6 days that would give you an extra 600-900 calories one day. That is a lot extra for one day!

What is your maintenance calories?

Yeah it's a great point and very much the way I was thinking about it - just around 100 per day for the rest of the week. I think that's pretty doable. My maintenance is roughly 2300 depending on the calculator I use and based on experience to this point.

clh72569

I basically do that so we can have more calorie room on the weekend. I have a set calorie goal m-f & sat I usually indulge.

Francl27

It's what I usually do... A day or two around maintenance, a day over (sometimes way over), and the other days 400 under. I've been maintaining for 1.5 year.

Basically, some days are easier than others, so the days I can relatively easily keep a deficit, I do that. But on days when I'm hungrier or there's a special event (hello Thanksgiving) or I just want an extra treat, I don't have to sweat it.

But yes it means maintaining the 'losing' mindset most of the time to keep that deficit. And my diary is closed because obviously I go over a lot (my maintenance is 2200. My goal is 1800. Having a lower goal helps me plan my day better, otherwise I'd be more likely to have an extra treat 'because I have the calories').

arditarose

I also go by a weekly goal. I don't understand why this is such a foreign concept for some. I mean, it seems like this is how people who never had a weight problem have just eaten their whole life. I highly doubt people who are good at weight management without logging food eat the SAME amount of calories every day.

ewhip17

Thanks for the input everyone - it's helpful.

@Francl27 - yeah that's very much what I've been thinking about. I like the approach because it's flexible but still somewhat structured, if you know what I mean? Appreciate your response.

I'm sure I'm just looking for some validation. It's been nearly two years now of weight loss mode, so coming off of that can be a bit nerve wracking.

bioklutz

Ewhip17 - Don't be alarmed if your weight fluctuates more than normal eating this way. You may see a higher than normal number on the scale after a high calorie day.

I took a peak at your profile. You have done some amazing work!

ewhip17

bioklutz wrote: »

Ewhip17 - Don't be alarmed if your weight fluctuates more than normal eating this way. You may see a higher than normal number on the scale after a high calorie day.

I took a peak at your profile. You have done some amazing work!

Thanks so much! I'm finding that it's a whole new mindset and just trying to get my head wrapped around it! :-)

sijomial

ewhip17 wrote: »

bioklutz wrote: »

Ewhip17 - Don't be alarmed if your weight fluctuates more than normal eating this way. You may see a higher than normal number on the scale after a high calorie day.

I took a peak at your profile. You have done some amazing work!

Thanks so much! I'm finding that it's a whole new mindset and just trying to get my head wrapped around it! :-)

Amazing weight loss - well done you.
Just as dieting became a habit to lose all that weight maintenance also becomes a habit - give it time. It's still the same maths game played out over weeks and months.

To answer your OP, yes I have high days and low days. High days are either because I've had a big exercise day, there's a social event involving nice food, holidays, vacations..... All the things "normal" people do (whatever normal means!).

Yesterday was going to be a low day but beer happened.
So I was around maintenance levels instead yesterday, today will probably be a low day instead. Over the course of a week (or more) it all evens out.

cwolfman13

I don't log and have been maintaining for over 2.5 years...I can guarantee you that my calorie intake is variable day to day. I will usually intuitively eat lighter after a heavier eating day.

ewhip17

sijomial wrote: »

ewhip17 wrote: »

bioklutz wrote: »

Ewhip17 - Don't be alarmed if your weight fluctuates more than normal eating this way. You may see a higher than normal number on the scale after a high calorie day.

I took a peak at your profile. You have done some amazing work!

Thanks so much! I'm finding that it's a whole new mindset and just trying to get my head wrapped around it! :-)

Amazing weight loss - well done you.
Just as dieting became a habit to lose all that weight maintenance also becomes a habit - give it time. It's still the same maths game played out over weeks and months.

To answer your OP, yes I have high days and low days. High days are either because I've had a big exercise day, there's a social event involving nice food, holidays, vacations..... All the things "normal" people do (whatever normal means!).

Yesterday was going to be a low day but beer happened.
So I was around maintenance levels instead yesterday, today will probably be a low day instead. Over the course of a week (or more) it all evens out.

Thanks and you are correct - I'm trying to make maintenance a habit. I like that...

LivingtheLeanDream

Sort of! I go by weekly cals but 6 days of the week I eat around 2000 cals so on Saturdays I can have 2500 -2700 cals. ..it all balances out

LivingtheLeanDream

. Posted twice doh!

ewhip17

RunRutheeRun wrote: »

. Posted twice doh!

Just reinforcing your point. Haha

anna_jewel

I sort of do that, my Friday's and Saturdays are higher, the rest of the week is normal. I have been able to maintain.

LivingtheLeanDream

@ewhip17 yup lol that's what it must have been

ilovesweeties

Same here.

If I think about it, it's what I did on a huge scale to gain an lose my weight in the first place. To gain 70 lbs, I over-ate by 245,000 calories over about 13 years. To lose it I under-ate (or exercised away) that same number of calories over the course of a year!

Now I have lost the weight, I want to be able to enjoy three courses (or at least a chocolate fondant for dessert) if I am out at the weekend! I gained weight previously was because I would do that and not compensate during the week. The great thing about being more active now is that you don't have to compensate by going hungry during the week- as other posters have said, you only need to shave off 100 calories a day to fit in a lot extra at the weekend.

I am also planning on something similar for holidays e.g. reduce by about 500 kcal/day in the run up to a holiday. And if I don't manage that, I'll just have to reduce calories after the holiday instead! CICO works the same way whether you manage it over the course of a day, a week, a month, a year or a decade. I guess the key is just finding out which way works best for you.

Yisrael1981

cwolfman13 wrote: »

I don't log and have been maintaining for over 2.5 years...I can guarantee you that my calorie intake is variable day to day. I will usually intuitively eat lighter after a heavier eating day.

I do log, however I always see myself experience less impulses etc.. after a higher day and I tend to have a very easy low day

welly5

Eating what I want on weekends and being super strict during the week is the only thing that lets me maintain weight. I kept losing weight and then gaining it back over and over. IT kept happening until I tried to lose it a looooot more slowly than before. Now it's been off for a year and I find it super easy to keep off.

Mon-fri I avoid most carbs and have a routine for breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner that syncs up perfectly with my workday

Friday evening I usually go out for drinks, then saturday I'll go out for dinner and sunday I eat a bit more (not much more) than normal too.

mysherman

Eating at the deficit over three days is kind of tough. No problem with the high calorie day one day a week, though, but isn't it all too easy to go way over what you may have wanted to?

madammags

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one planning to do this, though my plan is for it to be somewhat temporary.

I've only just gone from loss to maintenance but am planning on keeping my last loss allowance (where I was aiming for 0.5lb/week loss) for December as I know there will be a number of times where I'll go over. Once the holidays are over and I'll be back on a more stable schedule, I'll probably go back to a more steady intake, but trying to be restrictive at special occasions tends to stress me out.

rainbow198

This is the way I eat and it helps a great deal with maintaining my weight.

After some experimentation I discovered if I eat at a slight deficit during the week, I would have some calories saved up and I can eat higher calorie things I enjoy on the weekend (within reason). I might be up a couple of pounds with water weight (which freaked me out at first), but then I realized it goes away after a couple of days.

So on a normal week I tend to be strict Monday - Friday afternoon and basically eating things what I want Friday night - Sunday. I'm still very mindful however.

Looking at my calories on a weekly basis and not daily keeps me balanced and I don't gain or lose weight.

As an all or nothing person, I'm not sure if maintenance would be as smooth for me if I didn't eat this way.

trojan_bb

Sure. I eat on average below maintenance but my leg day is around 4000 Calories, or more which is a small surplus. and a bit above maintenance on back day. Trying to keep my legs growing while I lose fat.

I do put most of that food around the leg workout though. Low fat, high carb before, during, and after the workout.

I add drinks and whatever I want at restaurants on my travel days/off days. But keep it around maintenance calorie wise.

ewhip17

great input - thanks everyone

nxd10

Just to further this . . . I usually go over Friday by a few hundred but am always way under for the week. I've been maintaining 4 years. You can't 'average' your goal if you're always under.

tabletmfp

ewhip17 wrote: »

bioklutz wrote: »

Ewhip17 - Don't be alarmed if your weight fluctuates more than normal eating this way. You may see a higher than normal number on the scale after a high calorie day.

I took a peak at your profile. You have done some amazing work!

Thanks so much! I'm finding that it's a whole new mindset and just trying to get my head wrapped around it! :-)?p

tabletmfp

I have started a plan with Mon we'd and Fri at 650, Tue Thursday and sun at 1600, and Saturdays I don't count and have a big evening meal plus desert. I have been doing this for 3 weeks to maintain. It's working so far with the added sat meal. Prior to that I kept loosing.