How does this ''banking calories'' work?

trjjoy
trjjoy Posts: 666 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
We're eating out tonight and I was consistently under my calorie limit every day for this past week. What date range should I use if I want to ''cash in'' tonight? Friday to today? Or Saturday to today?
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Replies

  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    It doesn't particularly matter. As long as your weight trends - over the course of weeks and/or months - the way you want it to, it's all good.
  • CoffeeNCardio
    CoffeeNCardio Posts: 1,847 Member
    One night doesn't generally present much of an issue if you're on track every other day of the week. What you can do if you're worried is take the last two days deficit below goal, add that up and see how much you need to come under the next two days depending on what you're eating tonight. I also suggest you log what you're eating tonight as best you can. It'll help you get an idea, at the very least, and at best will help you not be so anxiety ridden about it.

    If I eat out I just standard log like 600 calories and only eat half the plate. It's probably off a lot, but I don't eat out often and I stay within goal every other day so it all evens out on it's own.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    trjjoy wrote: »
    We're eating out tonight and I was consistently under my calorie limit every day for this past week. What date range should I use if I want to ''cash in'' tonight? Friday to today? Or Saturday to today?

    I use the app and a rolling report so each 7 days is within my calories as of today
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    I like basing off of Monday-Sunday.
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    Here is my entry - in the MFP database. Every saturday, I will add up unused calories.
    Calorie Bank - Placeholder Calories, -1 Unit
    (don't forget to put a negative sign in front)
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    I use the app and it has a rolling 7 days but I sort of mark the week officially as Mon-Sunday. So if I wanted to indulge on Friday, I'd bank 100-200 cals on Mon-Thursday, but if I'm over on Friday, I can still make it up on Sat-Sun.
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,643 Member
    Yup. I'm with those that use the rolling 7 days in the app
  • asyouseefit
    asyouseefit Posts: 1,265 Member
    Where do I find the rolling 7 days thing? Sorry, being stupid here... :wink:
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
    On the mobile app.: Diary; at bottom click nutrition; click "day view: and change it to "week view"; Move top slider to "calories", click "net" and it will tell you how many calories you are under goal or over goal for the past week.
  • asyouseefit
    asyouseefit Posts: 1,265 Member
    Thanks!
  • chaoticdreams
    chaoticdreams Posts: 447 Member
    Okay, so what one should I care more about? Net or total calories? I haven't been eating exercise calories back because I don't trust the numbers. I'm 2273 net calories under goal atm.
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
    chaoticdreams wrote: »
    Okay, so what one should I care more about? Net or total calories? I haven't been eating exercise calories back because I don't trust the numbers. I'm 2273 net calories under goal atm.

    Whatever is working for you. I take back some/most of my exercise calories. I also don't "bank" calories on a regular basis. I'm losing my pound a week. My results may be different from yours. Past results are not necessarily indicative of future losses.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    chaoticdreams wrote: »
    Okay, so what one should I care more about? Net or total calories? I haven't been eating exercise calories back because I don't trust the numbers. I'm 2273 net calories under goal atm.

    What kind of exercise are you doing? How often, what intensity? What is your calorie level set at? Have you figured out your TDEE using a calculator, or do you use any kind of activity tracker/HRM device? How much are you trying to lose? What do you have your loss goal set at (1 lb/week, etc)?

    It is recommended that you eat back at least a portion of your exercise calories to fuel your workouts, avoid having too big of a deficit, etc.



  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,643 Member
    chaoticdreams wrote: »
    Okay, so what one should I care more about? Net or total calories? I haven't been eating exercise calories back because I don't trust the numbers. I'm 2273 net calories under goal atm.

    I look at net. Although you may not trust the numbers, if for some reason you really feel tired or something doesn't feel right, the net can show you if you are under eating.
  • sarab260
    sarab260 Posts: 122 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    trjjoy wrote: »
    We're eating out tonight and I was consistently under my calorie limit every day for this past week. What date range should I use if I want to ''cash in'' tonight? Friday to today? Or Saturday to today?

    I use the app and a rolling report so each 7 days is within my calories as of today

    What's a rolling report?
  • MzSophiaJ
    MzSophiaJ Posts: 28 Member
    Thankyou
  • Talan79
    Talan79 Posts: 782 Member
    I keep an excel spreadsheet so I know how many calories I ate, burned, & my defect for the day. It's set up starting on Sunday-Saturday. Currently trying not to have a deficit, but still helps for wanting to bank calories for a dinner, or wine.
  • chaoticdreams
    chaoticdreams Posts: 447 Member
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    chaoticdreams wrote: »
    Okay, so what one should I care more about? Net or total calories? I haven't been eating exercise calories back because I don't trust the numbers. I'm 2273 net calories under goal atm.

    What kind of exercise are you doing? How often, what intensity? What is your calorie level set at? Have you figured out your TDEE using a calculator, or do you use any kind of activity tracker/HRM device? How much are you trying to lose? What do you have your loss goal set at (1 lb/week, etc)?

    It is recommended that you eat back at least a portion of your exercise calories to fuel your workouts, avoid having too big of a deficit, etc.

    Mostly walking every day (2-6 miles at a moderate pace) and I play the Just Dance game on the xbox on sweat mode (2-4 times a week). The xbox and MFP say that's around 200 calories and while I do sweat my butt off, I just don't trust it. Calories are 1200, I use a Fitbit Charge (not HR )combined with Map My Walk, I got about 60 lbs to lose, and my goal is set at 2 lbs a week. I'm not hungry most days, and if I am I'll eat some of the calories back.

    Sunday through Friday I'm fairly good at sticking to 1200 calories. Some Saturdays or Sundays I splurge an extra 100-200 calories, but not every weekend. I've actually lost 10 lbs in three weeks, but that's mostly water weight from restarting after the holidays and the new medication my doctor put me on. I don't expect it to last. Prior to my holiday break, I was pretty consistently losing 1.5 to 2 lbs per week on average. In about 30 lbs, I plan on setting things to 1 lb per week.

    I feel fine and I have no issues that I am aware of so far.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    i use a rolling week....

    i also only use it for my weekend alcohol. anything else i make fit or eat at maintenance ;)
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    I use the weekly average. This weekend is the Superbowl so I've been under about 300 calories every day this week because I plan on stuffing my face on Sunday with beer and wings (I'm hoping to consume over 3000 calories on Sunday)

    Go Broncos.

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