Weekly calories vs daily calories- help me understand

Famof72015

I have seen where people say don't look at your daily calories but look at your weekly calories and then if you choose to eat a little more or indulge or have a cheap meal that's fine help me understand that because my daily calories are set at 1500 and I normally don't have any calories left over so is that only if you have calories left over at the week up and that's what you can eat on the weekend? Extra?

Francl27

Weekly calories only work if you don't eat the same number of calories every day. So you eat less some days, more other days, and average it out.

sllm1

Instead of 1500 calories per day, you would instead allot yourself 10,500 per week (that's 1,500x7). You can then go under 1500 during the week and eat the "extra" on the weekend. So, if you ate 1300 per day, Monday through Thursday, you'd have 200x4=800 extra to put on the weekend.

suruda

Some cycle their calories...if you want to average 1500 a day for example, they might have 1000 one day then 2000 the next... This is done intentionally to not let yourself "get used" to it. I've never tried it but think it's a good tool for when you need to shake things up!

cwolfman13

Famof72015 wrote: »

I have seen where people say don't look at your daily calories but look at your weekly calories and then if you choose to eat a little more or indulge or have a cheap meal that's fine help me understand that because my daily calories are set at 1500 and I normally don't have any calories left over so is that only if you have calories left over at the week up and that's what you can eat on the weekend? Extra?

To lose 1 Lb per week I need to be in a deficit of 3,500 calories...it doesn't matter how I get there, only that I get there. All they're saying is that if you have a higher calorie day it's not the end of the world...you can compensate with a lower calorie day...for example, my target right now is 2,300...I could eat 2,600 today and 2,000 tomorrow...the net effect (2 day example) is an equivalent deficit...you can extrapolate that out to how many ever days or weeks you like.

TavistockToad

I'm on 1550 cals per day, I try to be 100-200 under Monday to Thursday so I can eat more at the weekend.

Famof72015

Wow thanks everyone!! So helpful. Do you guys follow a "healthy" eating lifestyle as well or do you eat healthy but mix it up as long as you are in a calorie deficit? I have such a hard time grasping you can basically eat what society considers junk and not gain as long as you are in a cal deficit.... idk

sllm1

You can eat whatever you want - just be sure to weigh it on a food scale so that you're not underestimating how much you're eating.

girlinahat

On the app I can see my average calories over the week. There are days where I might not feel hungry and so not want to eat all of my calories, but other days where I am hungrier or have social engagements where eating more happens.

To me, being able to be flexible about my calorie intake whilst keeping an overall eye on the situation so I don't overeat excessively is a more natural way of doing things.

Famof72015

Ya it's just hard to wrap my head around I could eat a cheeseburger and 10 cookies and whatever else and not gain a lb (within deficit) I would probably feel sluggish but man sometimes you gotta give in

Spliner1969

You can save up calories, yes, or pay for them later. Weight loss doesn't happen in a linear way, and it certainly doesn't happen daily like we all want. The goals you set for your daily calories are a guide, stay within them and you've stayed within your goal for the week, month, year, whatever. But if you're at 1500 per day, do no exercise to earn more calories, and know that next weekend you're going to have a big meal, you can certainly cut yourself down 100 calories a day and then go over on that one day by the 700 or so calories you saved. The immediate result might be a little gain the next day from sodium/bodily waste/water retention, but it won't be a lasting gain. I believe, for myself anyway, that if I ever want to stop logging calories I am going to have to learn how to eat the things I like, and do the appropriate amount of exercise to pay for them in order not to gain weight. Some people do it instinctively and never have to come to sites like this to lose weight, others, like us, need to learn.

So in the future if I spend a night eating BBQ and drinking beer with friends, I need to know about what that cost me in calories, and I should know how hard I need to work out the next day or several days to pay for it. I should also know what portion sizes to use to stay within my goals without counting calories (IE: what a 8oz chicken breast looks like or an 8oz steak vs a 4oz or 12oz one). So put all that together and yes, you can save up, or pay for extra caloric intake later in a week, a few days, even over a period of several weeks if you have that kind of self control.

CafeRacer808

Famof72015 wrote: »

Wow thanks everyone!! So helpful. Do you guys follow a "healthy" eating lifestyle as well or do you eat healthy but mix it up as long as you are in a calorie deficit? I have such a hard time grasping you can basically eat what society considers junk and not gain as long as you are in a cal deficit.... idk

I've been following a "healthy eating style" for years now. And guess what? I still gained weight. Weight gain/loss is about portion control, not specific foods. I tend to not like most "junk foods" and therefore stay away, but there are countless people on MFP who've been tremendously successful losing weight even though "junk food" was part of their regular diet.

serindipte

On the website, you can pull a report to show your calories for the last 7 days and average them for yourself or you can use the app and switch to week view. I eat under on most days so I can have what I want on other days. Last night? Oh so yummy. Zaxby's chicken fingers with Fries and Slaw and Sauce and it was delicious! Other times it's Chinese take out, pizza, whatever.. but, even with going over last night, my weekly average is 1461 and my goal is 1510. I could have another over day and still be within range of that.

Famof72015

Love all your points you hit, head on. So very true. It can also become quite numbing and a pain in the *kitten*. Haha! I have 5 kiddos ages &,5,4 and twins 14 months and I lift weights 4 days a week and cardio twice. And my job is walking all over the hospital. I'm down to 124.4. So I just kind of been maintaining for the last 5 to 6 month which is good I just started lifting weights about two months ago so I just have those occasional days or I just want to eat nothing but junk and then I beat myself up mentally for doing it and it tends to happen on the days that I don't get a lot of sleep I work three nights a week at the hospital and those next days I'm kind of dragging. Or ER ER ER women's cycle times too. It can just be hard.

Tacklewasher

Famof72015 wrote: »

Wow thanks everyone!! So helpful. Do you guys follow a "healthy" eating lifestyle as well or do you eat healthy but mix it up as long as you are in a calorie deficit? I have such a hard time grasping you can basically eat what society considers junk and not gain as long as you are in a cal deficit.... idk

Theory is you can eat whatever you like, as long as it fits your calories. Practice is most people do drop some things from their diet, like soda/pop as an example, because they would rather use the calories for something more filling. The issue isn't that pop is "bad", just that it is a lot of calories for a can and most would rather use those calories for something else. Given a choice between a can of coke and a serving of ice cream, I'd rather have the ice cream.

As things progress, most end up eating healthier than they were. Maybe not "healthy" in the media sense, but better than what they did. So, instead of burgers and fries for lunch 3 times during the week, I'm having soup and baby carrots. Means I can splurge a bit at dinner.

If you have things you can't moderate, then get rid of them. If you can moderate, then keep them, or buy smaller portions. I moderate potato chips. Used to kill a family sized bag in a couple of nights but have gone to small bags (~30g) and can have one every second or third night and not binge. I think that surprises my wife more than anything. But others would just keep going back for more bags so they choose not to have them.

TavistockToad

Famof72015 wrote: »

Wow thanks everyone!! So helpful. Do you guys follow a "healthy" eating lifestyle as well or do you eat healthy but mix it up as long as you are in a calorie deficit? I have such a hard time grasping you can basically eat what society considers junk and not gain as long as you are in a cal deficit.... idk

IIFYM

Famof72015

No I don't want to do if it fits your macros to me that was too tedious time-consuming and I just felt like I was of obsessing and it wasn't healthy

Famof72015

I will just keep doing what I'm doing it's working I just have my off days some days like we all do I don't go balls to the wall on the weekends but I do enjoy myself a little more than throughout the week and I guess that's my incentive so it works thanks for all your feedback everyone and your support

ClosetBayesian

Famof72015 wrote: »

Ya it's just hard to wrap my head around I could eat a cheeseburger and 10 cookies and whatever else and not gain a lb (within deficit) I would probably feel sluggish but man sometimes you gotta give in

What's wrong with cheeseburgers? Good source of protein and fat; carbs are optional depending on if you use a bun or not (I am gluten intolerant, and gluten-free bread is pricy, so I usually have a lettuce wrap instead). Add some veggies, and you've got a good bunch of micronutrients, too.

cwolfman13

Famof72015 wrote: »

Ya it's just hard to wrap my head around I could eat a cheeseburger and 10 cookies and whatever else and not gain a lb (within deficit) I would probably feel sluggish but man sometimes you gotta give in

Weight management is about energy balance...that's it. A calorie is a unit of energy...depending on your stats and overall activity, your body requires XXXX units of energy to maintain the status quo...exceeding energy requirements results in excess energy being stored as body fat...it's stored energy...it's basically your backup generator. When you are in a deficiency of energy, that deficiency has to be made up for..so your backup generator kicks on and you burn body fat.

I eat a very healthy diet for the most part and cook and prepare most of my meals from scratch, whole ingredients or minimally processed ingredients...If I'm going to have a cheeseburger I'm going to be much more inclined to grill one at home...the only "treat" I go out for really is pizza and we go on Saturdays...usually every couple of weeks after my boys' soccer and football games. Though I eat very healthfully, I always put on about 8-10 Lbs from Oct-Dec because my activity level tends to really take a dip and I don't compensate with my diet...I eat very healthy for the most part, but still gain wait because my calories coming in are exceeding my calories going out regardless of my overall nutritional profile.

WinoGelato

Famof72015 wrote: »

Ya it's just hard to wrap my head around I could eat a cheeseburger and 10 cookies and whatever else and not gain a lb (within deficit) I would probably feel sluggish but man sometimes you gotta give in

I know it's hard when the prevailing theory is that you have to eat a certain way in order to be successful - name your way: "Clean" or "Paleo" or "LCHF" or "LFHC" or whatever the trend of the moment is... The fact remains that weight loss comes down to CICO and being in a calorie deficit. Most people who advocate for fitting in foods like a cheeseburger or some cookies aren't eating nothing but cheeseburgers and cookies, although it can be done. Most people strive for an overall balanced, varied diet but allow room for indulgences and don't stress if those indulgences happen to take them over calories or off plan for a short period of time. Because they know they can get back on track...

Here's a great thread demonstrating exactly what you're trying to wrap your head around - and this guy seems pretty healthy and fit to me...

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10348650/cico-still-skeptical-come-inside-for-a-meticulous-log-that-proves-it/p1

Famof72015

Thank you!