Do you ever "rollover" your calories?

Val_67
Val_67 Posts: 23
in Health and Weight Loss
Another newbie here with a question that probably has already been asked before, so forgive me.

But I was just wondering if one could "rollover" calories in order to be able to consume more than the daily allotted calories in one day. I did Weight Watchers a looooong time ago, & I remember that we could "save" our points. So if you had X amount of points not used M- F, you could add those points to Saturday's points (like if you knew in advanced you were going out with friends that weekend & would probably go over your usual point value). Of course I know exercise is always the best option to burn any excess calories taken in in a day, but exercise excluded, if I was under my calories yesterday, could I add the difference to my calories today, & vice versa? Or does it work better just to always stay at your recommended "per day" calorie goal?

Replies

  • FJDodd
    FJDodd Posts: 140 Member
    I have found that it works best if you strive to meet your daily goal without rollovers. If you know that you are going to be going out and eating a lot - schedule a trip to the gym or a walk/run for that day.
    I am not a professional by any means though, so please take this advice with that in mind.
  • redog01
    redog01 Posts: 22
    I agree with FJDodd, try to plan for the days you know you'll be eating out or higher calorie/fat foods. I bet you'll feel better in the end and have better results. And hey if you go over just do some extra exercising!! Have a glass of water or two before you eat to keep from eating too much.
  • Swiftdogs
    Swiftdogs Posts: 328 Member
    As long as you average out on or under your target, you're fine. Your body doesn't automatically reset at midnight. A lot of people "save" calories for the weekend. Or if you burn a lot exercising, you can eat part of that later.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    I pretty much go by weekly averages.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    You can definitely do that. I don't... I need my calories, lol. If I'm over, I'm over, next day is a new day.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    You can absolutely look at your weekly average. That is what I do almost every single week. You didn't gain weight in a single day and you won't lose it in a single day. If you use the app on your phone, go into the nutrition settings, and there is a "weekly" view which tells you how many calories you have left for a rolling 7 day time period.

    Also keep in mind that your calorie deficit is built into your goal so even if you do go over for a day, or even for the week, you are likely still under your maintenance calories for that week.
  • TAsunder
    TAsunder Posts: 423 Member
    I pretty much go by weekly averages.

    Yup, that's what I do. Otherwise I'd be gorging myself on days of heavy exercise and starving myself on rest days.
  • asciident
    asciident Posts: 166 Member
    A lot of people go by weekly net cal averages. I try to stay in my daily but if I go over then I can see by my weekly that I'm still doing fine and don't worry about it.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    No, I have Sprint.
  • dumb_blondes_rock
    dumb_blondes_rock Posts: 1,568 Member
    I do my cals by week. Monday-sunday, that way if I know I'm going out on saturday I can save a couple hundred cals for alcohol and eat lighter on sunday as well, or if we have pizza night on monday, I have a few days to cut out some cals to even it out. It makes it WAY easier to follow the lifestyle change if I do it that way.
  • ChrisM8971
    ChrisM8971 Posts: 1,067 Member
    I try to get as close as I can daily, mainly because I like the challenge of meeting calories and macro goals but also because I use a computer and not an app so tracking weekly is so much more difficult
  • SEAFOODMAN
    SEAFOODMAN Posts: 342
    some just set their calories less during the week and a little higher for the weekends.....don't matter as long as you're meeting your goal at the end of the week :)
  • joan23_us
    joan23_us Posts: 263 Member
    you can either get your weekly calorie deficit and adjust weekly if that suits you, some people including myself i find it easier to adhere to my daily coz if im going to worry about hitting an extra say 350 calories come friday and then dont eat 350 tuesday so i can have an extra calories for the weekend is just too much to worry about that would lead to eating disorder or unnecessary stress.. Not saying its not gonna work i know many people do weekly breakdown but im different... i take my meal one day at a time so when i reach the point where i can no longer think rationally coz of low carb... lol its only next meal i have to worry about and nothing else...
  • 9jenn9
    9jenn9 Posts: 309 Member
    Like you I did WW years ago when they had the "Week -end Option" for banking points. It worked really well for me. I don't eat the same way every day. Calorie heavy events tend to be on the weekend. I can be much more regimented during the week. So I definitely bank calories.
  • Val_67
    Val_67 Posts: 23
    Thanks for all the replies! They really were helpful.

    I don't have a problem with going over my calories on a daily basis, so that's not exactly why I asked. I'm on Adipex ( *gasp* I know!), & it does what it's supposed to perfectly in terms of curbing my appetite. I could actually go nearly everyday consuming an unhealthy low number of calories, but I'm not just trying to lose weight, I also want to be healthy. I use MFP mostly to keep track of my protein, fiber, sodium intake, etc., but of course I know how extremely useful it is to keep track of my calories. I have been trying to keep my daily calories right at my daily goal (not over, and not under), however I was just informed that my father is probably going to take me out to eat tonight, which means I'm probably going to go over my daily limit. If I could "make it up," by staying the difference under the rest of the weekend, then that would be great. So that's why I was asking.

    I really like the response about our body not "resetting" at midnight. Seems so logical, but I just wanted to ask all of you who have been doing this for longer than I have. Thanks again guys!
  • Shoechick5
    Shoechick5 Posts: 221 Member
    I pretty much go by weekly averages.

    This is what I do too. On the MFP App there's a weekly view. If I know I'm going out on the weekend I'll try and save a few to cover off when I know I'll be over.
  • ositalinguista
    ositalinguista Posts: 1
    This must be the android or iphone app? I have been searching my windows phone app for a weekly view, to no avail. Or perhaps I am just dumb. I did purchase a windows phone after all ;)
  • vanguardfitness
    vanguardfitness Posts: 720 Member
    All
    the
    damn
    time.

    People tend to fret if they go over in a day. They break down and their "Diet's are ruined".

    Relax. Go by weekly goals instead.

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