Do you ever "rollover" your calories?

Val_67

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?

FJDodd

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

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

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

I pretty much go by weekly averages.

Francl27

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

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

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

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

No, I have Sprint.

dumb_blondes_rock

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.