low cal through the week, high cal weekends

Options
BigT555
BigT555 Posts: 2,068 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
there has been a decent amount of talk here about counting weekly calories instead of daily, and it got me thinking.

i have trouble keeping my weekend calorie goals (which are currently the same as my weekday goal) due to going out drinking or just visiting friends where i tend to slip up a bit. so i was wondering if i ate say, 1000 calories through the week but then ate at maintenance or higher on the weekends (depending on how much it would take to achieve a 3500 calorie weekly deficit, no more no less) would i still be risking the damages similar to that of someone who eats these low amounts on a regular basis, or is the human body able to store enough nutrients from those high cal weekends to last through the week?
«1

Replies

  • XLMACX
    XLMACX Posts: 346 Member
    Options
    I have done this EVERY week since starting MFP. My cal allowence is 1600 i eat

    friday-1600
    saturday-2100
    sunday-1600

    then i eat 100cals less mon-thurs works great for me, i have even eaten like 3000cals on a saturday and cut further back through week and lost 1lb! i always go on weekly averages.
  • _KitKat_
    _KitKat_ Posts: 1,066 Member
    Options
    1000 calories a day may be just too low for a man to do but lowering your calories by 200-300 during the week days would give you an extra 1000-1500 for the weekend. Many thin people eat this way and it is doable, you would just have to make sure not to over do the weekends and that you are getting enough the other 5 days to feed your workouts and not suffer fatigue. Our bodies do not keep time, it is more about the long term. Also if you cut too low during the week this could cause a binge that wipes all your deficient out. Some are prone to them, some are not. Personally I always look at my overall week instead of day.
  • sadrithmora
    sadrithmora Posts: 121
    Options
    I included cheat Sundays when I eat (mostly drink, actually) about 600-1000 more calories than during the rest of the days, without lowering the weekday allowance. And to my surprise, I've actually started losing more weight than when I was trying to stick to the same amount through the week.
  • BigT555
    BigT555 Posts: 2,068 Member
    Options
    I included cheat Sundays when I eat (mostly drink, actually) about 600-1000 more calories than during the rest of the days, without lowering the weekday allowance. And to my surprise, I've actually started losing more weight than when I was trying to stick to the same amount through the week.
    i tried using saturday nights as a cheat but i always end up drinking around 1500 cals worth and then going for food after the bar, which almost completely gets rid of my deficit. I think ill try going to 1500 through the week for awhile and see how that goes
  • DrJenO
    DrJenO Posts: 404 Member
    Options
    I've been doing weekly calories for several months, and it works well for me. I don't do it quite that extreme, but I don't think it would be a problem as long as you don't get too hangry :)

    Have you seen the function on the smartphone app (it might only be the iphone) that shows you the calories left for the week? I have it set to renew on Mondays, so I can see what I have left for the weekend.
  • BigT555
    BigT555 Posts: 2,068 Member
    Options
    I've been doing weekly calories for several months, and it works well for me. I don't do it quite that extreme, but I don't think it would be a problem as long as you don't get too hangry :)

    Have you seen the function on the smartphone app (it might only be the iphone) that shows you the calories left for the week? I have it set to renew on Mondays, so I can see what I have left for the weekend.
    i havent seen this but will definitely look into it thanks!
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    Options
    You know OP to be honest I'm not sure. My guess is that such a low intake during the week would make recovery from workouts very difficult (assuming you are working out). That 2 day recovery after lifting weights for example is going to require at least some protein input and I'm not sure if that protein is going to stick around 5 days from your weekend of beer drinking (especially since I'm guessing your high calorie weekends aren't necessarily high protein).

    I don't think 5 days of low cal is going to cause you "metabolic damage" or destroy your health or anything but I would suspect it would make maintaining an exercise schedule quite difficult.

    I say all this with the caveat that it is my uninformed opinion based on just what I feel I understand about my own body so I could be wrong.
  • DrJenO
    DrJenO Posts: 404 Member
    Options
    It's pretty great. Go under the nutrition tab, and then at the bottom there's a daily and weekly button. To change the setting (it defaults to a revolving previous 7 days), go under settings to "weekly nutrition settings".

    For me, my daily goal is 1760. I have 6233 left for the week, but I haven't logged my dinner yet for today, so I'd subtract what I have left for the day (795) from that, for 5438. Divide by the three days left for the week, gives me 1812 per day. That doesn't account for the exercise I'll do over the next three days either, nor for the extra calories I'll probably leave off today.

    I'm a numbers nerd, so this appeals to me.
  • stuffinmuffin
    stuffinmuffin Posts: 985 Member
    Options
    I have worked to weekly calories (not always intentionally) since I have been on MFP. However I always did a harder workout on the days when I knew I needed more calories (nights out with friends etc). It's never failed me and allowed me to maintain my diet (and maintenance).

    I have been here for over 3 years.

    As someone mentioned about workouts - this bit certainly gets easier on maintenance anyway, it's really tough to exceed at workouts on any calorie deficit. If you do have a big workout - maybe work in a few more cals to recover or just go with how your body feels on the day. I've had days where I've worked out and not been too peckish and then days spent on my butt where I've been starving!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Options
    Eating low through the week, when I have a sedentary desk job, and losening the reins on the weekends is the only diet I have found sustainable. Trying to maintain a certain number of calories every day caused me to regain a little. Only by going to back to my low calorie work days and higher calorie weekends was able to re-lose.

    I don't go crazy or binge (I've never been a binge eater) on the weekends. But we host or attend a lot of cookouts and parties on the weekends so I always eat and drink more.
  • dmenchac
    dmenchac Posts: 447 Member
    Options
    You can do whatever you want. Calories are not based on a daily intake. You can spread it out weekly if you wan't. I just worry about workout recovery.
  • BigT555
    BigT555 Posts: 2,068 Member
    Options
    You can do whatever you want. Calories are not based on a daily intake. You can spread it out weekly if you wan't. I just worry about workout recovery.
    this is my main concern also, i realize it wont help me lose any more weight (or hinder weight loss) im just concerned about general health and muscle repair
  • fittoday14
    fittoday14 Posts: 128
    Options
    I'll tell you what I started doing, since weekends were almost always a disaster for me (eating 2,300 - 3,300 calories each day). I started NOT eating anything until late afternoon but have my morning coffee and perhaps a boiled egg. Why? Because I'm almost always invited somewhere for food or like you said I hang out with family/friends and I tend to eat at least 700 calories when I'm out [this almost always happens last minute, so I can't prepare]. So, I save my food for an early dinner basically, until I know exactly what I'm going to eat. It's impossible for me to plan my meals on the weekends. I stay hydrated though, keep drinking that water and moving around.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    Options
    I've been doing weekly calories for several months, and it works well for me. I don't do it quite that extreme, but I don't think it would be a problem as long as you don't get too hangry :)

    Have you seen the function on the smartphone app (it might only be the iphone) that shows you the calories left for the week? I have it set to renew on Mondays, so I can see what I have left for the weekend.
    i havent seen this but will definitely look into it thanks!

    I use that function all the time...it's on andriod as well under nutrition, week, bar graph. atm I am 808 under my weekly goal with my meals all prelogged until sunday...so I know if I want I can have a few drinks this weekend.

    I even have prelogged bacon, french toast, chocolate every night, chicken strips, froot loops, frozen pizza, hotdogs and FF over the weekend (as my husband is working the weekend)

    I think if you can prelog and hit your macros and manage to save calories sure blow them on the weekend but moderation...

    If your weekends drinking and then the food after the bar is blowing your deficit maybe you just need to slow it down a bit...trust I get it even at my age cause after the bar the first place we head is the pizza joint or to get a poutine...and we are not walking straight either...but it shouldn't blow your complete deficit..

    Maybe switch to vodka? or light beer in a glass so the boys don't know and make fun.
  • BigT555
    BigT555 Posts: 2,068 Member
    Options
    I've been doing weekly calories for several months, and it works well for me. I don't do it quite that extreme, but I don't think it would be a problem as long as you don't get too hangry :)

    Have you seen the function on the smartphone app (it might only be the iphone) that shows you the calories left for the week? I have it set to renew on Mondays, so I can see what I have left for the weekend.
    i havent seen this but will definitely look into it thanks!

    I use that function all the time...it's on andriod as well under nutrition, week, bar graph. atm I am 808 under my weekly goal with my meals all prelogged until sunday...so I know if I want I can have a few drinks this weekend.

    I even have prelogged bacon, french toast, chocolate every night, chicken strips, froot loops, frozen pizza, hotdogs and FF over the weekend (as my husband is working the weekend)

    I think if you can prelog and hit your macros and manage to save calories sure blow them on the weekend but moderation...

    If your weekends drinking and then the food after the bar is blowing your deficit maybe you just need to slow it down a bit...trust I get it even at my age cause after the bar the first place we head is the pizza joint or to get a poutine...and we are not walking straight either...but it shouldn't blow your complete deficit..

    Maybe switch to vodka? or light beer in a glass so the boys don't know and make fun.
    lol you must know my friends. i have switched to gin and seltzer because i thought it was a little less girly, apparently not though

    slowing it down with my group of friends will be tough, but youre definitely right on that one if i could do that i wouldnt have to worry about cutting down weekly intake

    i think ill try a morning fast on saturday/sundays then just taking it a little easy when it comes to drinks for now, see where that gets me

    thanks for the input everyone :)
  • willrun4bagels
    willrun4bagels Posts: 838 Member
    Options
    I'll tell you what I started doing, since weekends were almost always a disaster for me (eating 2,300 - 3,300 calories each day). I started NOT eating anything until late afternoon but have my morning coffee and perhaps a boiled egg. Why? Because I'm almost always invited somewhere for food or like you said I hang out with family/friends and I tend to eat at least 700 calories when I'm out [this almost always happens last minute, so I can't prepare]. So, I save my food for an early dinner basically, until I know exactly what I'm going to eat. It's impossible for me to plan my meals on the weekends. I stay hydrated though, keep drinking that water and moving around.


    ^^^My bf has been average weight/thin for his entire life, and he has always done this on weekends. I'm not sure he's always conscious of it, but it's like second nature for him. He'll wake up pretty early on weekends, and if we don't have any errands in the morning, he'll just have coffee... MAYBE a few crackers. By afternoon he'll have a little snack, and he "saves" his food to eat as much as he wants at dinner (we usually go out to eat on Saturday nights) and he'll drink whatever he wants. If we do have errands or other important stuff to do on weekends, he'll usually eat the same thing I have for my breakfast (a 100 cal english muffin with 2 or 3 tbsp peanut butter), and "save" the rest of his eating until we get to dinnertime. Then he goes all out, has whatever appetizer and entree he wants, and has however many calorie-dense drinks that he wants.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    Options
    Just speaking from personal experience if I for whatever reason undereat for just a few days, especially low carbs, I notice it in my workouts.

    Hard to lift weights if you are underfed and I don't think a weekend binge will last you the whole week. Guess there is no harm in trying it temporarily though and seeing how it goes. If you feel weaker during workouts though I don't think its worth trying to push through that feeling, that is just an indicator that by eating low during the week your workouts are going to suffer.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
    Options
    Can always eat something small during the workout :wink:

    I do weekly calories too and actually wind up eating less on exercise days. By the time I'm home around 8 or 9 PM, having worked out after a workday, there's just not enough hours in the day to sit around stuffing my face. Non exercise days on the other hand...
  • chani8
    chani8 Posts: 946 Member
    Options
    I do this calorie cycle thing and it works great. But you have to do the math, not just guess. I took my MFP allotted cals, times by 7, then minus 4000 for the weekend, and then divide the rest up for the 5 weekdays.

    1000 cals a day and 3500 on weekends....are you a 5'1" woman?
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    Options
    Maybe switch to vodka? or light beer in a glass so the boys don't know and make fun.
    lol you must know my friends. i have switched to gin and seltzer because i thought it was a little less girly, apparently not though

    slowing it down with my group of friends will be tough, but youre definitely right on that one if i could do that i wouldnt have to worry about cutting down weekly intake

    i think ill try a morning fast on saturday/sundays then just taking it a little easy when it comes to drinks for now, see where that gets me

    thanks for the input everyone :)

    Naw I have a 20 year old son...and he makes fun of my husband for it but so does my 42 yo brother in law...guys are guys.

Categories