Can you carry calories over from day to day?

kdao

I don't...and wouldn't. Tomorrow is a new day to make better choices

This.

Clonekuh

I don't see a problem with it. A lot of people zig zag each day and try to keep an overall weekly goal. I've heard good things about it.

ashleyk103

I do it all the time, and I've lost 28 pounds so far. My max calories I can eat a day right now is 1,490. During the week, I eat around 1,200 calories a day, and I usually do that Monday - Thursday. That way over the weekend I can "cheat" a little bit and go out to eat, etc. I always make sure though, that my average for the whole week, is under my total weekly limit. Myfitnesspal will still calculate you as being over in calories for that day, but as long as you are under your limit for the week, and log everything you eat, you should lose weight.

Also it's good to zigzag your calories. If you eat less some days, and more other days, it tricks your metabolism. If you stick with the same exact calories each day, it puts you at a standstill.

insanitylater

i wouldn't be eating the extra calories just to eat more but if you have an extra 50 or so everyday it should all balance out if you have one day a week that is more calories. i think i read it's actually good to go over a bit once a week

michelle4271

you would have to look at your calories for the week, instead of per day, so long as you dont go over for the week then you will still be on target for your goals that you have set up. if this is something that you have happen on a regular basis, you might want to look at zig zagging your calories, this is where you take your total calories for the week and some days the calorie intake is extremely high ( I believe what you would consume for maintance, the regular calorie intake for weight loss, and the least calorie intake for function) something like that,,,,google to find out a better explanation and there are calculators that will spill it out for you.

helse

where on the home page can you track the weekly calorie totals?

CM9178

There area lot of incorrect answers here.
YES, you absolutely can "carry over" calories day to day - as long as it is within the week. Your calorie deficit is for the week. If you know how many calories total you should be eating for the week, then you can spread out those calories however you want.
If you want to eat 1300 today and 1600 tomorrow, that is up to you - as long as at the end of the week you've stayed within your total calories. It is called Zig zagging calories and it is 100% ok to do.

However, I would not suggest eating well below 1200 calories on a regular basis.
Typically, I eat out on Friday night and go at least 400 calories above my daily goal. Then, throughout the week, I eat a little less each day to make up for that and at the end of the week, I'm within my calorie goal.

Read this for further explanation: http://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/team_messageboard_thread.asp?board=0x10128x39350594

CM9178

I use myfitnesspal on the computer and I also have the iPod app. The app has a feature on the home page that gives you your average weekly summary of net calories. It helps me to go back and see how many net calories I averaged over or under and how much I lost that week in weight. I don't see the harm in it as long as you are tracking it diligently. If you find it doesn't work and you go over too much, then switch to every day mode. :flowerforyou: Good luck!

Yay! That's just what I need - thanks very much. I have the ipod app too but hadnt noticed that handy feature!

I believe the week starts on Sunday though, if I remember correctly. So unless you also consider that the start of your week (and weigh on on Sunday), this does nothing for you.