Can u save calories for the weekend?

kdezie

I used to be on weight watchers and I remember you could save activity points for the weekend on the new program and I was wondering if that could be the same with counting calories where I can save any activity calories for the weekend?

KLo924

My recollection of this was that you had to spend your activity points that day, but that you did get free points - something like 25? I don't remember - to spend whenever. Regardless, I was just thinking about this and am curious - so - Bump!

McKayMachina

I zig zag and tend to keep my calorie averages within a 2 or 3-day window. It's been working great for me that way. Not sure about the whole week though.

Forensi

I think this will be a contentious topic.

I don't think you can save calories, i.e. having a 1500 cal deficit and then going equal to your maintenance on weekends because if you did that your body would be under fed during the week causing you to go into starvation mode and when you eat "bad" so to speak on the weekends your metabolism isn't running fast enough to process that food so you end up back at square one.

On the flip side is something I do.

I have my normal 1000 cal deficit on weekdays and then on weekends (I still try to keep my 1000 cal deficit) if I have a bad meal or 2 it doesn't worry me so much. The only drawback to this is that if you have a day on the weekend where you only eat up to your maintenance (so no deficit) you won't meet your target of say 7000 cal deficit for the whole week, meaning you won't lose your 1kg or 2lb. If you're ok with this then go for it. Doing it this way allows me to enjoy some of the foods I love and still lose some weight, although I still have to have them in smaller portions.

I hope what I've said makes sense.

charityateet

I believe its not how much you eat its how much you eat at one time. Your body can only process so much food - so no matter what, small meals *often*.

fitzie63

What you're really saying is that you want to save a few calories each day so you can have a BINGE on the weekend. Now, you need to explain to yourself WHY you refuse to change the way you think as you are changing your size and the way you look.

In essence, you are one who will go right back to your old thinking and eating habits once you have reached your ultimate goal weight.

With that mindset, you will end up as I did~~~a life of take it off, put it back on plus more added FAT. You will keep doing that over and over, then over again. I did that for 55 years and have paid very heavily for that. It's high time that you admit to yourself, you have an addictive personality and, until you are ready to admit that to yourself, it's going to be a long tough road for you.

From the age of 18 until now, age 73, I have lost and re-gained from 30 to 75 lbs. so many times in those 55 + years, I cannot even count the times. If I had not done that, and IF I was still alive, you would be receiving this message from a woman who weighs more than 800 pounds. Think about it and realize that you must change your mindset before you can become fully successful in KEEPING THOSE FAT POUNDS OFF YOUR BONES and JOINTS. How soon do you want to end up under the chest-cutter's scalpel or on a slab in the morgue? I'm in this MFP daily food & exercise diary routine for the rest of my life. I'm within 8 lbs. of the ultimate goal. I know I must: continue to>>>accurately weigh/measure/level off excess quantities/record every single item that goes in my mouth. No lame excuses. No sugar coating of the truth. Just plain old-fashioned personal discipline and remaining faithful to staying heart-healthy. You can do that too. You are young, gorgeous, vibrant and intelligent. Now, drop the excuses and go for the full monty.

kdezie

The thing Is I am only allowed 1200 calories a day on my plan and I work long hours on the weekends and workout during week days. So I would like to have a treat on the weekends say sat sun night.

TVanD

i too am concerned with the saving calories in order to binge on the weekend or special day - losing weight is a daily struggle - one where i have to be aware of what im eating everyday and in all situations.

cmriverside

McKayMachina

Whoa. She didn't say anything about a "binge". Chill out, peeps.

There is a difference between, say, indulging by going out to dinner and ordering pasta and cream sauce and, like, stuffing oreos down your throat while you sob uncontrollably. :laugh:

mamato3inca

Okay, I asked this same thing last week and got slammed as well. All I can say is that if someone had never done WW, this is foreign to them. They think you want to 'binge' which you know and I know is not the case. As far as what was said about the extra weekend calories, not working, we both know that ww proves that is not true. It does work and has for many years.

Sorry, it just urks me that people respond to a question when they have no experience with it.

I am also on 1200 calories a day and it is HARD! I know what you mean about wanting some flexibility. I'm sorry to say I haven't quite figured it out yet.

This is a lifestyle and my life will consist of an occasional meal out without counting every calorie. That does not mean I'm binging, but a treat from time to time is okay...it is LIFE!

lclarkjr

I tend to look at things weekly rather than daily. If you really think about it, the DAILY calories are calculated based on WEEKLY weight loss. So as long as your weekly deficit is at minus 3,500 calories (for 1 lb. weekly loss), it's not as important when you consume the calories.

Now I'm not advocating starving and then binging. I'm just trying to be real. I mean if I know I am going to a sporting event on Saturday and will be drinking a couple beers and that will cause my deficit to only be minus 100 calories on Saturday, then I see no reason why you can't make up the remaining 400 calorie deficit during the rest of the week so I can reach my goal for the week.

It's amazing how opinionated people are on this matter. I mean it's like some of you want to dog a person for knowing they may consume more calories on a weekend day compared to a weekday. That's not binging, that's just reality sometimes. I'm new to this website and I hope it will be a useful tool in my own personal goal pursuits.

mamato3inca

I tend to look at things weekly rather than daily. If you really think about it, the DAILY calories are calculated based on WEEKLY weight loss. So as long as your weekly deficit is at minus 3,500 calories (for 1 lb. weekly loss), it's not as important when you consume the calories.

Now I'm not advocating starving and then binging. I'm just trying to be real. I mean if I know I am going to a sporting event on Saturday and will be drinking a couple beers and that will cause my deficit to only be minus 100 calories on Saturday, then I see no reason why you can't make up the remaining 400 calorie deficit during the rest of the week so I can reach my goal for the week.

It's amazing how opinionated people are on this matter. I mean it's like some of you want to dog a person for knowing they may consume more calories on a weekend day compared to a weekday. That's not binging, that's just reality sometimes. I'm new to this website and I hope it will be a useful tool in my own personal goal pursuits.

Agreed!

kdezie

Thanks everyone I think I'm going to do the zig zag method

haulinbuns

I was advised to do this by my nutritionist. I also zigzag my calories. It has been working the last 5 months.

As the previous poster mentioned your goal is based on a weekly deficit.

filmo

Personally, i feel like so long as you stay on path with the weekly goal, you're probably okay.

As several have posted, if you're one of those people with self-control issues and can see yourself eating a large pizza and tub of ice-cream because you've starved yourself all week, then I'd say you'd be better off just sticking with the straight and narrow to help train yourself to live better. This is what I call the "AA" method of dieting. Absolute abstinence from binging because what you're trying to do is really correct the destructive behavior.

If on the other hand, you're able to moderately indulge and go over a little bit on one or two days and undershoot on the rest but keep your net calories in your goal range without moving through extremes (starving/binging), then I say go for it. Everybody has to determine for themselves where they fall on this spectrum.

Without diving to deep into the battle of the sexes, I certainly think that there are some different psychological issues between men and women when fighting this battle so keep that in mind when reading recommendations.

rachypompa

I've been doing this for months now, and it works just fine for me. I just make sure my 'week' balances out, otherwise I'd never want to go out for dinner or anything.