Looking at net cals over the week rather than per day.

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  • thepetiterunner
    thepetiterunner Posts: 1,238 Member
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    I do this, much or less, but not necessarily over a week's time. It's just something I keep in the back of my head, and it's nice to see trending on MFP graphs.

    If you undereat one day, you're just banking those for the next time you go over. I don't see why you should have to crush yourself to meet 0 cals left at the end of each day. One bad day of over eating or one day of epic exercising and under eating is not going to destroy your progress. Many many days of this might, but just as one awesome ab workout will not give you a 6-pack the next day, eating a huge plate of pasta one night is not going to make you fat the next morning either. (This is of course, physically speaking - the psychological toll of doing such is a different story.)
  • SarahSwimmer
    SarahSwimmer Posts: 125 Member
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    Yup. I keep a running total (either "POSITIVE" or "NEGATIVE") in the notes section of the daily tracker. I like it. I think its a holdover habit of being an ex-Weight Watcher and having "activity points" rolling over day to day. It helps me feel like I'm not punishing myself the day after I work out because I'm hungrier but can't eat those exercise calories back. :tongue:
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    How do you look at your weekly calories??

    I keep a spreadsheet (anyone who's interested can download it here: http://harvey.binghamton.edu/~jtaylor/misc/WeeklyCalReport.xlsx). Fill in your TDEE then your daily intakes and it will calculate the rest.
  • linzirussell
    linzirussell Posts: 116 Member
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    i always go by weekly totals:) as long as theres at least a 3500 weekly deficiet im happy! lol im doing the spike diet so one day a week ill eat like 3000-4000 cals and the rest of the week ill stay low calorie (1200ish). this fits in with my lifestyle and ive lost over 100 pounds doing it lol x
  • Phrak
    Phrak Posts: 353 Member
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    I do this, much or less, but not necessarily over a week's time. It's just something I keep in the back of my head, and it's nice to see trending on MFP graphs.

    If you undereat one day, you're just banking those for the next time you go over. I don't see why you should have to crush yourself to meet 0 cals left at the end of each day. One bad day of over eating or one day of epic exercising and under eating is not going to destroy your progress. Many many days of this might, but just as one awesome ab workout will not give you a 6-pack the next day, eating a huge plate of pasta one night is not going to make you fat the next morning either. (This is of course, physically speaking - the psychological toll of doing such is a different story.)

    Exactly, i like to bank calories for events i want to eat at, such as birthdays. So if i know a b-day is approaching ill probably increase my daily deficit on the days leading up to it.
  • marielouisehilton
    marielouisehilton Posts: 42
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    Maybe we should ask MFP to have this as a report you can run - I find the current reports not very informative, but maybe I am not using them correctly?! :smile:
  • serenetranquility
    serenetranquility Posts: 125 Member
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    Okay, so I just used the calculator you provided (thanks!) but now I am even more confused. I am for 1620 a day plus at least part if not all of my exercise calories so I aim total for about 1840 each day. When I just plugged my numbers in to the calculator with my TDEE it says my daily average is 1546, my weekly need is 17101 my weekly intake was 10825 and my weekly deficit was 6276.

    Should I be eating more?

    Also, how can I save this calculator to use every week?
  • uLinx
    uLinx Posts: 148
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    It sure does make sense and if it's working for you, then you have found your formula for success! Congrats! :drinker:
  • serenetranquility
    serenetranquility Posts: 125 Member
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    i
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Okay, so I just used the calculator you provided (thanks!) but now I am even more confused. I am for 1620 a day plus at least part if not all of my exercise calories so I aim total for about 1840 each day. When I just plugged my numbers in to the calculator with my TDEE it says my daily average is 1546, my weekly need is 17101 my weekly intake was 10825 and my weekly deficit was 6276.

    Should I be eating more?

    Also, how can I save this calculator to use every week?

    Is that directed at me?

    Assuming it is, I'm not sure I'm following you. You entered your TDEE into the TDEE box, right? That calculates your weekly maintenance need. Your weekly intake is a sum of your daily intake. Enter your exercise cals, your TOTAL cals (not net cals, it calculates that for you), your fat, carbs and protein each day. It does the rest.

    Note: IT DOES NOT calculate a target deficit. You have to do that yourself. The spreadsheet is simply a progress report - it doesn't know what your goal is.

    To use it every week, download it to your computer, open it, then just copy/paste the whole thing for subsequent weeks.
  • jenniebean1680
    jenniebean1680 Posts: 351 Member
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    I do this, much or less, but not necessarily over a week's time. It's just something I keep in the back of my head, and it's nice to see trending on MFP graphs.

    If you undereat one day, you're just banking those for the next time you go over. I don't see why you should have to crush yourself to meet 0 cals left at the end of each day. One bad day of over eating or one day of epic exercising and under eating is not going to destroy your progress. Many many days of this might, but just as one awesome ab workout will not give you a 6-pack the next day, eating a huge plate of pasta one night is not going to make you fat the next morning either. (This is of course, physically speaking - the psychological toll of doing such is a different story.)

    ^^THIS.
  • serenetranquility
    serenetranquility Posts: 125 Member
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    Yep :) If you could help please.

    I entered by TDEE which is 2443
    weekly maintenance need is 17101
    weekly intake is 10825
    deficit is 6276

    That deficit seems high to me...any advice on how to calculate the appropriate target deficit?
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Yep :) If you could help please.

    I entered by TDEE which is 2443
    weekly maintenance need is 17101
    weekly intake is 10825
    deficit is 6276

    That deficit seems high to me...any advice on how to calculate the appropriate target deficit?

    Depending on how fit you are, TDEE - 20%
  • serenetranquility
    serenetranquility Posts: 125 Member
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    thank you!
  • Patovader
    Patovader Posts: 439 Member
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    How do you look at your weekly calories??

    I keep a spreadsheet (anyone who's interested can download it here: http://harvey.binghamton.edu/~jtaylor/misc/WeeklyCalReport.xlsx). Fill in your TDEE then your daily intakes and it will calculate the rest.

    I use the MFP app on the iPhone, you go to home and then hit weekly on the top bar and it gives you a graph for the week.
  • Tari_D
    Tari_D Posts: 121 Member
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    How do you look at your weekly calories??

    I keep a spreadsheet (anyone who's interested can download it here: http://harvey.binghamton.edu/~jtaylor/misc/WeeklyCalReport.xlsx). Fill in your TDEE then your daily intakes and it will calculate the rest.

    I use the MFP app on the iPhone, you go to home and then hit weekly on the top bar and it gives you a graph for the week.

    Yeah I've got the android app and it does the same, that's what I use to help with weekly goals. I've never really tried to find the same thing on the website - if it's not a feature on the website it should be!

    I agree with many of the previous posters if it works for you doing it weekly then it is a good way to go over say at weekends without feeling bad or ruining your diet.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Yea... the weekly reports on the mobile apps are OK for at-a-glance type stuff, but I need real numbers to work with which is why I created the spreadsheet.
  • imtriagain
    imtriagain Posts: 104 Member
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    How do you look at your weekly calories??

    I use iPad / iPhone app and this gives the weekly net calories. Surprising the website doesn't give this option.
  • imkegoal
    imkegoal Posts: 156 Member
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    I generally keep to a day to day count, but I have a 'blow out'on Friday, as I have my weigh in in the morning. I generally ensure that my excess calories on Friday does not exceed the amount of calories I''saved up' on the days before.
    On saaturday I also use more calories, but I also go to the gym on Saturday morning, so generally my net calories equal out on Saturday.
    I think you can only keep a diet- or change of lifestyle- up if you allow yourself treats. This is one way of managing that.

    My friend uses the Weight watchers diet and has lost 5.5 stone so far. WW use weekly points on top of the daily points, which can be used whenever you want in the week.
  • sullyboo
    sullyboo Posts: 256 Member
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    I always look at my net weekly cals aswell as daily. I find that I am not hungry on exercise days, but do eat more the day after. So the weekly reveiw keeps me within my weekly goal without me having to work anything out. I am the same as you in that I keep some calories back if i know i am going out at the weekend for a meal or drinks.


    I'm the same. Don't always feel very hungry when I've worked out but if I've been under on calories then I can tell as feel hungry the next morning. I'm maintaining so I do tend to look at weekly figure as a guide now. This is all about lifestyle after all isn't it so naturally most people will vary from day to day.

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