Calorie "Saving"

Feed_the_Bears

Anyone who's ever done Weight Watcher will be familiar with the concept of calorie "saving", but it's not limitted to that brand of diet lifestyle. I've gone a long time under the supposition that If I'm extra "good" and eat a little less/under goal throughout the week then I can handle a binge day on the weekend and still keep my weight loss goal on track. However, I'm starting to wonder about this recently. I've considered how that weekday calorie deficit could be lowering my metabolism and then my body will be even more likely to desperately store those weekend binges.

I think I will always have at leaste a moderate binge with some extra drinks on a Friday, but I definitely tend to overdo it on Sunday night. Over the past three weeks I have successfuly lost 7 lbs, but my binges haven't been to the same magnitude as pre-MFP. My goal is to keep it together on the Sunday, since I'd rather spend the splurge on the Friday fun!

Does anyone have any oppinion, experience, or knowledge on the topic?

Thanks!

macnotes

I find that if I am under my calories for the whole week, then I find that "rewarding" myself with a binge day or meal defeats the purpose. I would rather be at my calories because of healthy foods then purposely have a specific meal that I binge on. Then I could call it calculated binge, not out of control binge, which I'm trying to change. I want to stop the mindless face stuffing and actually enjoy treats and food that I don't normally eat. But I wouldn't want to not eat my required 1200 to survive to just "allow" myself to eat out of control at any time.

Feed_the_Bears

Yeah. It's definitely not a healthy relationship with food. And at least it could be a nourishing binge, not the goodies it normally is.

AFitJamie

Often this idea is used to carry a few calories from days in which someone worked out to days that they do not (their intended rest days) and because of the lower calories available on those rest days they struggle with meeting their daily goal. Funny, I just had this discussion with someone this past week... anyway, I don't think you want it to be about hoarding up calories for a "binge". Your comment about a "healthy relationship with food" is key.

I have had a fairly consistent pattern of relaxing my discipline one day a week, but that never really was to take my count much over... Often, through the week, I'd be 50 under one day, 100 under another (I was not eating near my BMR so was not concerned about the slight shortage) and by the weekend it may have been that my 250 or 300 over was essentially covered off in the prior days' deficits... (Partly a result of wanting to see "under his calorie calorie goal" statements.... gee that seems silly, but it is true).

I do think it is healthier to keep everything in perspective - a day is just a day, but blowing it by 1000 calories with a large pasta meal, or junk food, whatever, can have a significant impact on progress. I think looking at weekly totals is important and something that you *should* do - and I'm a fan of moderate saving - but for the right reasons - if you understand what I mean by that....:huh:

tbetts23

I have set my goals at 1# a week. If I am under I don't sweat it because it is still above that nasty 1200 calorie goal that I could never make! At the same time if I go over on the weekend (my challenging days) I know that that cushion from earlier in the week will help.

meggawatt

I tend to eat more on the weekends because I have more time to workout, so is a win win for me. I too allow myself a treat or two on those days. Most days I try to eat my minimum calorie for weight loss and have turned off the notification regarding going under or over at the end of the day, (I also have stopped congratulating for going under, unless I look at the diary first. Might seem silly but i had some friends who were eating 500/day and it just doesn't feel right to congratulate for starving oneself.) I usually have a few calories left each day, but don't not save those up for a treat day. I just work out more if I really want that cookie or drink on that specific day. I don't think one day a week will hurt your weight loss, you have a very healthy diary on a daily basis.