saving daily calories

Hi,
I am new and trying to figure out if this works like weight watchers where u can save some daily calories if u have a special event coming up? thanks

Replies

  • yowza101
    yowza101 Posts: 196 Member
    It's all in your tracking. When I know that I'm going out for dinner, I eat a lighter lunch and try to have more fruit to fill me up. I will make dinner my main calories. But when you work out, you give yourself more calories to burn. Since the norm is 1800-2000, I just try not to go over that when I'm given more calories to burn off. I try to see if the place I'm going to have an online menu so that I know ahead of time what I'm eating and what the calories are going to be. Just don't beat yourself up if you go over your calories. Just make it a point the following day to eat healthier and do a longer work out if possible.
  • dayaisy
    dayaisy Posts: 25 Member
    thanks.. I just started and had a bad day yesterday with thanksgiving. I did log everything I ate so, I was way over. pretty scarey when I listed it all . I need to make sure I exercise on the days I have an outing and that will help...
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    I do. Though for special occasions like Thanksgiving, I just write the whole thing off.
  • kenazfehu
    kenazfehu Posts: 1,188 Member
    I figure I have about a 335-calorie budget for each meal (4 per day). If I'm saving up for a special meal, I shave about 100-150 calories off the other 3 meals, plus get a good workout in. If I blow it (hasn't happened yet), I plan to write it off and continue my plan the very next meal.
  • dayaisy
    dayaisy Posts: 25 Member
    thanks that is helpful
  • em9371
    em9371 Posts: 1,047 Member
    I do this a lot, I look at my cals over the week rather than daily. As long as the extra 'saved up' cals aren't eaten in the 2 days before weigh in I still lose just fine :-)
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    yes and no. your body does work more on a week to week basis, rather than day to day.

    if you want to eat say, 100 calories under goal for a couple of days so you can eat more on saturday night, great. but i wouldn't make it a regular habit. also, i wouln't use all those calories for bad food and alcohol.

    have you ever heard of Intermittent fasting?? look into it.
  • moseler
    moseler Posts: 224 Member
    No, this is not like Weight Watchers. MFP does not give you extra points or calories at the end of your week if you have stayed below throughout the week. This is a daily log that helps you maintain your calorie goals everyday all week. There's no fairy giving us free calories... we have to earn extra calories through exercise.
  • jynxxxed
    jynxxxed Posts: 1,010 Member
    I'd suggest just working out that day and eating back those exercise calories instead.

    Also, don't worry about yesterday. As a rule, food on Thanksgiving and birthdays don't have calories :wink:
  • bsuew
    bsuew Posts: 628 Member
    If I know I am going out to eat or if I have something special on any given day, I will cut my other meals short, or exercise more maybe even both. Then eat in moderation what I want. I still will try and not over do it. If I go over a bit I will get on my bike or walk a bit more.
  • thr33martins
    thr33martins Posts: 192 Member
    This is so totally different from WW....I have done WW in the past and was very successful, but that was on the program before this one. I have been carrying extra weight on and off since my second child, but unable to really *lose* it, so I went back to WW on the new program and hated it.

    This simply works better for me, but the only way to get extra calories is to earn them each day with exercise. However, if you know one meal is going to be a bust, like Thanksgiving dinner, then plan your day accordingly by working out in the morning, and eating lean during the first part of the day. If you save, say, 900 calories for that one meal, you should be able to eat quite a bit! If you still can't stay reasonably within your goals, then you might consider whether you are looking at this as a lifestyle change or not. In a lean, healthy lifestyle, we have to know when to stop, even at Thanksgiving.

    My edit: BELIEVE ME, I struggle with this too....this is one of the things I often need to remind myself of.
  • dayaisy
    dayaisy Posts: 25 Member
    we r in the same boat.. I was on ww hit my goal then after second child same thing. I rejoined ww earlier this year and did not like it.. I did lose a bit but this seems much better. I would rather not have the extra points anyway it only makes logical sense to have them each day. Today is a new day I am not beating myself up... i do like how you are given a certain number of calories and u can eat all foods as long as it is in moderation.
  • thr33martins
    thr33martins Posts: 192 Member
    Me too...though I have definitely found myself leaning toward low carb living this time. I am totally full at the end of the day, and after a rough start (the withdrawals feel like the flu, with aches, fatigue and I even threw up once) I have found that my formerly bread-dependent self is not craving bread and pasta at all! You light want to look into it - not for everyone, but I have a baby pooch on my belly that is significantly smaller after only a week. In fact, my whole body, including my face, looks leaner, smoother and more toned.
  • msaestein1
    msaestein1 Posts: 264 Member
    I just started doing it for theweekend! I know my son is going want pancakes or McDonalds. So I do that or try to save my toughtest workout for the weekend to burn some off. I used to just give up of write the weekend off and I was wondering why I wasn't losing any lbs. Happy you figured this out in the beginning unlike me!