Over/Under Calories....Does it balance it out????

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Kaz0609
Kaz0609 Posts: 12 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Was wondering if its ok to go over your calories one day & then under the next or a couple of days later as it will balance it out by the end of the week.
So my question is....Is that ok???

Replies

  • johloz
    johloz Posts: 176 Member
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    Yes. Your body doesn't magically reset itself when the sun goes down.

    That being said, when I do this I tend to gain weight because I find it easy to go waaaay over and impossible to go that much under. While it works in theory, it may not work in practice. Depends on your lifestyle. Either way, don't sweat going over especially if MFP already has your calories set at a deficit.
  • lisab0864
    lisab0864 Posts: 154
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    It worked opposite for me (than Johloz) -- I found that I lost weight more consistently when I did that (zigzagged cals). The scale always seemed to show the loss after a big eating day...
    Finding what works for you can be hard at times but it is so worth it!!! Good luck!!!
  • Kaz0609
    Kaz0609 Posts: 12 Member
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    Thank you Sooo much for your replies. X
  • yowza101
    yowza101 Posts: 196 Member
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    When I do go over my calories, I try not to go over the daily normal day requirement for me which is 1800-2000 a day..
  • kimmymayhall
    kimmymayhall Posts: 419 Member
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    I tend to pay more attention to the numbers for the week than any particular day. I have the MFP phone app and it lets me look at net calories under/over my weekly goal as well as a weeklong summary of macros. If I know that I am going out for dinner on the weekend I will leave 100 cals or so each day so that I can save up for that meal. Or if I unexpectedly have a big meal during the week, I don't stress about it and make up for it eating a little less the rest of the week. I try not to leave a huge deficit on any one day, but it helps to be able to spread things out.
  • alaskaang
    alaskaang Posts: 493 Member
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    It definitely works. I zigzag naturally. I find it much easier to be very low two or three days a week and higher on others than to stay at a deficit everyday. I keep track of my averages and rolling 7 to 10 day variance to TDEE rather than stressing about each day. I find it easier to stay on track overall and not go backwards. For example, this past week has been higher than planned, but still under maintenance and I know that I need to be lower next week.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
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    It definitely balances out for me. I look at things weekly as well (via the app-I've never logged any food on the website) and getting things relatively balanced out for the week has worked fabulously for me. I don't exercise the day before my long run, but eat more than usual anyway (my 2 hr run is the following morning). I'm always way over the day before my long run and usually way under the day of my long run. It all works out in the end.
  • Shoechick5
    Shoechick5 Posts: 221 Member
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    Its exactly what I do too.
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
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    I zigzag, too. I find it very easy to restrict myself M-F when I'm at work most of the day and stay under calories, and then eat more on the weekends when we tend to go out to eat or attend parties. It works for me, I don't really feel like I'm giving up too much (so I'm not miserable), and I've been very successful in losing weight.
  • noelslp
    noelslp Posts: 52 Member
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    I tend to pay more attention to the numbers for the week than any particular day. I have the MFP phone app and it lets me look at net calories under/over my weekly goal as well as a weeklong summary of macros. If I know that I am going out for dinner on the weekend I will leave 100 cals or so each day so that I can save up for that meal. Or if I unexpectedly have a big meal during the week, I don't stress about it and make up for it eating a little less the rest of the week. I try not to leave a huge deficit on any one day, but it helps to be able to spread things out.

    I do the same thing. I look way more to the weekly goals than the individual days, so I don't freak out if I am going out to a restaurant or a party. I get to enjoy a night out and still stay on track!
  • MartinaNYC
    MartinaNYC Posts: 190 Member
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    It definitely balances out for me. I look at things weekly as well (via the app-I've never logged any food on the website) and getting things relatively balanced out for the week has worked fabulously for me. I don't exercise the day before my long run, but eat more than usual anyway (my 2 hr run is the following morning). I'm always way over the day before my long run and usually way under the day of my long run. It all works out in the end.

    My "long run" (8 to 10 K) is on Sunday morning and I just LOVE that for the rest of the day I can finally eat A LOT MORE without overthinking (usually 500 to 700 kcl more!!)... that's beacause I dont usually eat more than allowed during the rest of the week...If i do, than I use your same "trick"
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
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    It definitely balances out for me. I look at things weekly as well (via the app-I've never logged any food on the website) and getting things relatively balanced out for the week has worked fabulously for me. I don't exercise the day before my long run, but eat more than usual anyway (my 2 hr run is the following morning). I'm always way over the day before my long run and usually way under the day of my long run. It all works out in the end.

    My "long run" (8 to 10 K) is on Sunday morning and I just LOVE that for the rest of the day I can finally eat A LOT MORE without overthinking (usually 500 to 700 kcl more!!)... that's beacause I dont usually eat more than allowed during the rest of the week...If i do, than I use your same "trick"

    I hear you! My long run usually burns 1000-1200 calories and I only eat 300-400 extra the day before. So my long run day is still like an all you can eat buffet and I'm still under lol.
  • MartinaNYC
    MartinaNYC Posts: 190 Member
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    It definitely balances out for me. I look at things weekly as well (via the app-I've never logged any food on the website) and getting things relatively balanced out for the week has worked fabulously for me. I don't exercise the day before my long run, but eat more than usual anyway (my 2 hr run is the following morning). I'm always way over the day before my long run and usually way under the day of my long run. It all works out in the end.

    My "long run" (8 to 10 K) is on Sunday morning and I just LOVE that for the rest of the day I can finally eat A LOT MORE without overthinking (usually 500 to 700 kcl more!!)... that's beacause I dont usually eat more than allowed during the rest of the week...If i do, than I use your same "trick"

    I hear you! My long run usually burns 1000-1200 calories and I only eat 300-400 extra the day before. So my long run day is still like an all you can eat buffet and I'm still under lol.

    Wow! Kudos to YOU! I could keep on running indefinitely but I usually stop after 8K- 10K because I get bored!! How do you do that?
  • symonspatrick
    symonspatrick Posts: 213 Member
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    I don't know if it's okay but it has been working great for me the last 5 months. I find that on average at least one day a week I eat way more calories than the rest but I don't worry about it because I think in terms of weekly averages. It seems there always comes a birthday celebration or anniversary or just a night out that causes some extra calories. No Worries!!!
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    Options
    It definitely balances out for me. I look at things weekly as well (via the app-I've never logged any food on the website) and getting things relatively balanced out for the week has worked fabulously for me. I don't exercise the day before my long run, but eat more than usual anyway (my 2 hr run is the following morning). I'm always way over the day before my long run and usually way under the day of my long run. It all works out in the end.

    My "long run" (8 to 10 K) is on Sunday morning and I just LOVE that for the rest of the day I can finally eat A LOT MORE without overthinking (usually 500 to 700 kcl more!!)... that's beacause I dont usually eat more than allowed during the rest of the week...If i do, than I use your same "trick"

    I hear you! My long run usually burns 1000-1200 calories and I only eat 300-400 extra the day before. So my long run day is still like an all you can eat buffet and I'm still under lol.

    Wow! Kudos to YOU! I could keep on running indefinitely but I usually stop after 8K- 10K because I get bored!! How do you do that?

    The peace and tranquility of a long run (and after) is the whole reason I run at all. Plus, I have a weakness for bacon cheeseburgers and pizza...sometimes on the same day.

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