Extremely varying calorie allowances - Help please :)

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ShawnaDZ
ShawnaDZ Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I work out 4 days a week, but 2 of these days I have double workouts (bootcamp at lunch and soccer in the pm)

My calorie allowance on an active day can be as high as 2900, but on my rest days I can only have 1400 calories.

Because my rest days fall on the weekends, I am having a hard time staying under my goal on these days, yet on my active days, I can barely eat within 1000 calories of my 2900 goal.

Help! Is it ok to eat under on my active days and save the deficit earned for weekends???

Replies

  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Sure - you can "bank" your calories for the weekend .... some people call them "cheat days" which is not really cheating.

    OR many people use the TDEE method less a % (which already includes exercise) ........and then eat the same number of calories everyday. Whatever method works for you.

    http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html
  • lcvaughn520
    lcvaughn520 Posts: 219 Member
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    I had that same problem!! That is what motivated me to start using the TDEE -20% method. If you're not familiar with it, you can find a ton of information by searching "TDEE" in the forums. Basically, you can go online to a TDEE calculator and enter in your height, weight, age and activitiy level, and it will tell you what your total daily energy expenditure is. To lose, you just need to eat fewer calories than your TDEE. A lot of people suggest aiming for either 20% or 15% less than TDEE.

    Because your TDEE takes your activity level into account, you don't worry about eating back exercise calories and your goal is the same every day.

    This method just made more sense for me because it's easier for me to know how many calories I should aim for in advance (and because I would be like completely ravenous on rest days). A lot of people seem to have had success with it! I think the concept is basically just the same as what you described below - kind of averaging your calories out and spacing them more evenly throughout the week. However it's easier for you to conceptualize, I think that would work!
  • ShawnaDZ
    ShawnaDZ Posts: 6 Member
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    Thank you guys for your quick responses! I will check out some info on the TDEE method. Feel so much better knowing that someone understands!

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