Averaging calories - Is it ok?

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CassiusKnox
CassiusKnox Posts: 305 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm usually somewhat under on my calorie intake on exercise days (often 300 under).... is it ok to be over a little bit on non-exercise days or should I try to be under every day? Do you guys 'average' your calories over a week?

Replies

  • 7funnygirl7
    7funnygirl7 Posts: 1,176
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    IMO, I would think one should stay as close to their goal as possilbe daily. If you exercise I think you should eat back some if not all of your cals. Although, what works for some doesn't work for others...Do what you feel is necessary for your body. Sorry, not much help~I'm sure someone will have a better one for you.. :)
  • ixap
    ixap Posts: 675 Member
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    I average mine. Some days I exercise for a very long time, and I can't eat enough to keep up. I'm very hungry the next day, so I allow myself to go over if I feel I need it. It's worked for me.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    Yes. I would try to avoid wild swings, but sure. In fact, when I do a lot of heavy exercise, like hiking, it would be almost impossible (and certainly unhealthy) to eat that much that day. That day I eat until I'm full. But if I find myself hungrier over the next day or two and feel really comfortable eating over a bit on those days too, making sure I'm under for the week.

    I've lost steadily.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    Its totally okay to average/rollover calories. I do the same thing, largely because I exercise in the evenings. Your body has no way of knowing that 24-hrs has expired and your diary started over. Just don't rollover calories for too long, I average over a week.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,248 Member
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    I'm not chained to my goal. I found that on bigger exercise days - like if I run 7 miles or so - I'm not really hungry that day, but the next day I'm a vacuum cleaner.
  • foreversunshine1
    foreversunshine1 Posts: 46 Member
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    Good post. I have the same thing happen on exercise days... sometimes it's hard to eat all the calories back. I try to stay close, but if under a day or so, and over another, I don't beat myself up about it. I'm trying to remember my goal is to develop a healthy method of eating over the long haul...not to base it on just one day that was off...

    Good luck!
  • danasings
    danasings Posts: 8,218 Member
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    I average mine over the week. I am able to do a lot more exercise during the week, so I end up going over a bit on Saturday and Sunday. I aim to have a few hundred left at week's end, just in case I underestimated or forgot to log anything.
  • CassiusKnox
    CassiusKnox Posts: 305 Member
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    Thank you all very much. I suspected it would be ok... so long as I'm not starving myself one day and gorging myself the next... and yeah... I wouldn't 'carry over' calories longer than a week.

    Thanks again.

    Steve
  • oonegative
    oonegative Posts: 47
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    I only eat them back when I feel I need them but chick above seems to have a good idea of saving them for the weekend .And I would takes her advice she has lost 53 pounds .That is AWESOME!

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