Do you balance for the day/week calories

curvykim78
curvykim78 Posts: 799 Member
edited December 20 in Food and Nutrition
I have a question for you...Some days you're under your calories, some you're over...Do you try to eat as close as you can to your calories for the day -OR- do you have a bad day and make up for it with a good day? Basically, can you 'save' calories and meet your goal at the end of the week? Is it a daily goal or a weekly goal? Does it matter in the end?

Replies

  • cinsuccess
    cinsuccess Posts: 333 Member
    I try to eat as close to my goals each day mostly because it's easier for me to stay on track if I don't go too crazy on any given day. WHen I eat certain foods, that just makes me crave them more so it's hard for me to have it on just one day because then the next day will be awful for the cravings.

    If I do have a really bad day where I'm over a lot then I will try to be a bit more careful for a couple of days after to balance it back out. I don't think it really matters whether you look at it daily or weekly as long as you're being consistent and netting under. You have to do what works for you in your life. :drinker:
  • curvykim78
    curvykim78 Posts: 799 Member
    Someone said here before they don't worry if they go over for a day or two, they just make sure they are under that amount of calories for a day or two so it will balance out in the end. Kind of like saving calories for a cheat day I suppose?
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    Personally, I aim for the week. I don't generally have "bad" days (but my definition may be significantly different than yours), but if I do, I try to balance that out over the rest of the week. My weekly aim comes more from my lifestyle than anything else. I run 5 days a week-one of those days I run a long time. On a "regular" run, I burn 5-800 calories, my long run is in the neighborhood of 1100-1200. I eat a little extra the night before my long run days (I run in the morning), and probably a little extra after if I'm hungry. It's not at all unusual for me to net 4-500 calories on my long run days and 8-900 on other days I run. However, I will net over my goal on days I don't run (and even more over on the day before my long run). It seems to be working for me-but I guess it all depends on what fits your lifestyle and how things work for you.
  • torygirl79
    torygirl79 Posts: 307 Member
    I tend to do it on a daily basis, as I find it easier to hold myself accountable. I have just 7 calories left of today's allowance, which means I won't be eating anything else as I know if I ate another say 300 calories and figured I'd go light tomorrow, by the time tomorrow came I'd he hungry and thinking to carry it on to the next day etc.

    It's a matter of will poweR and organisation I guess.
  • Lula16
    Lula16 Posts: 628 Member
    I track and try to stay under during the week. I dont eat back my exercise calories. I save those extra calories for the weekend because I dont track on the weekends. I eat everything in moderation but eat anything i'm in the mood for. Its easier for me this way that way I dont feel deprived.
  • curvykim78
    curvykim78 Posts: 799 Member
    I agree with the 'everything in moderation' statement, I was just curious if you ended up with the same results. So if you have a 'bad' day then, you can go under the next day and kind of cancel it out I guess.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    What happens in a week is the most important, according to recent studies, which I'd link, but I forgot who itwas from. National institute of obesity studies or something.

    So if you had a 14000 calorie / week goal, it wouldn't matter if you did 1500 on one day then 2500 on the next.
  • NovemberJune
    NovemberJune Posts: 2,525 Member
    I really only care about my weekly deficit. Some days I have a 700 calorie deficit, some days a 200 calorie deficit. It doesn't matter to me as long as I hit my weekly deficit goal. If not, I try to do better the next week :smile:
  • JenAiMarres
    JenAiMarres Posts: 743 Member
    I have tried this....it was short lived...I was constantly behind and trying to make up for "yesterday's" fush ups!

    What works best for me is just doing good everyday. Easier said than done but it's the only way I can succeed.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    I try to stay within the ballpark of my goal. Some days I exceed it, some days I fall under. I wish that MFP didn't alter the calories based on input from Fitbit because I'm not always sure Fitbit is accurate. I do, however, like having Fitbit linked to MFP.
  • curvykim78
    curvykim78 Posts: 799 Member
    I try to stay within the ballpark of my goal. Some days I exceed it, some days I fall under. I wish that MFP didn't alter the calories based on input from Fitbit because I'm not always sure Fitbit is accurate. I do, however, like having Fitbit linked to MFP.

    What is Fitbit? Never heard of it.
  • ellasanvictores
    ellasanvictores Posts: 14 Member
    Day to day works more for me since it's more manageable and easier to track. If I find that I've overexceeded my calorie target for the day, I will do heavy exercise. If I ate light the whole day, then I just need to exercise light. My daily target is for the calorie burned to always be greater than calories taken in for the day.
  • kms1320
    kms1320 Posts: 599 Member
    By the day, even by the meal. Take care of the ounces and the pounds take care of themselves.
  • borom44
    borom44 Posts: 24 Member
    I like to work by the week, quite often net is under my daily allowance, but this leaves room at the weekend to enjoy some social time with family and friends. Whilst I still watch what I eat and track it, this includes the alcohol consumed. I know this works for me and allows me to keep sane as social life is important to me.
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
    I work by the day but keep an eye on the week - if I know I have something coming up which is going to be calorie-heavy (like going out for a meal) I try to make sure I am under every day. I always try to be under for the week, but may not manage it this weekend as its Mother's day Sunday (in the UK) so I'm making cake - and I'll have to eat it! - plus we're going out Saturday night.
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
    Weekly, I tend to naturally run light during the week and like to make up for it at the weekend.
  • caroleannlight
    caroleannlight Posts: 173 Member
    A bit of both to be honest. I monitor both but don't stress too much on the daily figure and try to get as close as possible and measure my weight loss against the weekly figure. With fitbit I have a sliding goal and it can change in the evening so can be difficult to hit the goal exactly on a daily basis.
  • sozisfitnow
    sozisfitnow Posts: 209 Member
    By the day, even by the meal. Take care of the ounces and the pounds take care of themselves.

    Yes!!!:happy:
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