I need extra calories on the weekend!!!! advice please

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Welcome2theHellmouth
Welcome2theHellmouth Posts: 206 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I used to eat less during the week and make up for it on the weekends and it worked for a long time. I do good when I have a strict structure. (I NEVER eat out during the weekdays etc..) I don't want to skimp on my daily calories anymore. I was wondering if anyone banks their exercise calories during the week? Kinda like the old WW system where you got 35 extra points to have during the week or all at once. Having the weekends to look forward to has always gotten me thru. ( Not to go on a total bender but not be so strict)

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  • Katetw
    Katetw Posts: 188 Member
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    bump cause I'm curious.

    I don't have an answer though--if I know something is coming up I try to exercise more and not eat back those calories...your body doesn't know one day from the next in terms of calories, but you don't want to starve and over eat in a cycle.

    I personally just try to make healthier choices in general and feel pretty good about that.
  • StephGettinFit
    StephGettinFit Posts: 43 Member
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    I usually eat real lean and light during the day if I know I am going out to dinner on the weekend night.. Like a protein smoothie for breakfast and salad with grilled chicken and veggies for lunch. Then I have a good amount allotted for dinner! It has been working for me so far
  • DOElston
    DOElston Posts: 102
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    If I have days when I know I'll be taking in more calories (like eating out with family or friends), I make sure I work out to accommodate as much as I can. You also can measure your calories per week instead of per day. The principle still works; calories in vs calories burned.
  • Ashkea76
    Ashkea76 Posts: 7,151 Member
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    I save up for certain events...like 100-200cals each day if I know there's a bit event coming... I think saving the exercise ones would work too...
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
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    If you eat a bit more during the week, not trying to bank your calories, you might not feel such a need to have extra on the weekend. Also keep in mind that your daily calorie goal already has a deficit, so maybe on the weekend you can just eat to maintenance. It will slow your loss down some, but not so much as if you actually eat so much that there's a surplus (ie if you're set at -1 lb per week, you could eat 500 cal more one or both days of the weekend. You won't lose a whole pound for the week, but still have a 2500 overall deficit, which is over 1/2 pound).

    Or, exercise more on the weekend so you have more calories to play with?
  • stephanj
    stephanj Posts: 898 Member
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    If you use the iPhone app it gives you a weekly net calorie goal. You can play around with that. I feel like if I went over one day as long as my weekly net was under I was good.
    Under the home tab, weekly. I think calorie cycling is a good idea.
  • stephanj
    stephanj Posts: 898 Member
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    I save up for certain events...like 100-200cals each day if I know there's a bit event coming... I think saving the exercise ones would work too...

    This is a cool idea, log all your exercise under Saturdays diary. Added bonus, your MFP friends will think you are a rockstar!
  • TomTomato
    TomTomato Posts: 223
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    I'm in the same boat. Saturday I went WAY over, but Sunday I made a dent in that deficit. I would say find out how much you are going to go beyond the goal and then you can find out how often you can do that and plan how to compensate. If you are still under your goal for the week, you should be OK. Just don't deviate too much from day to day.
  • xjckemx
    xjckemx Posts: 95 Member
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    I tend to use a weekly calorie goal.many week days I under eat by around 100 calories so I've got a little extra over the weekend. So on weekends I look like I'm over but I'm still within my weekly allowance. It works for me as I love food and my little extras at weekend. I couldn't do it if I had to be strict every day and not have a little of what I like. I don't see this as a diet but a lifestyle and I'm not giving up my wine or chocolate for anyone lol . Although I have to say I eat fairly healthy in week cook all our food from scratch etc but if like yesterday I had a bad day at work and needed chocolate I had it. I make my calories work for me. Often pre log stuff I know I want that day so I know what I've got left !
  • pixish
    pixish Posts: 79 Member
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    I will choose light snacks and lunches if I have eaten not-so-well the night before, or if I have planned a 'nice' lunch for myself that is a bit higher in calories than I'd normally have. So, snacks would be stuff like cucumber, carrot and watermelon because they're so low in calories. Some of the cup-a-soups are around 50 calories, so they're a good, light snack or lunch.

    Edit - also, I'm not sure whether it's the idea of splurging on the weekend, or if you're actually needing more food on the weekends? I find that putting a bit of effort into making my lunch on the weekends and actually sitting down at the table to eat makes me feel a little more satisfied. I make some vegetable soups sometimes, or a sandwich and set it down with a cup of tea or glass of water and enjoy :) I might also add a low calorie 'side dish' (a piece of fruit or sliced cucumber for example)

    Lately though, I've been having generous breakfasts instead as my 'weekend treats' :)
  • MustLoveCoupons
    MustLoveCoupons Posts: 2
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    I read a great weight loss success story where this girl ate 1425 calories a day, but would bank her calories for the weekend. She only had a little to lose, and lost 25lbs in a month. If I remember right, she always went out on a Friday or a Saturday night and just wanted to have that high calorie meal with her friends every week. She just made sure to eat over 1200 calories a day, and she would still log her food. From what I remember, she researched how much her meal had in for calories, and just adjusted her daily calories. So, if her meal had 800 calories, four days of the week she ate 200 calories less, and would bank that 800 calories for that meal.
  • Welcome2theHellmouth
    Welcome2theHellmouth Posts: 206 Member
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    If you use the iPhone app it gives you a weekly net calorie goal. You can play around with that. I feel like if I went over one day as long as my weekly net was under I was good.
    Under the home tab, weekly. I think calorie cycling is a good idea.

    Thanks I'm going to look at this!

    Thanks for the replies! I'm going to work on averaging on a weekly basis! Going to bank my exercise calories but most days hit my daily goal since going under is no longer working.
  • JAllen32
    JAllen32 Posts: 991 Member
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    I try to stay close to my goal most days, but I feel as long as I'm under for the week that I'm doing fine. Some days I get a super workout in and have way more cals that I want to eat, and some time things come up and I miss a workout, so I if I go over on cals thats fine because it balances out. I'm not going to starve today so I don't go into the red, when I had an extra 600 cals left over yesterday, ya know! That is what this healthy new lifestyle is all about, balance! And 90lbs!! Woohoo! You seem to be doing it right! Nice job!

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