Do you average your calories over the week?

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eliaison
eliaison Posts: 34 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I find that some days I go over my calorie budget - by anywhere from 50 to 300 calories. Not often. Some days I am under, by around the same amount. Some days I'm just hungrier and need to eat more carbs. It fluxuates. I stay cognizant of "averaging" out the week... so that by week, I have hit the daily calorie budget "every day". Normally, If I've had a day over, the next day I really try to go under. Again- this is not too often. Most days I am spot on.

I've only been doing this now since June 10. It's too soon for me to tell if this method will be okay or harm my progress overall.

Does anyone have opinions- professional, anecdotal, personal experience, about this? As long as you are basically on target over the course of a week, will you still tend to hit your weekly goal? (Mine is lose only half a pound per week.)

Thank you!

Replies

  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
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    I am usually under for my calories daily, usually only go over if I have a treat meal or something
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    It sounds you're unintentionally zig zagging your calories and many people believe this is a great way to break a plateau. I know Ghanie was doing high and low calorie days depending on her work outs. I, personally, am usually right at what I'm supposed to eat. I eat at least my base calories (especially on a rest day) and aim to eat all my exercise calories.
  • daniface
    daniface Posts: 338 Member
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    I think what you're doing is fine as long as you are where you're supposed to be by the end of the week! :]
  • Chavtastic
    Chavtastic Posts: 40 Member
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    It's only when I recently started doing this that I dropped about 4lbs. I read it on the internet (so I could be true or not) but say if you have 10,000 calories to eat for the week if you vary the calorie intake you will keep your metabolism busy. You know how sometimes you'll go a week or two eating minimal calories (1200/day) then for some reason or another ( usually hunger) you will go to the olive garden or somewhere and eat a huge meal and thinking you've gained weight you check the next day or so and you've lost some. Apparently this is because like exercise our bodies become "used" to daily intake of calories so it already thinks it knows how to regulate the metabolism so if you vary your weekly calories you will trick your body/metabolism into constantly working harder. I currently do the following (must still exercise daily though):
    Monday: 1400 calories
    Tuesday: 1700 calories
    Wednesday: 1410 calories
    Thursday: 1300 calories
    Friday: 1700 calories (I'm prone to eat more heading into the weekend ya know)
    Saturday: 1200 calories
    Sunday: 1500 calories

    I don't know about anyone else but I do find it challenging to find enough to eat on 1700 calorie days (especially when you're trying to eat healthy). I mean one chipotle burrito could be 1700 calories but I'd be hungry by lunch. It's true. The healthier the food the fewer calories. So, I allow myself 2 treats a week and try to make those days Friday (heading into the weekend) and Sunday (True Blood is so much better with ice cream or cake).
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
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    Well I guess I'm going to have to average them this week. I went WAYYYYYYYYY over a couple of days ago and the only way to fix that is to make up for it thoughout the week. If I'm under by 200 every day, I'll be ok :)

    /grin

    Usually I just hit my goal though...not intentionally zig zagging.
  • a1schwei
    a1schwei Posts: 617 Member
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    i've wondered about this before too :) i try to 'make up' for my bad days with a good day as often as i can
  • Holton
    Holton Posts: 1,018
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    Sounds like zigzagging to me, which is typically recommended. The key thing I read in your post is that you stay cognizant of what you are eating, so would encourage you to continue doing what you are doing!
  • robstot
    robstot Posts: 36 Member
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    I do not see a problem with the zig zagging. as most have pointed out it keeps your metabolism going and prevents your body from hitting that plateau. I know I lost three pounds on a holiday and I ate what I wanted but also walked three times a day. And you are doing the right thing by logging it so you are making yourself aware of what is going in your body.

    good luck and stay positive
  • DancingYogini
    DancingYogini Posts: 377
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    I have read about zig zagging your calories also, to trick your metabolism...always wondered if it was actually true. Seems that a few of you have confirmed that it works. Food for thought (no pun intended!)
  • Megooo19
    Megooo19 Posts: 199
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    I average mine. I aim for:
    Mon 1500
    Tues 1800
    Weds 1200
    Thurs 1500
    Friday 1300
    Sat 1650
    Sun 1500

    Although if on tues I eat 1300 and Friday I eat 1800 its all good :) I figure I naturally want to eat more some days so why not? Plus its nice to not have to be super strick on special occasions and this way you dont have to feel guilty.
  • eliaison
    eliaison Posts: 34 Member
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    Cool. That's some good information. I think my body naturally wants to zig-zag, and if it keeps the metabolism from falling into a pattern, then that sounds positive. Thank you!
  • Cytherea
    Cytherea Posts: 515 Member
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    I do this. If I'm over one day, I'll add something from that day to the next day, so I eat less the next day and it doesn't hurt me. If I go under one day I won't try to eat more to make up for it, because I know that at some point I'm going to want something extra that will put me over for that particular day, and I can go back and add it to the day I had calories, etc. left over. It has worked for me so far! It is too hard to try and calculate every single calorie, and gram of carbs, fats, proteins, etc. to make it all fit perfectly.
  • Tamie_Girl
    Tamie_Girl Posts: 218 Member
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    Great topic ... I tell you what I do sometimes, if I had a day that has gone slightly over, sometimes I will move a particular food to the very next day and then just go from there. I hope that makes sense. Ex. I might move something that was 150 calories from today to the next day, thus giving me 150 less calories really the next day.

    I think it's perfectly normal to have low days and high days. I think it's good for the metabolism. :drinker:

    ~Tamie
  • Tamie_Girl
    Tamie_Girl Posts: 218 Member
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    I wanted to add that you can log food to the next day. For instance, I've already filled in my breakfast and lunch for Tuesday! I like to do that to get ahead of the game.

    :drinker:

    ~Tamie
  • cahndoit
    cahndoit Posts: 14 Member
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    I have been giving myself a calorie range 1200-1600 calories a day. I am usually right on the 1200, but a couple days I have been over (but still within my range).

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