Save calories

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roisg
roisg Posts: 2
in Food and Nutrition
Hi I started this week and i'm unsure if it is ok to save calories daily to be used at the weekend?Thanks

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  • larsbeachgirl
    larsbeachgirl Posts: 39
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    Hi Rolsg

    I've only been here a short while, so still a 'youngling' and learning heaps on the way. I thought as you did and I'd say 'no'. Each day is a NEW DAY!! - New day for food and new for exercise - it is what it is, don't over complicate it. Keep it simple!!!

    I've known for a while that exercise was my problem (2 young kids keep me busy). The only time I seem to have to exercise is on Sunday morning. THIS DID NOT WORK!!! Exercise once a week does nothing!! You have to keep moving. So, starting Sunday last week, I started jogging on the spot while doing things around the house (like cooking)... and I'm feeling better, but best of all I'm seeing the Cals working in my favour.

    The DAILY Exercise and Food Diary is key and your main guide.

    Hope this helps:flowerforyou:
  • Dom_m
    Dom_m Posts: 336 Member
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    Rolsg,

    Lars is right, the body doesn't really work that way. That's actually a classic way to put on weight.

    You can't "bank" a really low cal day and then splurge the next day and expect the same results as two days on target.

    The reason is that the body has a maximum rate at which it can metabolise fat. If you really under-eat for x hours, so that your body can't get the energy it wants from food, it will try to get it from fat, but if you're really under-eating, the amount it can get from fat at any one time still wont match what's needed. So the next thing to happen is metabolism of muscle and a bit of demand management (bodily functions slow down so they need less energy).

    Then, on the weekend you indulge. But your body is in a state suitable to an ultra low cal diet, so instead of using the extra food normally, it stores it as fat in preparation for the next period of starvation.

    I'm not savvy with biochemistry so I have to explain this stuff in a very simple way, but this is essentially what happens. The result is the opposite of what you want. The body conserves energy while you're "good" so all your "goodness" isn't as effective as it should be, then when you're "bad" everything you eat gets stored. Big time fat gain.

    The best thing you can do is be consistent and maintain a moderate calorie deficit every day. If you really want to indulge a bit on the weekend (and I completely understand) the best thing to do is treat weekends as "maintenance" days. Let yourself go over your target by 250 or something, but don't go under on other days to make up for it. Just accept that your weight loss will slow down a little. That's just how it is.
  • sara_m83
    sara_m83 Posts: 545 Member
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    I actually heard differently. I had heard that the calorie deficit should be considered weekly, and that actually consuming a few more one day and a few less another can help get out of or prevent plateaus. But then, I'm no expert and it doesn't seem very smart to try banking in a given week or even a given day. Not eating lunch so that you can have tiramisu with dinner is probably just as bad :)
  • roisg
    roisg Posts: 2
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    Thanks everyone for all the information! It is not something I would do on a regular basis I just find that the days I go to the gym I have a substantial calorie deficit at the end of the day but on the days that I have a night out after work and I haven't had the opportunity to go to the gym I wen over by 400 calories last night oops!!! I know on the weight watchers programme that you can save points on a weekly basis for nights out etc...
  • tommygirl15
    tommygirl15 Posts: 1,012 Member
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    I personally wouldn't do it. I think everyday should be treated as a new one, starting at your daily limit only.

    However, there's a lot of people here who do things that are really different from others and still lose the weight, so it's all about finding what works for you. If you carry over your calories and you still see the numbers on the scale dropping then I will definitely applaud you! :)
  • abricklin
    abricklin Posts: 156 Member
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    I actually heard differently. I had heard that the calorie deficit should be considered weekly, and that actually consuming a few more one day and a few less another can help get out of or prevent plateaus. But then, I'm no expert and it doesn't seem very smart to try banking in a given week or even a given day. Not eating lunch so that you can have tiramisu with dinner is probably just as bad :)
    I agree with the "few more" or "few less". This is calorie cycling. It sounded like OP wanted to eat less 5 days a week and eat a LOT more on weekends, at least, thats how I read the words "save calories"
  • laura11248
    laura11248 Posts: 49 Member
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    I remember when I was on weight watchers...you could "Bank" calories if you wanted something special on a special day that week. It was a small amount...so you could splurge on something. One big thing to consider is how many calories you take in for the day. When you do your settings on MFP you get to choose your lifestyle. There is a BIG difference in the amount of calories for each lifestyle. I realized...after a frustrating summer...that I needed to change my setting and reduce my calorie intake as my lifestyle changes during the summer.

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