Can I use saved up calories?

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zinatara
zinatara Posts: 76 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So I've worked out a lot this week and my net cals comes ut about 1100 daily, but I should eat 1430 net cals every day.

Today I'm just hungry all the time. I'm wondering if I can use some of the calories I've not been eating during the week and maybe add some snacks and have a bit more for dinner?
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Replies

  • Catlady87
    Catlady87 Posts: 302 Member
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    I work on the basis that as long as my calories balance out at the end of the week I'm good.
    So if I'm under 3 days my 100 calories and on Friday night I fancy a pizza - I've got an 300 calories that day.
  • marinebiologist_girl
    marinebiologist_girl Posts: 300
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    If you've been undereating all week then I say yes, have a little more today. Even if you're dieting, you have to eat when you're hungry.
  • tarayatesgosse
    tarayatesgosse Posts: 26
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    Technically I think so. It is a defecit for the week, even though a lot of us (myself included) focus very hard on the day to day. I let myself go over at least once a week and I am still losing at the same regular rate. I have been doing it for 135 days with that method and have ben losing consistently so I think that is fine.
  • cybersheel
    cybersheel Posts: 145 Member
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    You are supposed to eat the calories as your working your body harder and it needs fuel. Don't go under by too much. I 'save' them too so I can enjoy a night out without feeling guilty.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
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    I average my calories over the week, so if I hit my net goal for the week, I'm good. Especially if you're hungry, yeah, eat those calories.
  • MrsSWW
    MrsSWW Posts: 1,590 Member
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    Yes! Little wonder that you're hungry if you've been under eating all week! I always use averages and it's worked for me :flowerforyou:
  • MrsSWW
    MrsSWW Posts: 1,590 Member
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    By the way, if you have access to the android app there's a great weekly bar chart that shows your average numbers throughout the week - I've only just got it and it's so convenient, I'd had to sit down with a calculator to figure it out before - don't know if the iPhone app is similar, but don't recall seeing that function on the BlackBerry app.
  • zinatara
    zinatara Posts: 76 Member
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    I know I shouldn't undereat. I've just been busy and often I'm not very hungry in the evening when I see that I'm too much under. So I'm going to have to plan better. I think because I went from eating high calorie foods to eating large portions low calorie food I don't feel that I undereat.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    I agree with everyone else.

    Furthermore, even if I don't have saved up calories, when I have one of those ravenous days when nothing satisfies, I allow myself to eat up to maintenance. I figure at worst it will postpone my arrival at goal by one day. Whoop-de-do.
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
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    If your sapose to eat 1430 calories a day, your weekly intake should be 10010 calories a week but your only eating 1100 a day so your weekly intake is 7700 calories. So technically you have 2310 calories to eat
  • Joehenny
    Joehenny Posts: 1,222 Member
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    yes
  • nleighp
    nleighp Posts: 117 Member
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    Your body doesn't run on a 24-hour time table like calorie counting apps do. It can take 1-4 days for food to pass entirely through your system (depending on how much fiber and fat you're eating, both of which will slow down the rate at which you metabolize your food through the intestines).

    The simple response is: If you're hungry then eat. Your body needs a constant influx of glucose, which it gets from new carbohydrates entering the body and being broken down. If you don't eat enough carbs but your body needs energy it starts drawing on proteins and fats (not a good idea because they are needed for other bodily functions).

    Your body talks to you all the time, just make sure you're listening and if it says eat- then do it! Have a good, healthy snack and let your body do its magic. :)

    Good luck!
  • Velum_cado
    Velum_cado Posts: 1,608 Member
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    Yes.
  • PlayerHatinDogooder
    PlayerHatinDogooder Posts: 1,018 Member
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    Yes.
  • christianteach
    christianteach Posts: 593 Member
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    Yes, I did this last night. I had extra calories stored up over the week, I was starving and I indulged in pizza and fro yo. Yum! I think it kicks my metabolism up a bit when I do that too.
  • CrazyTrackLady
    CrazyTrackLady Posts: 1,337 Member
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    I have a question: HOW do you find out how many calories you have "left over"? I can't for the life of me figure out what my calories in versus calories out amounts are for the week.
  • mljacobs23
    mljacobs23 Posts: 38 Member
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    Yup. I always eat a little less Mon-Thurs so that I have some "banked" calories for the weekend. I keep track of my weekly calorie average rather than the daily. There are apps that will roll calories over for you, and there is an excel spreadsheet posted on MFP somewhere. Plus, I've found that I lose more consistently when I have some low days and high days, rather than 7 average days.
  • snowboardandasuitcase
    snowboardandasuitcase Posts: 222 Member
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    yep, but don't carry them over to the second week. (aka, if you underate on Wednesday and you're carrying these over, be sure to eat them up before next wed, or your body will not thank you! :)
  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
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    I agree with everyone else. I look at the week and often "save up" for a night out or something.
  • zinatara
    zinatara Posts: 76 Member
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    Thanks for all your help. Now I just have to find out what I'm going to indulge in.

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