Calorie question

cloch123
cloch123 Posts: 4
in Food and Nutrition
I just have a generic question..say to maintain your weight you would need to eat 1900 calories.
Do you have to eat 1900 calories every day or eating that just a couple days would maintain. Meaning if you ate 1500 calories five days a week and then 2 days ate 1900 ..would you just maintain? Does that make sense?

I am trying to drop weight and 1500 calories a day is my goal. Most days I am under slightly but I do have a couple cheats a week and those days go over...my question is...weill those couple days average out to maintain my weight or would I have to eat the extra calories every day to maintain..thanks

Replies

  • cobypage
    cobypage Posts: 2
    Your goal is to lose weight. If you can eat up to 1900 calories per day and you typically eat 1500, you will lose weight. Unless your cheat days cause you to binge on calories, going to your limit those two days per week is just fine. It won't derail you. In fact, you'll have a sense of enjoyment because you are eating more calories on your cheat days and still losing weight overall.

    Normally, you would have to average 1900 calories every day to maintain your weight. Any calorie deficit will cause you to lose weight, but you won't lose as quickly with two cheat days. Overall, I think cheat days are a good idea, but you're not cheating if you are still within your 1900 calorie limit!

    Sounds like you have a good plan. Sticking with it long term is the true name of the game.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Take the average calories over the week. If the average is below 1900 you should see a drop on the scale that week. If it's above you should see a gain.

    If you have a TDEE of 1900 and ate 1900 calories twice a week and 1500 five days a week you should see a drop on the scale.
  • cloch123
    cloch123 Posts: 4
    Thanks for the replies. Actually to maintain I would eat 1900 but since I want to drop a pound a week I am to eat 1500. Most days I am under my calories by a little bit but two days I was over so I was just worried that it would average the rest of the days out and not allow me to drop.

    BTW my cheats are even full cheat days..they are a cheat snack or a meal. Hopefully that won't be too bad!!! LOL

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