Can you save calories for other days?

Nouuran
Nouuran Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
I have a calorie goal of a little over 1,500, I ate below that for the last week (till I was fill, but still below my calories) because I knew today I was going to have company over for Ramadan and I'd want to eat more freely. Do you mind looking at my diary and telling me if its okay to do so? And I only eat breakfast and dinner now because of Ramadan, by the way. I fast from dawn to sunset for religious reasons.

Replies

  • Getting_Lean
    Getting_Lean Posts: 28
    I am assuming that if you have your goals set by week then when you eat your calories does not matter. I was wondering the same thing, however. I am assuming that as long as at the end of the week you are not over you will lose weight.

    Bump for other answers :)
  • JustPeachy044
    JustPeachy044 Posts: 770 Member
    look up calorie cycling. it is essentially varying your calories from day to day, just trying to keep the totals for the week at your goal. This is the way i lost some of my weight.
  • knityoupants
    knityoupants Posts: 76 Member
    Probably. I doubt there are actually real rules with this... I make up for my macros when they're off, like if I don't have enough protein or fiber one day I'll go over the next day. Works well for me.
  • zillah73
    zillah73 Posts: 505 Member
    "Banking" calories is one of the methods employed by Weight Watchers. I don't do Weight Watchers personally but I have had friends who had success with it. It seems to me that, so long as you aren't eating dangerously low numbers of calories in order to bank for one day then the weekly average shouldn't inhibit progress.
  • sophisli
    sophisli Posts: 41 Member
    I have no idea what the answer is here but I do know that this works for macros. The recommendations made by the AHA and such are usually on a weekly average basis. With calories, the deficit is also calculated on a weekly basis (for example BMR-deficit = 3500 for 1 pound a week) but my body doesn't play well with calorie cycling on a daily basis. I need consistency.

    More here: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/05/31/seen-at-11-the-deliberate-technique-of-calorie-cycling/
  • mtnhiker1
    mtnhiker1 Posts: 114 Member
    I do! But at the end of the week I take away 30% of what I have saved up, that way I can save up from one week to the next in case I go out or want something special. The 30% penalty insures I do not save up too much and go on a binge. Just a thought.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    It's fine. A lot of people do this so they can go out with friends/have drinks/etc without having to worry too much about their calories.
  • FitnessBeverlyHills
    FitnessBeverlyHills Posts: 189
    I think this is perfectly fine and its more realistic to go by the week. This is why a lot of people, including myself are able to eat really good on the weekdays and then weekends I typically eat whatever I want. It all usually balances out in the end. This is my opinion from my own personal observations. What works for everyone is different, but when I was in my most ridiculous shape ever, I ate extremely good monday - friday and enjoyed going out to eat on the weekends.
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    I think this is perfectly fine and its more realistic to go by the week. This is why a lot of people, including myself are able to eat really good on the weekdays and then weekends I typically eat whatever I want. It all usually balances out in the end. This is my opinion from my own personal observations. What works for everyone is different, but when I was in my most ridiculous shape ever, I ate extremely good monday - friday and enjoyed going out to eat on the weekends.

    Agreed. I go by a weekly cycle. Funny enough, my profile tag line expresses this as the way I live and eat.
  • watfordjc
    watfordjc Posts: 304 Member
    I've just eaten half a kilo of turkey breast that I logged under last Tuesday and Wednesday - I prefer doing it that way because it makes the numbers easier, but if you look back to 23rd June in my diary you'll see a week where I logged the meal that day and borrowed calories from later in the week (and only aimed for a weekly deficit equivalent to 1.5 lb rather than 2 lb).

    Unless we're talking about water soluble vitamins (not sure how often they need replenishing, but assume daily), or sugar/sodium if you have to regulate that intake, it should be fine to save calories. Borrowing calories from the future is a judgement call though.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    yes
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,342 Member
    Yup, I do this. My goal is 1500 per day but I tend to eat around 1200 during the week (unless I have a lunch or an evening thing) and eat more like 2000-2500 on Friday and Saturday (mostly in booze)

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