do calories carry over

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valerierackly
valerierackly Posts: 40
in Food and Nutrition
This week i've been really busy and totted up some extra calories through exersize and being used to only eating around 1200cals.
I have 2697 calories left over that i've not eaten durin the week so do you think if i over eat a few days over the weekend it will still balance out with my weekly allowance.

I've gone over about 1000 today. I'll eat normally tomorrow and i usually keep with-in my range.

Replies

  • Julezebub
    Julezebub Posts: 106
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    Its not the healthiest think to starve all week and binge at weekend but yes, I believe any calories spare in the week can be used at the weekend for treats! I've just opened a bottle of wine with which to use mine! :)
  • lordofultima
    lordofultima Posts: 293
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    Your body works in cycles, any food you consume is only getting burned for a couple hours, and if you put excess food in your body it will store that as fat. Your body isn't going to remember those calories you consumed from yesterday and burn only them when you go back to undereating. Anything left over is fat once you go to sleep and then wake up again. So no, you can't under eat for 6 days and then overeat for one. You'll lose a little bit of weight over the week, then you'll gain it back.
  • ashlee954
    ashlee954 Posts: 1,112 Member
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    It's actually a good thing to zig zag your calories (eat over goal one day, at goal, under goal, etc.). It keeps your metabolism guessing and makes you less likely to plateau. But I wouldn't overdo it, like eat way too few and then have a major binge session. Lol.
  • MisdemeanorM
    MisdemeanorM Posts: 3,493 Member
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    keep in mind that your body can only use / process a certain # of cals at a time. so if you eat minimally all day then eat 1000 calories at dinner (especially if they are fatty calories) you can still gain weight (or, maybe not weight per se, but still store some as fat or as unhealthier types of fat, or pass nutrients that you need, etc (I don't understand the science exactly, I have never really looked into it that far) than eating small meals). But that being said - it doesn't mean you can't ever splurge. I had MCD for lunch the other day. It was 1000 cals (!!), though I still stayed in my range for the day (on all but fat! thanks fried chicken!). I don't consider it healthy, but it's probably my first McD in 2 months so I don't worry.

    I would not make a habit of saving up calories and splurging, but it is good to keep your metabolism on its toes, never knowing what is coming next, so it does not get complacent.

    Some people average their cals over the week and do some days under and some days over with the week avg being their daily goal. They say it shakes things up for them. I think I do this too, but not on purpose! It's just how it ends up being - sometimes I am under, sometimes I am over.
  • ashlee954
    ashlee954 Posts: 1,112 Member
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    Your body works in cycles, any food you consume is only getting burned for a couple hours, and if you put excess food in your body it will store that as fat. Your body isn't going to remember those calories you consumed from yesterday and burn only them when you go back to undereating. Anything left over is fat once you go to sleep and then wake up again. So no, you can't under eat for 6 days and then overeat for one. You'll lose a little bit of weight over the week, then you'll gain it back.

    I'm sorry but this is inaccurate information. Your body does not reset in the morning. You need a deficit of 3500/wk to lose a pound. Granted everyone is different, but as long as you meet that deficit you are good.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
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    Zig zagging is one thing, but using one day to eat 2600 calories is not a good idea...calories are utilized on a per-day basis, it isn't like a bank where you can store them all up and use them on something big.
  • lordofultima
    lordofultima Posts: 293
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    Well yes, nothing wrong with zig zagging calories or cabohydrates, I actually do both myself. But it's quite pre-meditated, and it's not 1000-calorie gap difference. Most of that excess food will just be fat come tomorrow when you wake up.
  • lordofultima
    lordofultima Posts: 293
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    Your body works in cycles, any food you consume is only getting burned for a couple hours, and if you put excess food in your body it will store that as fat. Your body isn't going to remember those calories you consumed from yesterday and burn only them when you go back to undereating. Anything left over is fat once you go to sleep and then wake up again. So no, you can't under eat for 6 days and then overeat for one. You'll lose a little bit of weight over the week, then you'll gain it back.

    I'm sorry but this is inaccurate information. Your body does not reset in the morning. You need a deficit of 3500/wk to lose a pound. Granted everyone is different, but as long as you meet that deficit you are good.

    Nothing inaccurate about it. Food you don't burn is stored as fat, it's really as simple as that. If you eat an 800 calorie meal, you're not burning that 800 calories off. Whatever your metabolism can't handle for that 3-5 hour period, will be fat. Weekly deficit, daily deficit, makes no difference. Your body goes into a catabolic state over night while it sleeps, and uses that moment to rebuild your body. When you wake up, you are in a state of famine and dehydration. It's a new day.
  • ashlee954
    ashlee954 Posts: 1,112 Member
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    Zig zagging is one thing, but using one day to eat 2600 calories is not a good idea...calories are utilized on a per-day basis, it isn't like a bank where you can store them all up and use them on something big.

    Agreed! 2600 extra in one day is not a good idea. I don't think this is what she was planning though based on her post. But eating an extra 1000 (if your goal is as low as 1200/day) is not unreasonable. It actually puts you close to an average person's maintenance cals.
  • mschroeder22
    mschroeder22 Posts: 19
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    My wife is in WW and she was explaining to me that she has points for each day, plus a pool of weekly points that she can spread out accross the week as she chooses. I don't completely understand the whole points "thing", but she has lost about 15 pounds in 5 weeks using that approach.
  • ashlee954
    ashlee954 Posts: 1,112 Member
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    Your body works in cycles, any food you consume is only getting burned for a couple hours, and if you put excess food in your body it will store that as fat. Your body isn't going to remember those calories you consumed from yesterday and burn only them when you go back to undereating. Anything left over is fat once you go to sleep and then wake up again. So no, you can't under eat for 6 days and then overeat for one. You'll lose a little bit of weight over the week, then you'll gain it back.

    I'm sorry but this is inaccurate information. Your body does not reset in the morning. You need a deficit of 3500/wk to lose a pound. Granted everyone is different, but as long as you meet that deficit you are good.

    Nothing inaccurate about it. Food you don't burn is stored as fat, it's really as simple as that. If you eat an 800 calorie meal, you're not burning that 800 calories off. Whatever your metabolism can't handle for that 3-5 hour period, will be fat.

    I totally agree. But the deficit you created by eating way under before that splurge, or after, helps to make up for it. It's a balancing system. I am not trying to be argumentative. My first degree was in Nutrition and this is what we practiced day to day with our patients who saw steady weight loss. Good luck!
  • lordofultima
    lordofultima Posts: 293
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    Tit for tat! If you lose weight, not really a big deal. Just do your own research, and do what works for you.
  • ileitch
    ileitch Posts: 99
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    Be under your calorie goal for a few days - lose a bit of extra weight (hopefully, fat).
    Go over for a couple of days - gain back some of the weight (fat).
    The calories don't exactly carry over, but if you are ahead of your goal and you want to slack off a bit, what's the harm?

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