We are pleased to announce that on March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor will be introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the upcoming changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

weekly calorie count

hnyzthms
hnyzthms Posts: 393 Member
edited February 11 in Health and Weight Loss
hi
sorry if this question has been asked before. i know my calories are set at 1440, however does it work over the week. what i mean if i am over my daily amount one day but another of the week i am under so over the week it avages my allowence, does it matter?

Replies

  • That's a really good question.... to be honest I'm no expert but i believe that is messured by day, your body will work with the calories you give it each day by using them for activities or storing them as fat for survival...
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Paying attention to a weekly deficit is fine. Your body doesn't automatically call it a day at midnight and store everything extra, or burn to make up for deficits. It's a constant processing.
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
    You can go by either daily or weekly calories, it's mostly a preference thing. I did ADF for weight loss and alternated between high calorie/low calorie days. That pattern carried over to an extent after I transitioned into maintenance, even though I no longer follow the plan. Take a peek at my diary and you'll see that during the week I eat a bit below my calorie goals and then Fridays/Saturdays I eat over. Doing this allows me to enjoy my weekends and still maintain my weight loss :)

    To follow a more structered pattern, you can 'zig zag' your calories-here's a good calculator to figure out the numbers http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm (after you enter your info, there's a zig zag option button).
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I try to stay on goal everyday...barring that as long as I am at a deficet by the end of the week all is good.

    I keep track on a spreadsheet and track over months as well, this gives me a good average so I know if I am on the right track.

    So after 17 weeks I am at TDEE-15% and losing .4lbs a week which is appropriate for my calorie intake.
  • PumpJockeyy
    PumpJockeyy Posts: 98 Member
    As the others have said you can look at it that way. (over one day/under another) at the end of the week you could still be at the same calories as other weeks.
  • cingle87
    cingle87 Posts: 717 Member
    it doesnt make a difference if you look at it day by day or week by week it however you feel most comfortable doing it, people often save a few calories during the weeks so they can have extra on the weekend and they are losing just fine.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,665 Member
    I go with the weekly tally, weekdays I'm much lower than weekends!
This discussion has been closed.