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MyFitnessPal Community

fitbit weekly avg vs.daily deficit

spaingirl2011

Hi there fitbit users (or anyone else):

My fitbit allows me to see how my weekly calories add up on a weekly average (so, it will tell me if I have a 3,500 calorie a week deficit for a 1lb loss or 5,200 calorie deficit for a weekly loss of 1.5lbs).

Do any of you look at your calorie intake as based on a weekly average rather than maintaining a -500 cal deficit each day? Some days (especially rest days, strangely) I'm hungrier than usual and would like to eat more than my daily allotment and make up for that with a larger deficit on workout days. Has anyone tried working with their calories this way (basing your calorie intake on a weekly average rather than a consistent daily allotment)? Do you find that it's just as easy to lose or do you think it's easier to maintain a consistent daily deficit number?

For example, yesterday I had an 800 calorie deficit--but today, I'll only have a 300 calorie deficit. Instead of trying to keep a 500 calorie deficit each day, is it just as effective to look at weekly trends as long as it all adds up to the 3,500 weekly deficit I need to lose a pound a week?

Hope this wasn't too confusing! Thanks for your help!

Replies

spaingirl2011

bump!

jjjoeoeoe

You should look into the TDEE method. It's an approach to calculating maintenance calories based on average level of exercise instead of trying to account for individual instances of exercise.

People use this because it helps maintain lean mass while losing fat, partially because you're not eating at a larger deficit on the exact wrong day (recovery day).

yarwell

For example, yesterday I had an 800 calorie deficit--but today, I'll only have a 300 calorie deficit. Instead of trying to keep a 500 calorie deficit each day, is it just as effective to look at weekly trends as long as it all adds up to the 3,500 weekly deficit I need to lose a pound a week?

Yes, unless you're a programmed robot a variable life and food intake is to be expected and a weekly or longer average is exactly how your body looks at it - cumulative effects.

spaingirl2011

THanks for your thoughts! My fear is that by using the TDEE method, I'd be overestimating calories burned weekly. I have changed my daily intake on MFP to reflect the new deficit based off my TDEE. I guess it's trial and error?

WBB55

I don't think there's anything wrong with looking at your weekly average as your goal. However, having BIG spikes in your intake can make you retain water and such, which makes the weighloss trend a little erratic when you map it out.

spaingirl2011

I don't think there's anything wrong with looking at your weekly average as your goal. However, having BIG spikes in your intake can make you retain water and such, which makes the weighloss trend a little erratic when you map it out.

That is something I've been noticing with my erratic calorie intake. I think I will try to up my calorie intake slightly but make it consistent throughout the week and see if that helps with the binge-y feeling I sometimes get.