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Weekly or Daily calorie counting, what's better?

Deena_Bean
Deena_Bean Posts: 906 Member
edited February 20 in Health and Weight Loss
Does it make a difference if calories are counted by the week vs. day? Do you/should you roll over calories day-to-day or just let them go if you've got some left for the day?

Replies

  • Xingy01
    Xingy01 Posts: 83 Member
    It doesn't make a difference. Whether you eat 4000 calories tomorrow or 2k today and 2k tomorrow...it will be the same. Many people do intermittent fasting or alternate day fasting and other variations. They lose just as much as someone who eats an equal number of calories at traditional times.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    some people like seeing scale number (going down) every morning so I guess the equal way works better for them?
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
    The main problem with weekly counting is poor budgeting. Sometimes Friday rolls around and you hardly left yourself anything for the rest of the week!
  • lemonlionheart
    lemonlionheart Posts: 580 Member
    I count by the day but I go over from time to time so I know I can check my weekly average (a feature on the app) to make sure it all evens out. Sometimes I don't eat back my exercise calories during the week and use them on the weekend instead. Sometimes I go over because of a spur-of-the-moment dinner or something so I roll it out over the next day or couple of days and eat lessor workout more then. I find this allows a bit more freedom and I feel more like I can eat what I want but still stay within my goals :)
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    Daily makes more sense to me.
    Howver, if you keep it sensible doing weekly, should be ok.

    An obvious example that would 'fit' weekly but would likely cause problems is to say be at 1500 calories a day average but eat 200 calories a day for 6 days then eat 9300 calories on the last day.

    Calories in vs Calories out DOES still apply.
    But I would expect in those first six days your calories out would be reduced a fair (especially towards the end), which wouldn't be made up enough for the increase provided by over eating.
  • logg1e
    logg1e Posts: 1,208 Member
    Good question, got me thinking.

    I think that daily accounting works for me because it encourages me to exercise. For example, I could easily save up 20 calories a day to use on Friday, but it's better that I end up doing half an hour's cardio on Friday morning instead.
  • Deena_Bean
    Deena_Bean Posts: 906 Member
    I have been doing it daily and I think it's the best for me because it keeps me more aware of what I'm eating and helps me balance my day better. There are days, though, that I wish I had some in the bank for an extra glass of wine or two lol. I'll keep doing what I'm doing - I was just curious about what everyone thought of this.
  • DrJenO
    DrJenO Posts: 404 Member
    Everyone is different.

    I do weekly calories, b/c often I don't feel like eating back all my exercise calories on higher cardio days, but then I might be hungrier on a strength day but don't have as many calories. I have by weekly calories "reset" on Monday, so that I have the whole week to save up for the weekend if I know I am going to go out of town or splurge in some other way.

    Other people need the day to day regularity in order to stay on track. For some, a splurge turns into a binge, so keeping each day the same helps mitigate that.

    I will say though that if you do weekly calories or alternate day fasting or similar, be prepared to see swings on the scale from day to day (if you weigh daily).
  • Llamapants86
    Llamapants86 Posts: 1,221 Member
    I look at weekly because I like having a bit extra if I go out for dinner. It also gives me a little more freedom to eat when I'm hungry and not just because I have calories left over.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I do both...try to stay on goal daily which turns to a weekly deficet...now this week I was low all week so being a bit over yesterday was no big deal...

    my goal is 1800 a day and averaged 1750 so it's all good.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,354 Member
    It is really a matter of personal preference. For some tracking weekly means more flexibility day to day which they like. For others tracking daily means greater daily accountability which they need. I tend to fall in the second category, but there are times when I choose to be over for a day that I consider ways to work that into the overall weekly total.
  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
    Personal preference, but one way to look at is is this way "dont rob peter to pay paul".
    Meaning, dont go over your calorie limit and think by the end of the week you will make up for it and eat that much less.

    I personally do it by day, and the only day that I dont really get too strict is the day I weigh in.
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
    I do both...try to stay on goal daily which turns to a weekly deficet...now this week I was low all week so being a bit over yesterday was no big deal...

    my goal is 1800 a day and averaged 1750 so it's all good.

    This is me almost exactly! I still try to hit my numbers everyday but sometimes *kitten* happens...as long as I'm target at the end of the week then I'm good with it!
This discussion has been closed.

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