storing up calories for the weekend?

marji4x
marji4x Posts: 144 Member
edited September 24 in Food and Nutrition
I was listening to Fat2Fit Radio and I thought I heard one of the guys saying that he would sometimes eat less than his daily caloric intake a day or two before a weekend cause he knew he'd be eating out with friends or something.

The idea being, he'd eat those extra calories over the weekend but it would end up roughly evening out.

Anyone know any more about this? Is this possible?

Replies

  • wriglucy
    wriglucy Posts: 1,064 Member
    It does. It takes a total of 3500 calories to lose 1 pound, or gain a pound....depending on what you want to do. So, if your deficit during the week is pretty good per day, and you know you're going out, ...it'll all even out.
  • Simonscat
    Simonscat Posts: 249
    I guess it's logical. But I'd hate to do that.
    If i was going out on the weekend, I'd rather just go for it, and forget about calories. But then that's just me.
  • skinimin
    skinimin Posts: 252 Member
    I kind of do that but rather than seeing it as 'saving calories' I just try to be good all week and then accept that I can take it easy on the weekends. Otherwise I would always cave in! Also, does it really take 3500 calories to gain a pound? I'm assuming that doesn't apply to everyone...
  • NightOwl1
    NightOwl1 Posts: 881 Member
    That it all evens out isn't exactly true. Your body regulates your fat burning hormones and metabolism regularly on a daily or more than daily basis. So if you under eat for several days, it may feel like it's at too high a deficit, so it will slow your metabolism. Likewise, if you're operating at too high a deficit and then you go and overeat, your body will think that it needs these extra calories for survival and store them as fat.

    Trying to be balanced throughout the week is the best approach.
  • marji4x
    marji4x Posts: 144 Member
    That's good to know! Thanks!

    I JUST lost some lbs this week and they are very precious, I don't want to find out next week I gained them back. But I do have a birthday coming this weekend and I'd like to at least have one extra slice of cake if it won't kill me! Fortunately I am having a healthier cake option too so it's not a total catastrophe ;D
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,336 Member
    Yes that works. Your body is not set on one day intervals (or weekly ones for that matter). If you figure out how many calories you can eat in a week, and eat less a couple of days before something you know you will eat more at, then you can eat more and not blow you diet. You may weigh more the next day because of more food digesting in your belly or water retained because of extra sodium you consumed, but fat wise, you will not be further behind.
  • tyhansen
    tyhansen Posts: 11
    It's how I've done it.
    I eat twice my normal calories one day on the weekend, and have that deficit the other 6 days. I've lost almost 30 pounds so fart total and I love it. The one day of overeating keeps my metabolism strong so that I won't go into a sort of starvation mode when I'm dieting.
  • marji4x
    marji4x Posts: 144 Member
    THanks NightOwl! I'll keep that in mind. I don't plan on making this a habit just...it's my birthday I want to let go just the teensiest bit ;)
  • FatDoctor
    FatDoctor Posts: 40 Member
    Human body is like a pipe line, it can only process a limited amount of stored fat in a given period (day for example), hence the limited amount of weight loss we can expect in day to day basis (unless it is fluid loss, that can happen quick). Therefore, trying to "save" calories for a next day or weekend will result in slowing down of the body changes. Sounds like an attractive idea, however it is just fooling yourself. If you want to be successful, try to avoid such practice.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,336 Member
    That it all evens out isn't exactly true. Your body regulates your fat burning hormones and metabolism regularly on a daily or more than daily basis. So if you under eat for several days, it may feel like it's at too high a deficit, so it will slow your metabolism. Likewise, if you're operating at too high a deficit and then you go and overeat, your body will think that it needs these extra calories for survival and store them as fat.

    Trying to be balanced throughout the week is the best approach.

    The likelyhood of that happening in a day or two is so small as to be something you don't even have to worry about. For that matter you can fast for 24 hours and it will have minimal effect on your metabolism (longer in fact, but I don't have the data in front of me) If you add weight training, even a 24 hour fast will have no negative effect on your metabolism. The only time your metabolism is negatively effected is with prolonged restriction.
  • kacarter1017
    kacarter1017 Posts: 651 Member
    No, that's the real number. You have to burn 3500 extra calories to lose a pound, you have to eat 3500 more calories than you burn to gain a pound.
  • kmeekhof
    kmeekhof Posts: 456 Member
    I was listening to Fat2Fit Radio and I thought I heard one of the guys saying that he would sometimes eat less than his daily caloric intake a day or two before a weekend cause he knew he'd be eating out with friends or something.

    The idea being, he'd eat those extra calories over the weekend but it would end up roughly evening out.

    Anyone know any more about this? Is this possible?

    I don't think so. Your body requires a certain amount of calories a day. If you go over that day, your body converts and stores it, not to be used later, but as fat.
  • allysonvb
    allysonvb Posts: 236 Member
    I agree that it may not be healthy to habitually practice, but have the cake. Let it go and have fun. Try to burn it off the best you can, but realize that the scale may not be as kind as this week (two pounds instead of three, maybe). It will be worth it to enjoy your birthday without regret.
  • NightOwl1
    NightOwl1 Posts: 881 Member
    THanks NightOwl! I'll keep that in mind. I don't plan on making this a habit just...it's my birthday I want to let go just the teensiest bit ;)

    It's also important to know that one day every once in a while isn't going to kill you :). Enjoy your birthday. Eat more than your calories every once and a while. One day of a little extra won't derail your weight loss. Promise :)
  • marji4x
    marji4x Posts: 144 Member
    I'll be hitting the gym a little extra too to try to burn off any excess...and I won't let it be TOO much excess :)

    THanks!
  • jaywarner84
    jaywarner84 Posts: 3
    No, 3500 calories is correct. The thing you have to think about is what metabolic state your body is in when it receives these calories. If you have boosted your metabolism such as directly after a workout than you can eat more and your body will use those calories rather than storing them. It is sort of like free food but who wants to ruin their workout. That is not to say that you shouldn't eat after your workout. Your body needs protein and simple carbs after a workout. On the other hand you may see that you lost 4 pounds during a workout. That does not mean you burnt that many calories. Most of that weight is from water you have sweated out and you will regain then once you hydrate again.
  • DimenaZhena
    DimenaZhena Posts: 102
    That it all evens out isn't exactly true. Your body regulates your fat burning hormones and metabolism regularly on a daily or more than daily basis. So if you under eat for several days, it may feel like it's at too high a deficit, so it will slow your metabolism. Likewise, if you're operating at too high a deficit and then you go and overeat, your body will think that it needs these extra calories for survival and store them as fat.

    Trying to be balanced throughout the week is the best approach.

    I couldn't have put it in better words! Your body needs a certain amount of calories each day in order to maintain a stable metabolism.
  • MakingAChoice
    MakingAChoice Posts: 481 Member
    Your body will store whatever it does not need as fat. So even if you choose to eat light at breakfast and dinner to have a huge lunch you are being self defeating. The same goes for over multiple days. The body is constantly deciding how much it needs to run on and either demands more (burn fat) or creates food stores (stores fat). You can certainly enjoy yourself and eat whatever you want if that is what you want to do, I do not recommend it though. Maybe some more time at the gym to burn off the extra storage might be in order after you splurge. ;-)
  • foreverjade
    foreverjade Posts: 213 Member
    It will work out fine. Think of calorie cycling - which was a hugely popular topic on here yesterday, you can probably find the topic still - you eat over your "limit" some days and under on other days, as long as you are equal to your weekly threshold you will still lose.
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
    bump
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