"banking" calories

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tinat1963
tinat1963 Posts: 8
in Food and Nutrition
I need an opinion on the idea of "banking" calories.... I know weight watchers gives you the extra "points" to use anytime... if you're not doing weight watchers... what would be a reasonable amount to "bank" or even a safe amount?

My caloric restriciton is about 1290/day without exercise. I do not always eat my exercised calories back the same day.

Just wanted someone else's opinion. Mardi Gras is Saturday, ya know......

Tina:bigsmile:

Replies

  • Wolffeathers
    Wolffeathers Posts: 38
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    What do you mean exactly by "banking" calories? The weight watchers "bank" is because your still able to have some calories before going over in a day. If you mean like "I'll eat 300 less calories today, cause I know that I'm going to overeat tomorrow", I've read some places say that it's ok, others say that it's bad for your health.
  • EZGruv
    EZGruv Posts: 215 Member
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    That concept sounds completely ridiculous.
  • NZGeekGirl
    NZGeekGirl Posts: 87
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    I personally don't bank calories or have a cheat day (basically the same thing) because for me I find that I need to have a have been really low on calories for my body to be fooled.

    That said seeing as it's a special occasion I would just give yourself a cheat day. Make healthier choices in what you choose to eat and don't go overboard, don't use it as an excuse to totally pig out on all the fatty foods you can but use it to have fun guilt free.

    Hopefully that makes sense!
  • spacecase76
    spacecase76 Posts: 673 Member
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    I agree with NZGeekgirl.

    I don't have "cheat days" scheduled, I think if you want to go and have a good time, then you should do that.

    BTW, Mardi Gras is Tuesday, even though where you are may be celebrating it Saturday :smile:
  • grneyety
    grneyety Posts: 46 Member
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    I don't schedule cheat days and I wouldn't recommend going under your daily recommended intake but I don't see anything wrong with exercising extra for a night out. Just don't go crazy. Life is about balance and I tend to think that if you put yourself on too short a leash you will just go back to your old habits in frustration.
  • EricMurano
    EricMurano Posts: 825 Member
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    I reset every day. If I'm under on Monday by 400 calories I won't treat it like I have 400 calories extra on Tuesday.

    That being said if I have a bad day I'll make sure I'm extra good for the next week.
  • knittnponder
    knittnponder Posts: 1,954 Member
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    Diet Power's program does this. The way they accumulate it that whatever you didn't consume that day goes into your bank and whatever you went over is deducted. I can't really remember but I think it resets once a week but that may have been a different program I've heard about.

    For me I don't really plan to have a surplus to "bank" but I often end up under my calorie goal. If I happen to go over one day that week I don't let it get to me because i had a little wiggle room. If I know I'm going to have a day where I'm going to go over (special occasions do that now and then) I will eat lighter before and after and not worry about the spike. It's just kind of another form of zigzagging the calories. Just don't starve yourself one day and go nuts the next and be careful not to make a habit of it. You run the risk of eating unhealthy all the time for the sake of those high days.
  • glittersoul
    glittersoul Posts: 671
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    Really you just have to have a deficit over all and you will lose weight. So whether you stagger your calories or keep them the same every day you can still lose weight. I would just say to make sure you get more nutritious foods on your low cal day.
  • glittersoul
    glittersoul Posts: 671
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    Also, you can make sure you wake up early to get in a good work out so that eating extra that day doesn't effect you as badly.
  • terri0027
    terri0027 Posts: 51 Member
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    It's Mari Gras....Fat Tuesday. Enjoy! Be good for the next 40days -)
  • angela828
    angela828 Posts: 498 Member
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    I reset every day. If I'm under on Monday by 400 calories I won't treat it like I have 400 calories extra on Tuesday.

    That being said if I have a bad day I'll make sure I'm extra good for the next week.

    this is exactly what I do.. everyday is a new day
  • jdrop
    jdrop Posts: 24
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    I reset every day. If I'm under on Monday by 400 calories I won't treat it like I have 400 calories extra on Tuesday.

    That being said if I have a bad day I'll make sure I'm extra good for the next week.

    this is exactly what I do.. everyday is a new day
    Agreed.
  • polar5554
    polar5554 Posts: 576 Member
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    I did Weight Watchers and lost 70 lbs. and I ALWAYS used my extra 35 weekly points!!

    Don't ever let money sit on the table....
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    weight watchers does this because they know without some sort of compromise, they'll lose a lot of clients, not because they think it's a good idea. Banking calories is a slippery slope, the body doesn't do this, and neither should you. If you want to periodically have a day where you eat a high calorie meal, fine, but treat it as that, don't start storing calories by not eating during the week so you can eat on the weekend.

    Put it this way, the end game of MFP is teaching you how to eat healthy and correctly every day for the rest of your life, IMHO calorie banking is not a path to that. Rather than that, eat healthy all the time, (and if you need to drop fat, eat at a moderate deficit) and exercise, and recognize that there are days where you won't do a great job, so just endeavor to minimize those days and eat as healthy as possible on the other days.
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
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    I "bank"" by keeping track of weekly rather than daily calorie totals. I will easily be 100-200 calories under my goal 2 or 3 days during the week-- which then gives me anywhere from 400-600 calories on the weekend for a treat.

    I don't "CHEAT" on those weekend days' I "BUDGET" for them by not eating all of my calories earlier in the week.
  • reepobob
    reepobob Posts: 1,172 Member
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    I don't "bank" anything and I try like hell to stay under my calorie limit everyday, but when I hit a certain milestone with weight loss, I will go out to eat somewhere that I would normally stay away. I hit a 220 lb milestone around the Super Bowl and had some pizza (and too much of it...I felt sick) and I am three pounds away from 210 and plan on eating at my favorite Mexican restaurant. Those kind of days keep me sane and keep me motivated to stay the course every other day.
  • ukgirly01
    ukgirly01 Posts: 523 Member
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    this is do-able if not too adviseable, a 3500 calorie defecit = 1lb weight loss. so to lose 2lbs you need a weekly 7000 defecit . This is created by mfp's calorie target to go under this is really not good for you and you'll go in to starvation mode. So if you want to bank you'll have to do this by building up a bigger defecit with cardio exercises i.e
    My target is 1200
    I eat 1300 calories
    and burn 600
    I therefore have 500 extra to use if needed or banked for tomorro where i'll eat 1800 calories but not exercise that still gives me the same calorie ececit as just following the plan. The weight loss techinically should be the same but personally I dont think its as effective as sticking to it properly,
  • tinat1963
    tinat1963 Posts: 8
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    Now That's something I can do!!!
  • tinat1963
    tinat1963 Posts: 8
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    I almost always eat the "recommended" calories.... but I don't always consume the "exercised" ones.... It's not something I plan on doing weekly... just getting opinions for when it happens... (like Mardi Gras Saturday)... But I've got Bacardi instead of hurricanes'!.... so trying to save a little......

    Thanks to all for the advice and opinions!!!
  • TripleJ3
    TripleJ3 Posts: 945 Member
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    I'm working on getting the WW concept out of my head. The plan was designed that they give you a minnimum amount of points and that a point varies in calories. Your dailies were lower calories then what you probably have with this site. But then they took those extra calories to make "free" food and then give you those *extra* weeklies to use as you wish.

    So basically its as if they shaved 100 calories a day off your total, then said heres 700 extra points to spread out through the week or use in one day.

    While I don't track every mushroom, celery stick or handful of fresh spinach, and if I am actually truly hungry I'll eat my zero point soup and not think twice, I think with this plan you have to think differently. One day over your calorie goal probably isn't going to hurt you much especially if you are on target every other day.

    I'd keep mindful of portion size and not just stuffing my face or guzzling a trough just because I "blew" it.

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