Can you carry calories over from day to day?

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Lindsayrob
Lindsayrob Posts: 247 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Sorry if this question has been done to death, but I only joined yesterday!
I had loads of cals over yesterday due to exercising and getting up too late for lunch (!), but I'm a bit short today - can I carry them over? If not, I'd better go to bed now! :wink:
Lindsay
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Replies

  • gameovergt
    gameovergt Posts: 502
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    no. haha
  • reynoldsjo
    reynoldsjo Posts: 9
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    I think you can. I try to look at the calories for the week and keep roughly within that amount. That way I can still have a bit 'extra' at the weekend :0)
  • a_stronger_steph
    a_stronger_steph Posts: 434 Member
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    Can you eat them? I don't see why not. If I go over by a fair bit one day, I will try to be a little under the next few days. If it averages out to a deficit of 3500 calories in the week, the average loss should still be approximately 1 pound (so the theory goes... the reality is more complicated, as always).

    But if you're asking if you can eat them and have your diary not say that you went "over" your calorie goal for the day, I don't think so. So it's sort of an "unofficial" carry-over.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
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    I don't think so...but there's some sort of thing called "zig zagging" your calories which might work for you...sort of the same idea, but a little more scientific maybe? I don't do it. Each day is a new day to me :)
  • Carek99
    Carek99 Posts: 25 Member
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    Weight Watchers and several other programs use a "banking" method like you are asking about. The idea there is to take the week as a whole. However, those programs also stress that you only weigh once a week for the same reason.

    Ultimately, I wouldn't recommend that you routinely bank extra calories. Instead accept that you will have some days when you go over and attempt to keep them to a bare minimum. Weight loss is accomplished both day by day and in the long haul.
  • aanddplusoanda
    aanddplusoanda Posts: 189 Member
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    I don't...and wouldn't. Tomorrow is a new day to make better choices
  • susyseq
    susyseq Posts: 94
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    I don't think you should. That is why everyday starts at your calorie goal without carrying the last day over.
  • Peridotite
    Peridotite Posts: 66
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    I base it on the weight watchers system. You can carry points over (which are baically calories) so why not be able to carry calories over on MFP. As long as you don't go way over it can't be too bad and I for one don't believe in being hungry and miserable to lose weight and it has worked do far :flowerforyou:
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
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    Yes as long as you average out at the end of the week with your total allotted calories. It's called zig zagging and it works. I lost 80 lbs doing this. It comes down to calories in vs. calories out. Good Luck!!
  • a_freeman
    a_freeman Posts: 116 Member
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    I think most dieters look at each day as a stand alone. The problem is, you can justify overeating by saying tomorrow I'll eat less. It's a slippery slope.
  • Lindsayrob
    Lindsayrob Posts: 247 Member
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    Thanks everyone - I was sort of working on the whole week principle but it would be nice if I could leave it nice and 'tidy' on my food diary! The problem is that the days I want to splurge arent always the days I have time to exercise!
    I think I'll try to treat every day as a new day, but bear those unspent cals in mind in case of emergencies!
    Lindsay
  • shaunshaikh
    shaunshaikh Posts: 616 Member
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    Yes, it's essentially the same thing as "cycling" calories.
  • kmalex
    kmalex Posts: 39 Member
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    My doctor told me that weight loss is just calories in and calories out. She said that how much you weigh is your lifetime overages and deficits. So losing weight is just about creating a deficit in the long run. If you want to roll them over, go ahead. Just know that (as long as you are eating enough to keep your metabolism up) bigger deficits means faster loss, smaller deficits means slower loss, and any overages means the scale will go up.

    For me, when I have extra calories I leave the deficit alone. And when I go over (it happens to the best of us) I work harder that day or the next day to burn them off so I never leave an overage for long. But I have a lot of weight to lose and a hard goal so I want to lose it fast. Good Luck!
  • Lindsayrob
    Lindsayrob Posts: 247 Member
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    Thanks
    I've just read a post about cycling/zigzagging, and it makes sense. I used to use a site which looked at your total over a week, rather than per day, so I'm going to work on that basis, and try not to go over unless I've gone under earlier in the week. I think it would be dangerous to go over in the hope that I'd make it up later in the week!
    Lindsay
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
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    Thanks
    I've just read a post about cycling/zigzagging, and it makes sense. I used to use a site which looked at your total over a week, rather than per day, so I'm going to work on that basis, and try not to go over unless I've gone under earlier in the week. I think it would be dangerous to go over in the hope that I'd make it up later in the week!
    Lindsay

    Yes. Great plan! Again good luck!
  • happyhappyjoy72
    happyhappyjoy72 Posts: 71
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    I think most dieters look at each day as a stand alone. The problem is, you can justify overeating by saying tomorrow I'll eat less. It's a slippery slope.
    I agree 100%
  • meadows654
    meadows654 Posts: 164
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    I use myfitnesspal on the computer and I also have the iPod app. The app has a feature on the home page that gives you your average weekly summary of net calories. It helps me to go back and see how many net calories I averaged over or under and how much I lost that week in weight. I don't see the harm in it as long as you are tracking it diligently. If you find it doesn't work and you go over too much, then switch to every day mode. :flowerforyou: Good luck!
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    I don't, but I do usually inadvertently have one day a week when I go over. Usually Fridays as I don't have any time to exercise on Fridays so I am stuck with my measly 1220 cals.
  • mrb_9110
    mrb_9110 Posts: 189 Member
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    I generally take each day as its own and try not to go over, but if I do go over, I don't stress because some days I am under.

    I know it sounds kind of anal, but I'm a numbers person, so what I did was put my daily deficits and overages in an excel spreadsheet and take the average over time. That way I can see whether I have more over days or under days and make sure that they average out to zero most of the time. It's a little bit of work to set it up, but I think it's worth it.

    Hope this helps you :)
  • Lindsayrob
    Lindsayrob Posts: 247 Member
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    I use myfitnesspal on the computer and I also have the iPod app. The app has a feature on the home page that gives you your average weekly summary of net calories. It helps me to go back and see how many net calories I averaged over or under and how much I lost that week in weight. I don't see the harm in it as long as you are tracking it diligently. If you find it doesn't work and you go over too much, then switch to every day mode. :flowerforyou: Good luck!


    Yay! That's just what I need - thanks very much. I have the ipod app too but hadnt noticed that handy feature!

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