Is this okay for maintaining?

Glossberg
Glossberg Posts: 40 Member
edited November 19 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hello everyone!

I transitioned into maintenance about three weeks ago. I initially set a maintenance range of 191-196. Since I have been in maintenance I am actually down to 188. I'm not worried about the weight loss since I eventually want to get down into the low 180's as my long-term/permanent maintenance range anyways.

The first three weeks I have basically keeping track of my calories over a weekly budget sort of speak. For example, this week is my birthday and I know over the weekend I am going to be consuming more calories than my daily allotment. As a result, the next few days I will be eating under my daily allotment of calories to compensate for the weekend. Basically banking calories for the times this week I know without a doubt I will be consuming over my recommended intake. Is this something that is acceptable or practiced by others ever? So far it seems to be working for me......

Thanks in advance for your help!

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Why wouldn't it be okay? Google 5:2; this is far less extreme.
  • jaqcan
    jaqcan Posts: 498 Member
    edited June 2015
    A lot of people bank calories for a upcoming meal they know about! People do it during weight loss too! And Happy Birthday! I'm a June baby too!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    I always eat 100-300 less calories on Monday -Thursday so that I have plenty for the weekend.

    weekly goal is more important than daily
  • sheenadel
    sheenadel Posts: 9 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    I always eat 100-300 less calories on Monday -Thursday so that I have plenty for the weekend.

    weekly goal is more important than daily

    Can you ...Please explain why a weekly goal is more important than a daily count...thanks
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    sheenadel wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    I always eat 100-300 less calories on Monday -Thursday so that I have plenty for the weekend.

    weekly goal is more important than daily

    Can you ...Please explain why a weekly goal is more important than a daily count...thanks

    For exactly the reason I said, I day over doesn't matter if you hit your weekly goal.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    sheenadel wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    I always eat 100-300 less calories on Monday -Thursday so that I have plenty for the weekend.

    weekly goal is more important than daily

    Can you ...Please explain why a weekly goal is more important than a daily count...thanks

    For exactly the reason I said, I day over doesn't matter if you hit your weekly goal.

    Is it also true that a week over doesn't matter as long as you hit your monthly goal? Or a year over doesn't matter if you hit your decade goal?

    My point is that while we can make up for bad eating, it seems better to have a plan that doesn't require us to make up for anything. Why stuff ourselves on one day and starve ourselves the rest of the week? We would feel better if we would just eat properly all the time.
  • Azurite27
    Azurite27 Posts: 554 Member
    I sometimes bank up to 100 a day for a special meal or event. It won't hurt you if you plan to go over later. I try not to make a habit of it though and normally eat right up to my goal since it helps with gym performance.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    TimothyFish wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    sheenadel wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    I always eat 100-300 less calories on Monday -Thursday so that I have plenty for the weekend.

    weekly goal is more important than daily

    Can you ...Please explain why a weekly goal is more important than a daily count...thanks

    For exactly the reason I said, I day over doesn't matter if you hit your weekly goal.

    Is it also true that a week over doesn't matter as long as you hit your monthly goal? Or a year over doesn't matter if you hit your decade goal?

    My point is that while we can make up for bad eating, it seems better to have a plan that doesn't require us to make up for anything. Why stuff ourselves on one day and starve ourselves the rest of the week? We would feel better if we would just eat properly all the time.

    eating 200 cals less doesn't starve me, any more than eating 200 more stuffs me....
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    I always eat 100-300 less calories on Monday -Thursday so that I have plenty for the weekend.

    weekly goal is more important than daily

    ^^ me too and it works just fine :)
  • maxit
    maxit Posts: 880 Member
    I aim for weekly and also track a running 30 day average (or rather FitBit tracks that, and I look at it lol). Works fine for me.
  • brynnsmom
    brynnsmom Posts: 945 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    I always eat 100-300 less calories on Monday -Thursday so that I have plenty for the weekend.

    weekly goal is more important than daily

    ^^Yep, same here and it works great for me.

  • tomjinca
    tomjinca Posts: 23 Member
    Ditto works great - I am at goal
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Of course. The first thing I do every Monday morning is quick add 2,500 calories to Saturday and work around that. I've been in maintenance for 6 weeks and it's been fine. I did this in a deficit too (though more like 2000 on Saturday).
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    Of course. The first thing I do every Monday morning is quick add 2,500 calories to Saturday and work around that. I've been in maintenance for 6 weeks and it's been fine. I did this in a deficit too (though more like 2000 on Saturday).

    ^^ Loving this idea! :smiley: 2500 would more than cover me on Saturdays too and that's what I'll do this weekend saying it's my birthday :smile:
  • mirrim52
    mirrim52 Posts: 763 Member
    TimothyFish wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    sheenadel wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    I always eat 100-300 less calories on Monday -Thursday so that I have plenty for the weekend.

    weekly goal is more important than daily

    Can you ...Please explain why a weekly goal is more important than a daily count...thanks

    For exactly the reason I said, I day over doesn't matter if you hit your weekly goal.

    Is it also true that a week over doesn't matter as long as you hit your monthly goal? Or a year over doesn't matter if you hit your decade goal?

    My point is that while we can make up for bad eating, it seems better to have a plan that doesn't require us to make up for anything. Why stuff ourselves on one day and starve ourselves the rest of the week? We would feel better if we would just eat properly all the time.

    Actually, yeah. What matters more weight-wise? That I went up a pound this month and down a pound next, or that my net change was zero?

    Life happens. I am not going to deny myself a piece of cake on my birthday, or a celebratory dinner out on my anniversary just because it might be higher than my calorie goal for the day. What a boring life that would be.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    Of course. The first thing I do every Monday morning is quick add 2,500 calories to Saturday and work around that. I've been in maintenance for 6 weeks and it's been fine. I did this in a deficit too (though more like 2000 on Saturday).

    ^^ Loving this idea! :smiley: 2500 would more than cover me on Saturdays too and that's what I'll do this weekend saying it's my birthday :smile:

    Yeah...unfortunately I ate over 3000 today so it didn't work this time around lol. Usually it's okay though.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited June 2015
    @arditarose we all have the odd day like that :wink: but judging by your pic you have absolutely nothing to worry about, you look fabulous :smile:

    and I used your quick add calorie idea for this weekend, it was great (not sure why I never thought to do this myself before, doh!) and I can see myself doing that every weekend :smiley:
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    @arditarose we all have the odd day like that :wink: but judging by your pic you have absolutely nothing to worry about, you look fabulous :smile:

    and I used your quick add calorie idea for this weekend, it was great (not sure why I never thought to do this myself before, doh!) and I can see myself doing that every weekend :smiley:

    lol thanks! I definitely have to make up for it a bit because I don't want to be in a surplus, but life goes on.

    Glad you like the idea. I mean, technically you could just work out the math and not quick add, but I find it's easier if I have them already saved. Then I can go into my weekly calories and see how much I have left for this or that.
  • just4me123456
    just4me123456 Posts: 35 Member
    Arditarose, could you repeat your method of point me to the thread where you discuss it? Thanks!
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    just4me123456 wrote: »
    Arditarose, could you repeat your method of point me to the thread where you discuss it? Thanks!

    I was just saying that I plan to eat 2500 calories every Saturday, so I work the week around that. Some days I shave off 100 calories, some days a little more, some days can be right at maintenance. I just like to quick add 2500 to Saturday at the beginning of every week, and prelog my days a few days in advance, then when I go to "nutrition" and click "weekly" I can see exactly how many calories are left for the week.
  • ohmscheeks
    ohmscheeks Posts: 840 Member
    TimothyFish wrote: »

    Is it also true that a week over doesn't matter as long as you hit your monthly goal? Or a year over doesn't matter if you hit your decade goal?

    My point is that while we can make up for bad eating, it seems better to have a plan that doesn't require us to make up for anything. Why stuff ourselves on one day and starve ourselves the rest of the week? We would feel better if we would just eat properly all the time.

    Dude, you make sense to me. I want to get to the point where I can go enjoy a party without binging as opposed to cutting calories so I can binge later. Not there by any means, but I prefer to attempt that "lifestyle" over the other.
  • just4me123456
    just4me123456 Posts: 35 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    just4me123456 wrote: »
    Arditarose, could you repeat your method of point me to the thread where you discuss it? Thanks!

    I was just saying that I plan to eat 2500 calories every Saturday, so I work the week around that. Some days I shave off 100 calories, some days a little more, some days can be right at maintenance. I just like to quick add 2500 to Saturday at the beginning of every week, and prelog my days a few days in advance, then when I go to "nutrition" and click "weekly" I can see exactly how many calories are left for the week.

  • just4me123456
    just4me123456 Posts: 35 Member
    Thx!
  • Emilia777
    Emilia777 Posts: 978 Member
    edited June 2015
    arditarose wrote: »
    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    @arditarose we all have the odd day like that :wink: but judging by your pic you have absolutely nothing to worry about, you look fabulous :smile:

    and I used your quick add calorie idea for this weekend, it was great (not sure why I never thought to do this myself before, doh!) and I can see myself doing that every weekend :smiley:

    lol thanks! I definitely have to make up for it a bit because I don't want to be in a surplus, but life goes on.

    Glad you like the idea. I mean, technically you could just work out the math and not quick add, but I find it's easier if I have them already saved. Then I can go into my weekly calories and see how much I have left for this or that.

    Did you guys know you can add negative calories to a day? I’m bad at dealing with weekly calories overall, so sometimes I will, for example, quick add 200 calories to Monday and Tuesday, and then quick add -400 calories to Sunday (or whatever). It keeps me on track without having to do too much math :tongue:

    I think of them as banked calories lol, just like the OP said. I think there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s a way to account for weekly variations in eating habits without relying completely on intuition.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Emilia777 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    @arditarose we all have the odd day like that :wink: but judging by your pic you have absolutely nothing to worry about, you look fabulous :smile:

    and I used your quick add calorie idea for this weekend, it was great (not sure why I never thought to do this myself before, doh!) and I can see myself doing that every weekend :smiley:

    lol thanks! I definitely have to make up for it a bit because I don't want to be in a surplus, but life goes on.

    Glad you like the idea. I mean, technically you could just work out the math and not quick add, but I find it's easier if I have them already saved. Then I can go into my weekly calories and see how much I have left for this or that.

    Did you guys know you can add negative calories to a day? I’m bad at dealing with weekly calories overall, so sometimes I will, for example, quick add 200 calories to Monday and Tuesday, and then quick add -400 calories to Sunday (or whatever). It keeps me on track without having to do too much math :tongue:

    I think of them as banked calories lol, just like the OP said. I think there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s a way to account for weekly variations in eating habits without relying completely on intuition.

    Wait. I think I know what you mean. I just don't need to do it because I already add my high day in at the beginning of the week. That is good to know though.
  • Emilia777
    Emilia777 Posts: 978 Member
    edited June 2015
    arditarose wrote: »
    Emilia777 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    @arditarose we all have the odd day like that :wink: but judging by your pic you have absolutely nothing to worry about, you look fabulous :smile:

    and I used your quick add calorie idea for this weekend, it was great (not sure why I never thought to do this myself before, doh!) and I can see myself doing that every weekend :smiley:

    lol thanks! I definitely have to make up for it a bit because I don't want to be in a surplus, but life goes on.

    Glad you like the idea. I mean, technically you could just work out the math and not quick add, but I find it's easier if I have them already saved. Then I can go into my weekly calories and see how much I have left for this or that.

    Did you guys know you can add negative calories to a day? I’m bad at dealing with weekly calories overall, so sometimes I will, for example, quick add 200 calories to Monday and Tuesday, and then quick add -400 calories to Sunday (or whatever). It keeps me on track without having to do too much math :tongue:

    I think of them as banked calories lol, just like the OP said. I think there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s a way to account for weekly variations in eating habits without relying completely on intuition.

    Wait. I think I know what you mean. I just don't need to do it because I already add my high day in at the beginning of the week. That is good to know though.

    Sorry, it’s weird to explain. I’m basically just transferring calories from one day to another. If you think in weekly terms, you’re already set though. I’m just not good at weekly thinking lol.

    Edited to add: Plus, I *hate* seeing the red on any one day. It makes me cringe. It gives me nightmares (I don’t have a problem :grin: )
  • AnnaFit4Life
    AnnaFit4Life Posts: 106 Member
    Glossberg wrote: »
    Hello everyone!

    I transitioned into maintenance about three weeks ago. I initially set a maintenance range of 191-196. Since I have been in maintenance I am actually down to 188. I'm not worried about the weight loss since I eventually want to get down into the low 180's as my long-term/permanent maintenance range anyways.

    The first three weeks I have basically keeping track of my calories over a weekly budget sort of speak. For example, this week is my birthday and I know over the weekend I am going to be consuming more calories than my daily allotment. As a result, the next few days I will be eating under my daily allotment of calories to compensate for the weekend. Basically banking calories for the times this week I know without a doubt I will be consuming over my recommended intake. Is this something that is acceptable or practiced by others ever? So far it seems to be working for me......

    Thanks in advance for your help!

    I haven't tried it so I don't know if that method would be right for me, but the math makes sense. It should all work out in the wash. I've been maintaining for quite a while now and have noticed that the occasional mindful indulgence...1 meal or 1 dessert every now and then does't make a difference. I just hop right back on my maintenance plan(regular way of eating) the very next meal. I don't subtract for it. The key here is "occasional" and I limit it to a few times a month tops and "mindful"- still watching what you are choosing and a respectable portion size and not making it a free for all.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited June 2015
    sheenadel wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    I always eat 100-300 less calories on Monday -Thursday so that I have plenty for the weekend.

    weekly goal is more important than daily

    Can you ...Please explain why a weekly goal is more important than a daily count...thanks

    because you don't have a midnight reset button...your body runs on an energy continuum.
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