Calorie Buffer

OldAssDude
OldAssDude Posts: 1,436 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I always leave about 500 calorie buffer for times that I just grab a cookie, 2 or 3 chips, or just little things that I don't log. I log all my food when I actually have meal, but not when I just grab small things in between.

It seems to work pretty well as I have been loosing about a pound a week for over 6 months so far.

Anyone else doing this?

Replies

  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    I log everything. It will help you figure out your maintenance calories later, or if you ever stall, will help you figure out why.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Or you could log everything and not worry about a buffer.
  • chriskangell
    chriskangell Posts: 29 Member
    A buffer 500 calories in size is an enormous buffer.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    bcalvanese wrote: »
    I always leave about 500 calorie buffer for times that I just grab a cookie, 2 or 3 chips, or just little things that I don't log. I log all my food when I actually have meal, but not when I just grab small things in between.

    It seems to work pretty well as I have been loosing about a pound a week for over 6 months so far.

    Anyone else doing this?

    Nope
  • abatonfan
    abatonfan Posts: 1,120 Member
    I do something similar. When I pre-log my day, I try to leave a 100-200 calorie buffer to account for hypoglycemia treatment, modifying portion size, and inaccurate logging (I often forget to log little things like mints and gum). If I don't use those calories, then I can eat them at the end of the week if I want to.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Yeah, lots of people do this. If it works for you, it's great. If it doesn't, not so much.

    Good luck!

    :drinker:
  • kyrannosaurus
    kyrannosaurus Posts: 350 Member
    I don't understand the point of logging if you're not logging everything. It'd take an extra 2 minutes to log those little things. Inaccurate data isn't going to be much use later down the track.
  • professionalHobbyist
    professionalHobbyist Posts: 1,316 Member
    edited June 2015
    bcalvanese wrote: »
    I always leave about 500 calorie buffer for times that I just grab a cookie, 2 or 3 chips, or just little things that I don't log. I log all my food when I actually have meal, but not when I just grab small things in between.

    It seems to work pretty well as I have been loosing about a pound a week for over 6 months so far.

    Anyone else doing this?

    If you can put his level of thought and planning into dealing with not logging correctly, maybe put it into logging correctly.

    No

    I don't do that. I try and log as accurately as possible every day.

  • Lynnmi07
    Lynnmi07 Posts: 131 Member
    I like the idea of a "buffer" it's much easier than trying to track every little bite. Now if you have a very strict goal or very little wiggle room then a buffer would not work since you would need to be a lot more accurate.
  • MikeLeTwigg
    MikeLeTwigg Posts: 162 Member
    I do this, I leave around 350-400 for coffees and 'grazing'
  • OldAssDude
    OldAssDude Posts: 1,436 Member
    I guess I'm just being lazy because my activity tracker automatically tells me how many calories I have based on how many pounds per week I want to lose. Once I reach my goal weight, I will just set it to maintain my current weight and it will adjust my calories to maintain my current weight.

    If I grab 1 cookie or 2 chips, I don't want to be bothered with sitting there trying to figure out exactly how many calories that is. If I am actually eating something substantial, I will scan the bar codes of everything, and if there is no way to scan it, I will do a search for it. I have a scale, but only use it if I cannot figure it out by scanning or searching.

    i figure I gotta be on the right track because I have my fitness tracker set to 1 pound a week, and that is what I have been losing for over 6 months now.

    Boy, these activity trackers make you lazy, but they also make it so much easier than calculating all that stuff manually. I don't know how people keep track of all that stuff by hand. Sounds like a full time job.
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    MikeLeTwigg wrote: »
    I do this, I leave around 350-400 for coffees and 'grazing'
    If I tried to have untracked "grazing" calories, I would graze my way right out of a deficit.

    Different ways work for different people. I log every little thing. I know I can't get it 100% accurate but I want it as close as possible.

    Knowledge is power.
  • OldAssDude
    OldAssDude Posts: 1,436 Member
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    Yeah, lots of people do this. If it works for you, it's great. If it doesn't, not so much.

    Good luck!

    :drinker:

    This is a good point. If it was not working, I would certainly log everything in an effort to figure out what i was doing wrong.
  • OldAssDude
    OldAssDude Posts: 1,436 Member
    MikeLeTwigg wrote: »
    I do this, I leave around 350-400 for coffees and 'grazing'

    Grazing... I like that.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,441 Member
    Leaving a buffer and grazing on unlogged carrots and cucumbers... OK, sure.

    Leaving a buffer to have unlogged cookies? Not for me!

    These are both calorie dense and easy to overeat items.

    At least for me logging and counting these kinds of items is what is keeping me in a deficit.
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  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    KisforKrista wrote: »
    nope, cause grazing and buffering leads to over eating when your eyes are usually bigger then your stomach.

    Not for everybody.
  • MikeLeTwigg
    MikeLeTwigg Posts: 162 Member
    KisforKrista wrote: »
    nope, cause grazing and buffering leads to over eating when your eyes are usually bigger then your stomach.

    -11KG so far.

    Works for some, but not for all. I got rid of all the things that would really trip me up (cookies) but when my 2 year old has his chocolate milk his dad may also get a little also....
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  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    KisforKrista wrote: »
    i didnt say for everyone, the OP was asking if people do this, i said nope and said why

    "your" eyes.

    You didn't make your comment as being about you.

    :drinker:
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  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    KisforKrista wrote: »
    i guess i was speaking about myself as an outsider perspective.
    I am a recovering binge eater, so my eyes always said, more, more, more.

    Gotcha - sounds like you're making great progress though - keep rockin' it! :drinker:
  • ohmscheeks
    ohmscheeks Posts: 840 Member
    chriskangell wrote: »
    A buffer 500 calories in size is an enormous buffer.

    This

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  • maxit
    maxit Posts: 880 Member
    500 calories for me would be a third of my total daily allowance lol. But I understand the concept :)
  • Bshmerlie
    Bshmerlie Posts: 1,026 Member
    I lift heavy three days a week and don't log it. That's my buffer for inaccuracies in logging. But at night when I plan my next day I go back and add anything I might have grazed on during the day. The more weight you have to lose you can get away with leaving things out. But as you get down to that last 20 pounds or so you won't have a 500 calorie cushion to play with.
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