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Can I save calories for the next day?
girlonacamel
Posts: 2 Member
Hi everyone, I'm new to calorie counting and to this app. I wondered if there was a way to save calories that are unused for later in the week? To be honest I find my calorie allowance quite low but sometimes with exercise I can earn back calories that I don't need all of on that day. I wondered if the premium app allowed you to save them?
Thanks,
Sarah
Thanks,
Sarah
0
Replies
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You don't need premium. On the app you can view your weekly calories to see how many you have left. Many people around here save more for the weekends or special occasions.0
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Yes, you can. Lots of people around here go by their weekly average myself included.0
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you don't "save" calories for another day. you plan your meals and snacks and have smaller portions during different days if you are going to go all out on another day. no such thing as "banking" calories. the body doesn't work that way0
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Methods will vary, but I manage my calories in 24 hour segments. Every day is a new day, and whatever I did the day before doesn't really matter - generally. If it is a Monday morning and the scale tells me that I am up a few pounds up after an enjoyable weekend, I may try to reduce my calories a little bit, but I don't play any tricks with the daily accounting by trying to move calories around to store them.0
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There is such a thing called banking calories.
However actually banking my exercise calorie burns is a new one for me? If I did not eat my "deficit calories" outside of exercise then I may look at the end of the week to see if I can indulge in something over the weekend.
A lot of MFPer's do this. But actually using my calorie burns from exercise is new to me because I only eat back a very small portion of these anyways.
It will be interesting to see if people save their exercise calories burned rather than deficit calories (the required calories you need) or even both. just a thought..0 -
Banking calories doesn't work, and eating deficit calories won't lead to long term success.0
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OP there were some other threads on this topic I know last week. Do a search in the forums and take a look at what other MFPer's had to say about this.
Banking calories is something a lot of folk do, I just don't know if it included their exercise calorie burns or not, mine does not.0 -
Banking calories doesn't work, and eating deficit calories won't lead to long term success.
Wut?
Your body doesn't reset at midnight. If you eat 21000 calories a week and have high and low days in there it is still just 21000 calories. A lot of people succeed with a variety of calorie cycling.1 -
EvgeniZyntx wrote: »Banking calories doesn't work, and eating deficit calories won't lead to long term success.
Wut?
Your body doesn't reset at midnight. If you eat 21000 calories a week and have high and low days in there it is still just 21000 calories. A lot of people succeed with a variety of calorie cycling.
This was a good way or better way to put it.0 -
Banking calories doesn't work, and eating deficit calories won't lead to long term success.
that's quite a blanket statement. I am one of those who goes for a weekly average. I tend to look at my TOTAL calories rather than NET, because as we all know, calorie burn estimates are not accurate. I have a very small deficit available to me (being small) and there are days, like today, when I am going out for a meal and will end up way over. so I cut down the rest of the week and allow my weekly average to be my guide. It's working so far.1 -
Banking calories doesn't work, and eating deficit calories won't lead to long term success.
I think the second part of that statement may be true if a person is trying to lose weight, depending on a lot of other factors (if the calories eaten back still result in a deficit, a person will still lose weight). I've been in maintenance for several years, and eat back almost all of my calories.1 -
EvgeniZyntx wrote: »Banking calories doesn't work, and eating deficit calories won't lead to long term success.
Wut?
Your body doesn't reset at midnight. If you eat 21000 calories a week and have high and low days in there it is still just 21000 calories. A lot of people succeed with a variety of calorie cycling.
True as far as it goes... but where is the limit? I can say the same about a month's worth of calories or even a year's worth. What is your ultimate goal? Weight loss, medically required dietary changes, maintenance, learning a new lifestyle? We are all different and things work for one and not for another. Daily accounting is easier for me to keep my "lifestyle changes" foremost in my mind. If I go over my allotment one day, it no longer derails me for the long term. I have an occasional day when MFP scolds me for not eating enough, too. Both incidents are just a snapshot of that particular moment in time. I like to look at the whole picture....long-term trend....while keeping my daily choices in check.0 -
Too lazy for me to try to figure the math out, I go in 24 hour sessions. You trash a day then get back on the horse the next. I do plan throughout the day for a big dinner (If I have warning it is coming up). Good luck! Of course as with many MFP posts its just my opinion and there are a million ways to drop weight, hang around here long enough and you will see that...
Rob0 -
What matters for weight loss is that you are in a calorie deficit over time. The app makes it fairly simple to track a weekly deficit, rather than a daily one. I personally have been here for 3 years as of today, and while losing the weight I set out to lose, as well as now that I am in maintenance, I often "bank" calories during the week for a higher calorie event or generally higher calorie weekends. It is absolutely possible to achieve your goals with this approach.
Additionally OP - if you find your calorie target to be too low, perhaps you need to reevaluate to see if a less aggressive deficit is better for you. What are your stats, how much are you trying to lose, and what rate of loss did you enter? Many people opt for the most aggressive target of 2lbs/week, get a very low calorie goal (1200 cals) and find it difficult to adhere to that over time. For me personally, I would rather have a more modest deficit, lose weight a little slower, but not find it so difficult to stick with over time.
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That's funny because I bank calories all the time, like every day, so I can go out on the weekend to splurge. Been doing it for 3 years and it's been working like a charm for me. (50 pounds lost - I'd say it's working
) 1 -
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ukpizzalover wrote: »
Navigate to More/Menu > Nutrition > Calories > Week View. Toggle between Total and Net, and scroll down if needed.0 -
EvgeniZyntx wrote: »Banking calories doesn't work, and eating deficit calories won't lead to long term success.
Wut?
Your body doesn't reset at midnight. If you eat 21000 calories a week and have high and low days in there it is still just 21000 calories. A lot of people succeed with a variety of calorie cycling.
True as far as it goes... but where is the limit? I can say the same about a month's worth of calories or even a year's worth. What is your ultimate goal? Weight loss, medically required dietary changes, maintenance, learning a new lifestyle? We are all different and things work for one and not for another. Daily accounting is easier for me to keep my "lifestyle changes" foremost in my mind. If I go over my allotment one day, it no longer derails me for the long term. I have an occasional day when MFP scolds me for not eating enough, too. Both incidents are just a snapshot of that particular moment in time. I like to look at the whole picture....long-term trend....while keeping my daily choices in check.
If you are at a deficit over the year - then that deficit will correspond to weight loss.
Daily tracking is fine, most of us do that but once again - a lot of successful people bank calories.
What is optimal for you or me might be different but saying "Banking calories doesn't work" is just incorrect.
And obviously I agree on long-term trends and the bolded.
Consistency and adherence are the keys to success.0 -
Thanks for your thoughts everyone!! I've 'banked' before using weightwatchers and it always worked, but this app is free so I am pleased I can do it on here too. Much appreciated!0
This discussion has been closed.
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