People who bank calories for the weekend read this !

Rat study? (that would be point one...)

Also, beyond eating different macro distribution, did these poor poor rats also eat the same amount of calories (regardless of high fat, low fat, intermittent high/low)? (that would be point two...)

And... rat study? seriously?

kristikitter wrote: »

Binging is entirely different to eating a few extra calories on each weekend, though...

Just as having a G&T before dinner at the weekend is not the same as going out and having 15 pints of lager

Very questionable for a number of reasons:

1. Animal study with no statistics suggesting a similar effect in humans. I can't emphasise enough that without that, any animal study is at best suggestive and usually only interesting.

2. Use of the word "junk" with no definition. Later in the article it's implied that "junk" means a high fat diet. How high? What percentage of calories from fat? What was the makeup of the other calories? How much sugar? What actually was the food - hamburgers? Fries? Or some special rat diet adjusted to count as "junk food"? How does that relate to a realistic human "junk food" diet?

3. No definition of what counts as a "continuous" "junk" diet or as a "binge". Quantities matter, and the tendency in animal experiments is often to exaggerate the amounts to get a measurable result. See how far we're getting from a clear statement on effects in humans?

4. No definition at all of what negative effects occur to make it "just as bad" except for statements about the gut microbiota. Gut flora is important, but we are still just beginning to understand how it impacts on health. We can't draw simple conclusions from it.

This research is not ready to be used to formulate health advice. It's an interesting animal experiment of the kind that adds another piece to our understanding of the interaction between food and digestion. The article is badly written and over-interprets the results badly. Nobody should change their eating patterns based on this.

I calorie bank for the weekends to eat more calories, not different kinds of foods. I eat at restaurants during the week and I eat at restaurants during the weekend. I eat veggies and whole grains during the week and I eat veggies and whole grains during the weekends. I eat cookies and chips and ice cream during the week and I eat cookies and chips and ice cream during the weekend. Etc Etc. I eat the same kinds of foods, I just adjust the calorie amounts.

This method has worked great for me and I'm in excellent health, with a healthy bmi of around 21

eta: I also refuse to label food 'good, 'bad', 'junk' etc. That has led to a distorted and unhealthy relationship with food in the past and I'll never go back there. Food is food and I've learned how to eat in a way that's not only sustainable and realistic for me and my lifestyle, but also in a way that has allowed me to accomplish my health and weight goals.

I'm coming up on 4 years of maintenance soon and have already beat the odds for weight loss adherence. I've also drastically improved all of my health markers, including stabilizing high glucose numbers. What I'm doing is working great for me, and one of my strategies is calorie banking!