Banking calories per special occasions

madcatlady75 · September 2017

I am currently attending a weight loss group via the NHS aimed at people wanting to have weight loss surgery. I think my set calories are too high, since I followed the plan really well and gained 1kg in a fortnight, but that's a whole different discussion.

I know I have 3 special occasions next week following a big birthday celebration for a family member. Wed will be a spa day with lunch included, I'm planning on sticking to the most sensible option so shouldn't be too bad. Afterwards will be a kind of afternoon tea with another relative, the last time there were loads of sandwiches and cakes so could be tricky. I'll also be baking a dairy free chocolate cake for the Wed, dealing with making frosting and not eating any is going to be a challenge!

Sat night is another family event. This will have a themed food buffet, theme is spooky. I've no idea what I am going to make yet but am planning on some kind of low calorie choice. I've no idea if I will be driving yet so don't know if I can drink alcohol.

Sunday is a meal for the birthday person with wider family at my favourite Indian buffet. That could be a disaster if I'm not careful. All those deep fried starters and little syrupy gulab jamun balls. I'll also be making a second birthday cake.

I was planning on cutting my calorie allowance back for the fortnight, maybe by 200 or so a day to allow myself some freedom to eat more on those occasions. The dietician said that was a bad idea because it confuses your body going up and down like that, also since the surgery would be for life will need to get used to new way of eating.

What would others advise doing in that situation?

cwolfman13 · September 2017

I don't bank calories for a week or weeks at a time. If I have an event, I might skip breakfast or have something very small and do something smallish for lunch so that I can do more at the event.

That said, I go to quite a few social events and outings with friends...I had to learn that just because it's there doesn't mean I need to eat it...and if I do eat it, I don't need to eat all of it.

I think your dietitian is correct in that you need to work on some of your eating habits...you don't need to eat the frosting while you're making the cake...you don't need to eat a whole bunch of sandwiches at tea...you don't need to stuff yourself endlessly at a buffet just because it's there....

madcatlady75 · September 2017

I'm doing pretty well in the day to day stuff and changing my routines there but it is going to be the events that are a big challenge. If it was 1 event in the week then it wouldn't be so bad, but 3 is going to be hard.

The buffet type events are going to be the hardest, it's easy enough keeping myself away from temptation and eating mostly sensibly on an everyday basis but having mountains of food in front of me where I would normally just eat it all will be a struggle. It is something I need to learn to deal with though as November has a hen night and wedding then of course December is full of special events.

I guess thinking about physical hunger and fullness, and trying to remind myself to eat what I need and not what I want will help.

JenniferTX · September 2017

I've read here about people eating less calories during the week so they can eat more calories on the weekend and I don't quite honestly see how that works well.... case in point: This past weekend I went out of town with friends to a conference. I ate the same all week (generally about 500-600 less than maintenance calories) and then on two of the three days of the weekend I went over my calories a little bit (went around 450 calories over one day and about 300 calories over the second day -- mind you, I'm still below maintenance calories anyway.... so for the week I definitely had a deficit. Yet on Monday, I had gained 2 lbs. I realize that's more likely because of my change in schedule (eating late dinners out and not drinking as much water as usual).... because I know I didn't eat 7000 calories over which would have made me gain 2 lbs of actual fat. This morning I had lost .8 lbs so still not back to my previous weight before the trip. And.... I didn't even eat crazy things all weekend - tried to pick out the best choices I could while eating out).... So I'm just thinking that if I cut calories all week but change things up on the weekend every week (like it seems I've read some people do) how do you ever lose weight? I understand how it works (calories in vs. calories burned and deficit = weight loss) but I don't know.... My advice for you is what a previous poster said, just have less calories perhaps the day of the event so as not to go over your planned calories as much as possible. And yes, it definitely is a life style change. We have to learn how to eat and celebrate many special occasions and events all the time and not go crazy. I still have over 100 lbs. to lose and I'm still learning myself.

janejellyroll · September 2017

JenniferTX wrote: »

I've read here about people eating less calories during the week so they can eat more calories on the weekend and I don't quite honestly see how that works well.... case in point: This past weekend I went out of town with friends to a conference. I ate the same all week (generally about 500-600 less than maintenance calories) and then on two of the three days of the weekend I went over my calories a little bit (went around 450 calories over one day and about 300 calories over the second day -- mind you, I'm still below maintenance calories anyway.... so for the week I definitely had a deficit. Yet on Monday, I had gained 2 lbs. I realize that's more likely because of my change in schedule (eating late dinners out and not drinking as much water as usual).... because I know I didn't eat 7000 calories over which would have made me gain 2 lbs of actual fat. This morning I had lost .8 lbs so still not back to my previous weight before the trip. And.... I didn't even eat crazy things all weekend - tried to pick out the best choices I could while eating out).... So I'm just thinking that if I cut calories all week but change things up on the weekend every week (like it seems I've read some people do) how do you ever lose weight? I understand how it works (calories in vs. calories burned and deficit = weight loss) but I don't know.... My advice for you is what a previous poster said, just have less calories perhaps the day of the event so as not to go over your planned calories as much as possible. And yes, it definitely is a life style change. We have to learn how to eat and celebrate many special occasions and events all the time and not go crazy. I still have over 100 lbs. to lose and I'm still learning myself.

When you eat more than usual, you can gain weight temporarily simply because there is more food in your body (or if you had more carbohydrates or sodium than usual, you could gain some temporary water weight from that). But as long as you're still in an overall deficit, you will still be losing weight over time.

DawnOfTheDead_Lift · September 2017

JenniferTX wrote: »

I've read here about people eating less calories during the week so they can eat more calories on the weekend and I don't quite honestly see how that works well.... case in point: This past weekend I went out of town with friends to a conference. I ate the same all week (generally about 500-600 less than maintenance calories) and then on two of the three days of the weekend I went over my calories a little bit (went around 450 calories over one day and about 300 calories over the second day -- mind you, I'm still below maintenance calories anyway.... so for the week I definitely had a deficit. Yet on Monday, I had gained 2 lbs. I realize that's more likely because of my change in schedule (eating late dinners out and not drinking as much water as usual).... because I know I didn't eat 7000 calories over which would have made me gain 2 lbs of actual fat. This morning I had lost .8 lbs so still not back to my previous weight before the trip. And.... I didn't even eat crazy things all weekend - tried to pick out the best choices I could while eating out).... So I'm just thinking that if I cut calories all week but change things up on the weekend every week (like it seems I've read some people do) how do you ever lose weight? I understand how it works (calories in vs. calories burned and deficit = weight loss) but I don't know.... My advice for you is what a previous poster said, just have less calories perhaps the day of the event so as not to go over your planned calories as much as possible. And yes, it definitely is a life style change. We have to learn how to eat and celebrate many special occasions and events all the time and not go crazy. I still have over 100 lbs. to lose and I'm still learning myself.

I lost 50 lbs doing just that. You have to think of your weight as a range instead of a fixed number. Your weight will tend to be higher on the higher calorie days but on average it will be decreasing if you are in a deficit week by week.

A simple example.

Week 1: Lower calorie days average: 208 Higher Calorie Days Average: 212
Week 2: Lower calorie days average: 208 Higher Calorie Days Average: 211
Week 3: Lower calorie days average: 207 Higher Calorie Days Average: 210
Week 4: Lower calorie days average: 206 Higher Calorie Days Average: 209

Just a simple example outlining my point. In week four your higher days are still higher than your week 1 lower days, but the trend is gradually decreasing. As long as your weekly average is decreasing its working.

Mkneedtogetfit · September 2017

I often bank calories from the week for my weekend splurges. I try not to go too overboard during the weekend but sometimes I end up binging really badly like last Sunday at a family fun day. I know I need to work on my relationship with food but that won't happen overnight. In the meantime, I still have 8kg to lose. So, if I am able to maintain a calorie deficit over the week, I feel okay.

mazmataz · September 2017

Banking calories is the only sustainable method that actually works for me!

I do Intermittent Fasting six days a week, and mostly OMAD (One Meal a Day) and 16/8 (fast for 16 hours, eat with an eight hour window) and this really works for me. If I don't open the floodgates I don't overeat.

I'll usually shoot for 200-300 calories below my goal four days a week, giving me 800-1200 to play with at the weekend, and I don't count exercise calories. My calorie daily goal is 1500 (which is my TDEE-20%) and my week generally looks like:

Monday: OMAD 1200 cals
Tuesday: OMAD 1200 cals
Wednesday: OMAD 1200 cals
Thursday: OMAD 1200 cals
Friday: 16/8 1500 cals
Saturday: Free day (mindful but no IF and no calorie counting)
Sunday: 16/8 (mindful but no calorie counting)

I never weight myself on Monday - too much food/sodium/fluid retention from the weekend. I'll have a peak at how things are going on Wednesday and then my official weigh day is a Thursday. I've been doing this for 3-4 weeks now and have been losing a steady 1lb per week.

I've lost more quickly in the past, but surprise surprise it wasn't sustainable and I put it back on. I personally love this way of doing things and feel like I've finally found something that works.

MegaMooseEsq · September 2017

JenniferTX wrote: »

I've read here about people eating less calories during the week so they can eat more calories on the weekend and I don't quite honestly see how that works well.... case in point: This past weekend I went out of town with friends to a conference. I ate the same all week (generally about 500-600 less than maintenance calories) and then on two of the three days of the weekend I went over my calories a little bit (went around 450 calories over one day and about 300 calories over the second day -- mind you, I'm still below maintenance calories anyway.... so for the week I definitely had a deficit. Yet on Monday, I had gained 2 lbs. I realize that's more likely because of my change in schedule (eating late dinners out and not drinking as much water as usual).... because I know I didn't eat 7000 calories over which would have made me gain 2 lbs of actual fat. This morning I had lost .8 lbs so still not back to my previous weight before the trip. And.... I didn't even eat crazy things all weekend - tried to pick out the best choices I could while eating out).... So I'm just thinking that if I cut calories all week but change things up on the weekend every week (like it seems I've read some people do) how do you ever lose weight? I understand how it works (calories in vs. calories burned and deficit = weight loss) but I don't know.... My advice for you is what a previous poster said, just have less calories perhaps the day of the event so as not to go over your planned calories as much as possible. And yes, it definitely is a life style change. We have to learn how to eat and celebrate many special occasions and events all the time and not go crazy. I still have over 100 lbs. to lose and I'm still learning myself.

I think you answered your own question here. If I eat at a 1000 calorie deficit one day, and a 500 calorie surplus the next day, I am still at a 500 calories deficit and will lose fat, even if I temporarily gain weight on the scale. As mentioned in other comments, eating at restaurants and traveling can lead to a great deal of water weight, which can take several days to drop.

I eat quite different amounts on different days, sometimes in a deficit, sometimes a surplus, and I've been steadily losing about 3 pounds a month all year (I'm so close to 30 down I can taste it!). The last seven days are a pretty textbook example (weight is taken first thing in the AM the following day, the middle number is my surplus or deficit):

Tu: 1509 kcal (1000) 179.50 lbs
W: 1529 kcal (1000) 179.30 lbs
Th: 3375 kcal +900 180.10 lbs
F: 3459 kcal +1000 179.90 lbs
Sa: 1457 kcal (1100) 180.60 lbs
Su: 1066 kcal (1500) 179.60 lbs
Mo: 1475 kcal (1100) 178.70 lbs

There's probably a pound of water weight flopping around in there from restaurant meals on Thursday and Saturday - I was even in a deficit Saturday but still gained, because that's what pizza does to me. But if you total the deficits, it comes out to about a pound lost, which is roughly what I'm seeing on the scale. Sunday is also doing some kind of weird things, since I ate about the same as usual (1500-ish) but spent five hours walking around outside, so I suspect my exercise estimates are a bit off. Strictly speaking I should have lost a bit more than a pound total instead of a bit less, but I am NOT going to quibble.

In any case, I've got months of data like this - you really just have to trust the numbers and be patient. You're not going to have as much wiggle room if your TDEE is lower (I'm about 2500 right now) but the principle still applies.

lorrpb · September 2017

Portion control is your friend.

Banking calories per special occasions

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