Weekly calories or daily calories ?

Fivefootcaloriecounter
Fivefootcaloriecounter Posts: 123 Member
edited November 21 in Health and Weight Loss
I like to look at my calories on a weekly basis , therefore if I've had a high calorie day I can alter my calories on the other days to even out the week , HOWEVER .... Im finding that I Do tend to binge and then restrict and I'm worried I'm getting into this cycle rather than evening the week out ? Am I just better to start the next day as fresh as start again with a clean slate if I've binged rather than restricting the next day ?

Replies

  • Fivefootcaloriecounter
    Fivefootcaloriecounter Posts: 123 Member
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  • Fivefootcaloriecounter
    Fivefootcaloriecounter Posts: 123 Member
    My week so far
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    edited September 2017
    Yah I see a pattern.

    I look at both...

    I try to stay in goal through out the week....but if something pops up like an invite out and I want to go I don't worry about it as I have days and days to even it all out.

    I don't restrict the very next day...that could and does lead to being extra hungry the day after that which would lead to another high day etc.

    So my suggestion is not to restrict the very next day just scale it back a bit...

    However I do have to ask how the heck are you eating 3726 net calories in a day??? I could do that but it would be a lot of alcohol and fast food and I would feel like kitten the next day...
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    edited September 2017
    Well, I think you've got two questions here. One is whether what you are calling binge/purge restrict is healthy. If that's really a concern for you, or if you spend yourself really obsessing over calories and such, you really should speak to a medical and/or mental health professional. The fact that you're asking the question at all is kind of concerning.

    Edited because I read "purge" instead of "restrict". It still seems a bit concerning.

    The second question being weight-loss, and I can confidently say that so long as you average a deficit over the week, eating dramatically different amounts from day to day does not keep you from losing weight. I have been averaging bi-monthly since January and have been losing as expected. I do see more water weight movement after nights out, but it always evens out.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    MegaMooseEsq wrote: »
    Well, I think you've got two questions here. One is whether what you are calling binge/purge is healthy. Generally speaking, those terms do not indicate a healthy relationship with food, no. If that's really a concern for you, or if you spend yourself really obsessing over calories and such, you really should speak to a medical and/or mental health professional. The fact that you're asking the question at all is kind of concerning.

    The second question being weight-loss, and I can confidently say that so long as you average a deficit over the week, eating dramatically different amounts from day to day does not keep you from losing weight. I have been averaging bi-monthly since January and have been losing as expected. I do see more water weight movement after nights out, but it always evens out.

    I don't see anything about purging in the post...and a binge in itself is not "unhealthy"
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    edited September 2017
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    Yah I see a pattern.

    I look at both...

    I try to stay in goal through out the week....but if something pops up like an invite out and I want to go I don't worry about it as I have days and days to even it all out.

    I don't restrict the very next day...that could and does lead to being extra hungry the day after that which would lead to another high day etc.

    However I do have to ask how the heck are you eating 3726 net calories in a day??? I could do that but it would be a lot of alcohol and fast food and I would feel like kitten the next day...

    Booze and practice will get you there no problem. I've grossed 3800-4k three times this month on 4-6 drink nights. The booze alone is about 1k, and it's amazing how much food you can eat when you're drunk. And yes, I do feel crummy the next day, although not as bad as one might think.
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    edited September 2017
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    MegaMooseEsq wrote: »
    Well, I think you've got two questions here. One is whether what you are calling binge/purge is healthy. Generally speaking, those terms do not indicate a healthy relationship with food, no. If that's really a concern for you, or if you spend yourself really obsessing over calories and such, you really should speak to a medical and/or mental health professional. The fact that you're asking the question at all is kind of concerning.

    The second question being weight-loss, and I can confidently say that so long as you average a deficit over the week, eating dramatically different amounts from day to day does not keep you from losing weight. I have been averaging bi-monthly since January and have been losing as expected. I do see more water weight movement after nights out, but it always evens out.

    I don't see anything about purging in the post...and a binge in itself is not "unhealthy"

    You are entirely right and I edited my post. That said, the way the OP is talking about food generally doesn't seem necessarily healthy. As posted above, I have high calories days pretty regularly myself, but I'm not especially concerned about it. I have certainly gotten help in other mental health areas, though, and I know it can be extremely valuable.
  • magster4isu
    magster4isu Posts: 632 Member
    I think one thing you should consider is if what you are currently doing is sustainable. Will you always be able to trust yourself to alter those non-binge days to even out your week or will those binge days become 5 out of the 7 days each week? If you truly think this is sustainable, then yes, as long as you have a deficit for the week you will continue to lose weight. If the answer is no or I don't know, you might want to work on managing those binge days better and learning what causes you to want to binge.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    I actually look at both. If I have a day where I just go over, I can plan the next day or two much better so the weekly ends as it should or instead of restricting too much, I might just let the week be more a 'maintenance' week.

    I have never had up to 3000+ calories day though, Most is around 2500 and a planned outing where I knew I was going over and not worrying about it one way or the other. I might look at my calories overall to make sure my deficit is not too agressive in the first place, I might also exercise a lil more so I can eat more too.

    Not sure the best advice really, but I would play with meal timing as well. Not much help, but you will find a method that works for you over time.
  • LiftHeavyThings27105
    LiftHeavyThings27105 Posts: 2,086 Member
    Generally speaking, I am more interested in the weekly totals. Obviously, the daily total is important. I try to maintain the same daily total every day....thus, being consistent (which is important). That said, life does not always like 'consistent behavior'! So, if you overdo a little bit today then maybe a pay it back tomorrow (and/or the following day).

    The key here is doing things in such a way that I can put myself in a position of success. In other words, that what I do is sustainable. I believe that a few folks have made the same suggestion | observation.

    I have replied to similar posts. And I am going to mirror @magster4isu - it is all about recognizing the pattern and changing your behavior. That is key.

    Usually, you do not "just" sit down on the couch, eating a tub of <insert-your-favorite-icecream-here>! There are usually events.....in a specific pattern......that result in you sitting on the couch with said tub. If you can learn to recognize those steps and change your reaction to the step before "going to the refrigerator".....you will be in a better position.

    Does that make sense to you?
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    edited September 2017
    Photographic proof of concept (today being incomplete - I'm on track for about 1520 today). I've lost 1.1 pounds over the last 7 days, which is right on track for me. I'll average about 1845 calories for the back half of September. I lose weight faster than most women, but the principle applies across the board - if you average in a deficit, you'll lose weight. I agree with @magster4isu's comment above about sustainability, though. I gained weight largely because I let the nights out get way out of control. After over a year working on it I'm down to where I am now, which I am very proud of. It's got to be sustainable, though.

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  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    edited September 2017
    I eat variable calories so that it averages out to maintenance. I did they same when I was losing, while I was gaining and before I needed to lose. I've eating that way for decades. It's not unhealthy or unsustainable, at least not for me. I have regular checkups and they are always fine and, as noted above, I've eaten this way most of my adult life.

    But because it can be done doesn't mean it's for you. If I'm reading your screenshot correctly it looks like your daily average is quite a bit over your goal. That's different than averaging at your goal.
  • shaunshaikh
    shaunshaikh Posts: 616 Member
    It's just cumulative calorie deficit or surplus that matters. What you're saying could work. As someone mentioned, I'd question the sustainability, but that's not for me to say since it's a very personal question.
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    I eat variable calories so that it averages out to maintenance. I did they same when I was losing, while I was gaining and before I needed to lose. I've eating that way for decades. It's not unhealthy or unsustainable, at least not for me. I have regular checkups and they are always fine and, as noted above, I've eaten this way most of my adult life.

    But because it can be done doesn't mean it's for you. If I'm reading your screenshot correctly it looks like your daily average is quite a bit over your goal. That's different than averaging at your goal.

    In defense of the OP's screenshot (since it looks similar to mine), I found MFP's tracking not to be terribly helpful if I set my goal at the average, since I basically never eat at average, so I settled on the "days in" number as my calorie goal. (I actually have a paid account so could theoretically set different goals by day, but I track everything on my own spreadsheet instead.) I have no idea if this is the case for the OP, but just wanted to offer the perspective.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    I'm guessing that you are restricting calories too low, which is leading to the binging. In general I see nothing wrong with looking at the weekly average, but the "binging" is no good. What is your weekly weight loss goal set to?
  • GlassAngyl
    GlassAngyl Posts: 478 Member
    Both, because sometimes our bodies just need more. Other days, not as much. As long as we aim for under maintanence every day and TRY to hit the deficient we prefer, it should all equal out in the end.
  • emailmehere1122
    emailmehere1122 Posts: 140 Member
    I look at all info weekly. Macros and all...I save some calories everyday so I can eat out a couple of times a week. I really don't know anything about binging...is there a reason you're doing that.

    And if someone vcould tell me how to get the screenshot instead of what I've got that would be awesome
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