The six day calorie deficit aka banking calories

pierinifitness · May 2019

To all who followed my post, whatever works for you is great, I was merely presenting another option. There aren’t that many extra daily steps required in burning an extra 42 calories a day following the OP’s math lesson.

I wantedy to burn an extra 100 calories this evening to close out my day at a mathematical maintenance point. I was surprised that it didn’t take much movement and activity to crank out another 100 calories.

But, I realize some might be exhausted from a hard day’s work. I sit for a living and know not of that toil.

Carlos_421 · May 2019

pierinifitness wrote: »

Agree @MrsDan1667, hence my “all roads lead to Rome.” And, I acknowledge my post may have been offensive or hurtful to some who are disabled and this I regret.

But, most people are not disabled and my suggestion was really consistent with the OP’s math drill using an activity-based version of the eating less version.

I’d rather take a 5 minute walk than scrimp on eating 2 less stalks of celery and 4 less baby carrots embodied in OP’s math riddle example.

Everyone is different and the way we skin the fat cat will also be different.

OP's "math riddle" was to bank an extra 250 calories by spreading that 250 calorie deficit across the other 6 days so that you can have a bigger meal or treat on the 7th.
Your alternative proposal was to take a walk to earn those calories.
Most people would have to walk for an hour or more to burn that many calories.
You dont have to be disabled to not have the time or ability to go on a one hour walk on top of what you may already be doing on a regular basis to increase calorie burn.

But you go ahead with your strawman about a 5 minute walk vs eating "2 less stalks of celery."

By the way, not all roads lead to Rome.

Carlos_421 · May 2019

pierinifitness wrote: »

To all who followed my post, whatever works for you is great, I was merely presenting another option. There aren’t that many extra daily steps required in burning an extra 42 calories a day following the OP’s math lesson.

I wantedy to burn an extra 100 calories this evening to close out my day at a mathematical maintenance point. I was surprised that it didn’t take much movement and activity to crank out another 100 calories.

But, I realize some might be exhausted from a hard day’s work. I sit for a living and know not of that toil.

The OP offered a very helpful tip which you continue to demean as a "math lesson."
We all know that walking burns calories. Good job.
What not everyone realizes is that it's our overall intake/output over time that matters and not strict adherence within each 24 hour period. Thus, I expect the OP to be enlightening to many.

pierinifitness · May 2019

Glad you were enlightened by OP’s example @Carlos_421 but woe to me that I didn’t articulate mine to your comprehension. Nuff said by me, signing off on this one.

paperpudding · May 2019

OP I agree this is a much more helpful way at looking at approaching variation in days and social events than trying to adhere to exactly the right amount of calories every single day.

I haven't done the actual maths but I always look at my calories as weekly allowances rather than daily ones and this helps with real life adherence.

Of course one still has to be mindful even on the higher days and not go stupid overboard but does mean one can enjoy treats, social occasions etc like a 'normal person'

Rather than the scenarios like somebody gave in another thread of sneaking their own food in to a social event and eating it in secret in the bathroom rather than eating the food provided.

It is ok to have treats. It is ok to go over your calories ( and to eat at less than perfect nutrition ) on some days.

Just keep the weekly calories at around the right level - and MFP very handily provides a weekly graph for you to manage that.

Lillymoo01 · May 2019

Eating at a slight deficit through the week, to enable higher calories on the weekend for more indulgences works well for some.
Eating at a deficit during the week and at maintenance during the weekend, taking slightly longer to reach your goal weight, works well for some.
Exercising a little bit more, to burn some extra calories, to enable you to eat more on any particular day, works well for some.
You just have to find what best suits you and your lifestyle. I personally eat a little more over the weekend, but because I have more time up my sleeve, also exercise more on the weekend to counterbalance those extra calories. This works for me at this point in my life, but there is no way it would work for everyone. It may not work for me either in a year from now.

GottaBurnEmAll · May 2019

pierinifitness wrote: »

All roads lead to Rome. Seems simpler to me to go take a walk and earn the calories of your treat but that takes getting off your butt and moving. Easy for some, not so easy for others. Again, all roads lead to Rome.

I'm a short, older woman who weighs 115 pounds. I am VERY active. But since I am short and older, I just don't burn a lot of calories. It's simple math and physics.

I'm maintaining right now and want to lose about 5 or so more pounds of vanity weight. When I go back to losing, I'll likely hit my birthday and want a treat like cheesecake, I'll earn that treat through calorie banking.

It's very easy for men especially to forget that for many women, even active women, simply earning treats through exercise isn't even within the realm of possibility because we just don't have the body mass to BURN that many calories on a daily basis.

snickerscharlie · May 2019

pierinifitness wrote: »

To all who followed my post, whatever works for you is great, I was merely presenting another option. There aren’t that many extra daily steps required in burning an extra 42 calories a day following the OP’s math lesson.

I wantedy to burn an extra 100 calories this evening to close out my day at a mathematical maintenance point. I was surprised that it didn’t take much movement and activity to crank out another 100 calories.

But, I realize some might be exhausted from a hard day’s work. I sit for a living and know not of that toil.

Another point to mention that I haven't seen brought up is that exercise bulimia is a thing. And a dangerous thing.

Getting into a mindset where if someone is slightly over their caloric allotment, or feel that their deficit for the day wasn't large enough, can lead them into thinking "I've gotta do an hour on the treadmill before I can go to bed!" And that's a very slippery slope. One that can all too easily lead someone into an unhealthy relationship with food *and* exercise.

OP, thank you for this thread. It's insightful and on point.

kimny72 · May 2019

NovusDies wrote: »

Annie_01 wrote: »

@NovusDies I think your banking formula could be useful for a whole lot of people especially those that are still going out with friends, date and work colleagues. When you look at it the way you have it allows a lot of freedom for weekends. Some people that are really busy and already active just don't have the time to squeeze in more exercise and/or a walk. Also it could be a tool for those that are just not physically able. I also see it being beneficial in maintenance...keep a small deficit during the week to offset any weekend overage...at least enough for a bloody mary!

I can't know for sure obviously but I do suspect I will be doing this even in maintenance because it fits my personality and it is line with my natural eating habits. I care about what I eat more on the weekend than I do during the week.

I currently AM doing this in maintenance

Especially during the winter months, when there is nowhere safe to get outside and burn off some steam and it gets dark early and I find myself naturally a touch less active. Just eating at a 50 or so calorie deficit during the week by eating more "diet-friendly" treats buys me 300+ calories so I can have a beer and a garlic knot with my pizza, or have room for brunch on Sunday if my SIL calls at the last minute.

And I wouldn't mind being a couple of lbs lighter still, so if I have a week every once and awhile where I don't eat back these saved calories, I might be able to shave off a couple of extra lbs this year without fussing over it.

This kind of flexibility is so important for people to understand! So many people fall off the wagon because they feel like they have to constantly be on a regimented plan, that their body writes a record in stone at the end of every day that makes or breaks you. But the process is actually quite fluid and flexible enough to fit into your real life.

ceiswyn · May 2019

snickerscharlie wrote: »

pierinifitness wrote: »

To all who followed my post, whatever works for you is great, I was merely presenting another option. There aren’t that many extra daily steps required in burning an extra 42 calories a day following the OP’s math lesson.

I wantedy to burn an extra 100 calories this evening to close out my day at a mathematical maintenance point. I was surprised that it didn’t take much movement and activity to crank out another 100 calories.

But, I realize some might be exhausted from a hard day’s work. I sit for a living and know not of that toil.

Another point to mention that I haven't seen brought up is that exercise bulimia is a thing. And a dangerous thing.

Getting into a mindset where if someone is slightly over their caloric allotment, or feel that their deficit for the day wasn't large enough, can lead them into thinking "I've gotta do an hour on the treadmill before I can go to bed!" And that's a very slippery slope. One that can all too easily lead someone into an unhealthy relationship with food *and* exercise.

OP, thank you for this thread. It's insightful and on point.

When I was studying psychology (which was admittedly longer ago than I like to think...) over-exercising was covered as a form of anorexia.

garystrickland357 · May 2019

After reading the OP I see this as a realistic approach to both weight loss and maintenance. It helps us see that weight management is about consistency over time. When we are consistently in a calorie deficit we lose weight and when we are consistently in a surplus we gain. I sometimes "bank" and/or "borrow" calories in the context being used in this thread. I did so to lose 80 pounds and I still do in maintenance. If I know the kids are coming home and I'll be cooking something special and intend to indulge a bit, I'll bank a few calories along the week before. If life happens and I give in to the doughnut at work, I'll just shave a few calories over the next few days. The bathroom scale always tells me if I'm doing the math right.

I will make one comment about exercise. I can see the point that @pierinifitness was trying to make. Yes, adding a few steps per day that are not in your usual routine have the same net result as eating a few less calories. In my experience though that is a slippery slope. I started commuting to work by bicycle - it's literally 5 minutes from my house to work by bike. If I ride back and forth to work and home for lunch, that's 20 minutes of easy activity and 150 calories. The "slippery slope" is that this has become routine and part of my daily activity. PLUS, on rainy or bitterly cold days when I don't ride I don't get the calorie burn. I have learned that controlling my intake is the most effective way over time to control my calorie balance. I failed at maintenance once before by depending on exercise to keep me in calorie balance. Milage may vary for others.

lemurcat2 · May 2019

pierinifitness wrote: »

All roads lead to Rome. Seems simpler to me to go take a walk and earn the calories of your treat but that takes getting off your butt and moving. Easy for some, not so easy for others. Again, all roads lead to Rome.

Nothing to do with the topic. One can exercise a lot and still bank calories. When I was logging more regularly I used the TDEE method, where you have the same calories daily most days. My schedule was such that I did long runs/bikes or races on the weekend, but often went out to dinner on Friday, and I'd often eat slightly less on other days than my TDEE (TDEE with exercise averaged across the week) and then use the extra calories to have what I wanted at dinner on Friday.

Since my workouts are driven by plan, I find it not helpful to think of a workout to earn or make up for extra food. Instead, they are based on my training goals. YMMV, but it's not really cool to suggest that those who do it differently from you are unwilling to get off their butts and move.

The six day calorie deficit aka banking calories

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