Do you save up your calories/exercise calories for an event or party?

33bbcc33
33bbcc33 Posts: 59 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm wondering if anyone else does this? MFP says if I eat 1330 a day I should lose .5 a week. I'm 5'4" 121 decided I would like to lose only about 6 more vanity pounds and I bike about 4 times a week. Sometimes I'll eat 200 cals less one day or not eat back any exercise calories, usually early in the week and save them up for an event say on Friday or the weekend. I figure it's easier to count my calories for the week rather than day by day as long as they add up to 9310

Replies

  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,154 Member
    I tend to do my long run (6-10 miles) on Saturdays, when I'm far more likely to go out and party/drink/etc. I don't tend to carry over from day to day very often (just because I don't want to confuse myself and double dip), but it's perfectly valid if it works for you.
  • missysippy930
    missysippy930 Posts: 2,577 Member
    I don’t. I just try to make better choices, stay aware of portion sizes, on holidays or other events and celebrations. Log as best I can. So far, so good.
  • ktilton70130
    ktilton70130 Posts: 211 Member
    yep, if i know there is an event coming up i will reduce my calorie intake and get in more exercise. I never eat back calories event or no event. Funny thing is when the event happens i still dont overeat :( I still log what i eat and drink for the event to make sure I don't overeat to gain
  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
    apullum wrote: »
    Sure, many people go by a weekly calorie goal instead of daily. As long as you're in a deficit for the week, you'll lose weight. I would just caution against saving a lot of calories each day because I tend to get very hungry and not feel well if I try to save too many, especially if I start saving them too early in the week. Just find the approach that works well for you.

    I'll second this. You just want to make sure it doesn't cause too much hunger that you end up overeating way too much on the day you eat your banked calories.
  • endermako
    endermako Posts: 787 Member
    I save my calories for date nights so I don't look silly eating half of a tiny salad and not having any alcohol :)
  • rhtexasgal
    rhtexasgal Posts: 572 Member
    I go day by day myself. However, if I am anticipating an event, on that day, I will just eat less and exercise and "bank" those saved calories for the day for my event. For me, it's too much trouble to reserve calories throughout the week.
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
    I bank some calories for events/parties and the weekend too. I go out for regular pizza on Friday nights and usually make a higher calorie dessert on Saturday.

    Both days I go over my maintenance calories, but since I've banked some during the week it all balances out and I don't gain weight and I continued losing weight when I was in weight loss mode.

    I also get in longer 8+ mile hikes on the weekend too which helps (but I do enjoy it, has nothing to do with my calorie intake).
  • jan110144
    jan110144 Posts: 1,245 Member
    I second those who raise the issue of undereating leading to overeating problems later. I have found that one day does not derail. I tend not to 'save' calories because it inevitably leads to me overeating later. Instead I eat what I eat on that special day (trying not to go terribly overboard) and then go back to my normal eating program. This seems to work for me, both during my active learning phase and now in maintenance. One day does not create a big problem. Now, if that one day turns into 3 or 4 (or more), that would be a different issue.
  • Cahgetsfit
    Cahgetsfit Posts: 1,912 Member
    yep I do that all the time. I'll eat a bit less on Mon-Fri and more on Sat-Sun. But my lowest calories are 1500 at any given point.
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
    I don’t save calories but I do reduce calories in the days afterwards. When we’re already eating at a deficit, and we make that deficit steeper ahead of an event, we suffer unnecessarily. After the event we know exactly how many extra calories we consumed and we can drop calories as appropriate after. I get that there might be a psychological difference but to me it’s the same 7 day average, and I trust myself to adjust as appropriate. When I’ve eaten more than normal on a particular day it feels easy to eat less on the two or three following days.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    goldthistime wrote: »
    I don’t save calories but I do reduce calories in the days afterwards. When we’re already eating at a deficit, and we make that deficit steeper ahead of an event, we suffer unnecessarily. After the event we know exactly how many extra calories we consumed and we can drop calories as appropriate after. I get that there might be a psychological difference but to me it’s the same 7 day average, and I trust myself to adjust as appropriate. When I’ve eaten more than normal on a particular day it feels easy to eat less on the two or three following days.

    It is harder on me mentally to pay back calories I have already eaten. There is nothing to look forward to and it feels more like a punishment. I find it very easy to bank calories to spend at a later time. I am motivated to do so because I am working towards a treat.

    On a typical week I am only actually in a deficit 6 days because I routinely bank enough calories to eat maintenance one day a week and if there is nothing special going on earlier I use them on Sunday.
  • Danp
    Danp Posts: 1,561 Member
    I have different approaches.

    If I know an event is coming up I'll either:
    1. decide to bank a few calories in the days leading up
    2. decide that event/party probably isn't worth the extra effort and just attend and not indulge
    3. decide that I'm willing to accept the reduced calorie deficit for that week.

    If the event is last minute or unplanned I'll use option 2 or 3 or:
    4. indulge and reduce calories slightly for the few days afterwards. (kinda of option 1)
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    goldthistime wrote: »
    I don’t save calories but I do reduce calories in the days afterwards. When we’re already eating at a deficit, and we make that deficit steeper ahead of an event, we suffer unnecessarily. After the event we know exactly how many extra calories we consumed and we can drop calories as appropriate after. I get that there might be a psychological difference but to me it’s the same 7 day average, and I trust myself to adjust as appropriate. When I’ve eaten more than normal on a particular day it feels easy to eat less on the two or three following days.

    This might be true for you, but it isn't true for everyone. If you're saving calories, then you're still creating a larger deficit on some days than others, regardless of whether that happens before or after the big meal. The math works out either way; the psychology is variable by individual.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
    This is totally ok.

    If it helps you stick to it in the long term, then it's more than ok it's great.

    Having too much fat is unhealthy. Timing your calories in a way that works for you isn't.
  • FitCurves1818
    FitCurves1818 Posts: 90 Member
    These "events" don't occur often enough for me to develop a strategy. I will indulge on special occasions, one night out won't erase all of my progress. I imagine I probably eat close to maintenance/break even anyway when these things pop up in my schedule because even though I'm eating more calorically dense foods, I'm also more active at the event then I would be normally so no harm, no foul. If the strategy works for you though then do it. I know Weight Watchers has or had that philosophy of flexible weekly points that could be saved for special days
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    Sometimes. Or I just decide to go over for the day and enjoy myself. Get right back on track the next day, and those events won't matter much at all if they are really only occasionally.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    I bank or save calories for every weekend, more if I have an event or large meal (those days I will usually eat very light during the day to save more calories). Or I will cut calories the next week after.

    This may or may not work for others depending on how much they save up for an indulgence. It is easy to go overboard.

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