"banking" calories

Chrissy_Michelle
Chrissy_Michelle Posts: 176 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Is it possible to bank those extra calories you just can't seem to eat? I have some days where I just don't eat all of my calories because I am simply not hungry. Some days I go over because I can't get enough to eat. On the days where I don't eat all of my cals do you think it evens out by the end of the week as long as I don't go too far over on my "over cals" days? I know in Weight Watchers you can bank "points" and it works... just curious...

Replies

  • kayla7303
    kayla7303 Posts: 154 Member
    *bump*
    I am curious, too.(:
  • valerieee
    valerieee Posts: 13 Member
    i have always wondered how this would work.... would be nice to know! :)
  • damehov77
    damehov77 Posts: 5
    I would say you could. I did WW also and you could use the extra points on how you say fit.
  • iqnas
    iqnas Posts: 445 Member
    I'd be interested in knowing if this works or not.
  • ChrissyLu723
    ChrissyLu723 Posts: 153 Member
    that is called zigzagging http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/526303-zig-zagging-calories
  • TeddyBear47
    TeddyBear47 Posts: 200 Member
    Thats the weight watchers program. It works very well for a lot of people. Good Luck
  • crazytreelady
    crazytreelady Posts: 752 Member
    It doesn't matter as long as you don't go over your caloric intake for the whole week and aren't "starving" yourself.. Just be weary if you are banking them to binge on certain day, because those foods could have a lot of fat or sugars and such.
  • ahubacek
    ahubacek Posts: 135
    Some other posts have talked about looking at weekly net calories over daily net calories. I imagine it would be the same thing; going over/under one day would still even out over the course of the week.
  • amazon75
    amazon75 Posts: 165
    I look at my overall average for the week. Some days are up, some are down. When I know I have an occasion that I will eat heavier, I shave calories the other days so my weekly average balances out.
  • cmayfield3
    cmayfield3 Posts: 176 Member
    There's a recent thread on this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/526814-looking-at-net-cals-over-the-week-rather-than-per-day
  • AngelikaLumiere
    AngelikaLumiere Posts: 862 Member
    some people average their week and it works for them (go under some days and over other days as long as the average for the week is their target amount) I can't do it, any time I go over it takes bites me. Hope it works for you.
  • HauteP1nk
    HauteP1nk Posts: 2,139 Member
    To lose one pound of fat, you must burn approximately 3500 calories over and above what you already burn doing daily activities...for the week. So i would say yes to banking calories...as long as you don't go over for the whole week and still manage to burn at least 3500 calories.

    If you are under by 200 one night, I am sure going over by 200 the next night won't be detrimental to your journey.

    I am not an expert though...I'm just trying to make an educated guess.
  • tropaze
    tropaze Posts: 317 Member
    I don't see why not, when I look at my weekly totals on my iPod it tells me how many calories for the week. I haven't found the same page on my computer, but hey I'm lazy enough not to worry about it since I have the iPod.
  • mamapuddin17
    mamapuddin17 Posts: 108 Member
    So would you go by your"net" calories or the "goal" calories?
  • dr_tina
    dr_tina Posts: 225 Member
    Yes, you can as long as you average the same amount under for the week. It is actually better to do it this way so that your metabolism does not establish a homeostasis. I have been doing it and have lost steadily without issue. However, I spike one day instead, and save all my exercise calories for Saturday and then eat WAY over my allotment. This serves the purpose of kicking up your metabolism and keeps your body guessing.
  • Wangenstein
    Wangenstein Posts: 31
    For the first six months, I was a stickler for remaining under my calories EVERY DAY. After that, I decided that as long as my average for the week is still under, I'm still under. That allows me to have bad days (or special occasions, etc.) and not kick myself, because I know I can hit the treadmill tomorrow and balance it out. This strategy has worked for me, and I'm more relaxed about my eating on a daily basis (unless it's Saturday and I'm still over for the week ;) ).
  • wvval
    wvval Posts: 92 Member
    Yes, I look at my weekly calories as well as daily. Sometimes I go over on the daily, but make sure my weekly calories are under; It has worked for me:)
  • wvval
    wvval Posts: 92 Member
    I go by goal calories:)
  • inside_lap
    inside_lap Posts: 728 Member
    that is called zigzagging http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/526303-zig-zagging-calories

    Yes, it's usually referred to as zigzagging and though there is not any real research on it (just like there isn't substantial research on the current push for body confusion or cross training in regards to workouts -- I mean REAL scientific research not my buddy says or this clinic says...). But, the reasoning behind both seems to make since so why not...
  • Chrissy_Michelle
    Chrissy_Michelle Posts: 176 Member
    Thanks everyone for all your input!! I love MFP!! I'm going to check on my weekly calories, I've never actually looked at it that way. I always focus on daily calories.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    So would you go by your"net" calories or the "goal" calories?
    Er, which one do you use daily? Tracking weekly is no different than tracking daily.
  • Cindym82
    Cindym82 Posts: 1,245 Member
    is there a way for me to see what i average for the week on here? sorry semi new
  • inside_lap
    inside_lap Posts: 728 Member
    Go under reports for weekly view.
  • cindy4mica
    cindy4mica Posts: 777 Member
    Why the hell didn't *I* think of this???
  • billtonkin
    billtonkin Posts: 109
    That's what I do. Sunday is my "cheat" day. On the iPad or iPhone you can see your weekly stats, not sure on PC, I've never looked for it. On Sundays I just watch my weekly stats and make sure I "catch up" on all my macros. It's usually only about ~600 extra calories to make up.
  • cindy4mica
    cindy4mica Posts: 777 Member
    Based on this process, I can only consume about 900 today, tomorrow & Sunday in order to break even (or exercise a TON). Guess I should've thought about that before eating wings & alcohol 3 times this week! lol
  • methodless
    methodless Posts: 62
    Generally speaking, I think this is acceptable.

    There are a few situations in which its less than ideal

    1) Your body repairs muscle tissue as you sleep, if you don't have the right nutrients to do so, catching up later may work, but likely not as well

    2) CARBS! If you consume too many carbs when catching up, you put your body into fat storage mode. The body can only handle about 350-400g of carbohydrate energy before it starts storing it as fat. Of course, you likely burned the fat throughout the other days when you were on lower calories, but why erase progress?

    I tend to loosen up on weekends, but try to avoid having more than 300g of carbs in my system at any given time, that way I may not be burning fat, but I am never in fat storage mode reversing the progress I made over the course of the week.

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