Can I have a low net cal 4 days to have a high cal day?

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toshie333
toshie333 Posts: 295 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
if I exercise and say... Burn 1200 cals over 4 days, can I eat them at the weekend and have a net of 900 cals on those first 4 days!?? Just wondering if you can save exercise calories or eat some save some? X

Replies

  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    Without attempting to look at your actual numbers, generally speaking you can shift calories from one day to another. I wouldn't go to extremes (for example, not eating for 4 days), but as long as your average intake over time is appropriate you should be just fine.
  • clareeast
    clareeast Posts: 64
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    I would agree, in principle, as long as you are not starving yourself on low intake days. There is a well reputed fitness club in the UK that gives this advice - their eating plan allows for "treat calories" that can be saved up over a week.
  • toshie333
    toshie333 Posts: 295 Member
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    Yes my example was a bit extreme. I like the idea of working it over a week as usually if I go to gym after work I don't fancy a big meal so still have calories to eat when I don't need them. Thanks
  • SuffolkSally
    SuffolkSally Posts: 964 Member
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    Well I do it, so I can accommodate meals out and so on...
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
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    I pay most attention to my weekly average. For example my goal is 2000 net calories. Sometimes I'll go over, and sometimes I'll be under, (never on purpose, it just happens sometimes) but if my weekly average turns out alright then I'm happy :)

    So I can't see the problem with it, as long as you're eating enough each day. I would however, say that 900 net calories is too low.
  • TinaLRoman
    TinaLRoman Posts: 41 Member
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    I would save calories period, not just exercise calories (I consider those bonus)

    ie: If I take in 7000 calories over 7 days, that averages to 1000 calories per day.

    When I know I have a major event on the weekend coming up, I just eat less on the days leading up to that event (usually after also, but I'm trying to keep this simple)

    So let's say I know I'm going to want to eat about 2500 calories on Saturday. That would leave me 4500 calories for Sunday to Friday, which would be about 750 calories per day.

    This is not something I would do every week, but it's great when you know you have something coming up and you don't want to "blow" your eating
  • tanyaleighcummings
    tanyaleighcummings Posts: 105
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    I do that, generally speaking, but I try to keep in mind what I am spending those extra calories on. I watch my cholesterol, fat, sugar...but sodium I try to keep under 1500mg a day no matter what. I do this because my lower calories most of the time I fear might have my body try to hold onto more when I splurge.
    It general I feel like calories don't mean as much as what they are calories of. But I am active enough that only once in the past 20 days have I managed to go over in calories...
    Just experiment, see what works for you. I am not going to never eat out, or just have plain steamed veggies when I do. But I am going to be aware of what I am doing and make it worth it. Chinese food I can skip but a lovely dinner at a nice steak house I am not going to pass up or feel guilty about. I also run sprints after every meal because that kicks my metabolism into high gear and tells it to burn these calories, not hold them. But no, I don't do those on the fancy steakhouse lawn after my meal...I wait 'till I get home and at that point it is more about habit than metabolism. *grin*
  • Robin_Bin
    Robin_Bin Posts: 1,046 Member
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    Weight Watchers lets you save up. And lots of other plans have cheat, relaxed or higher calorie days. I'm not an expert, but based on what I've read and heard from people here and in my own experience... I'd say it's good to vary your calories and what you eat over time. Make sure your low days don't go so low that you kick your body into starvation mode or a lower metabolism (1,000/day is probably too low; MFP suggests a minimum of 1,200/day). Don't let your relaxed days go too high or come too often. But if you're really trying to make an ongoing change in your body and lifestyle, I think you need to build in some flexibility.
    Best wishes.
  • hazelsmrf
    hazelsmrf Posts: 96 Member
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    I do alternate day fasting, so on one day I eat 500 cals or less, and the next I eat 2300 calories. It averages to 1400 a day. I've been doing this since January.

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