Daily calories - spreading them across the week? Metabolism?

Daily calories - spreading them across the week? Metabolism?		mialondon
		May 14 2008 11:37
Hi everyone I'm fairly new here - and I've been allocated 1550 calories per day for losing weight (I'm 5'9", 168 lbs, 30 years old, female and fairly sedentary). The site calculators claim I will lose 1.16 a week at this rate, which seems quite reasonable and healthy. My question is - can I spread my daily calorie allotment across a week - i.e. make sure that I eat 1550 X 7 = 10,850 calories a week, but some days eat less and some days (the weekend probably) eat more? I know that Weight Watchers (which works on a similar calorie-counting concept) lets members "bank" points for later use in the week, and also has a special Wendi plan which gives members super-high and super-low days for points. WW claim that the Wendi plan speeds up the metabolism. I've never tried Weight Watchers (I think calorie counting is more sensible and cheaper!), so I have no idea if these plans work. And if it is okay to "save" calories for use at a later day, how low can I go? Is 1200 per day (except for higher days) okay? Thanks Mia

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#1	queenmedia	May 14 2008 12:42
To answer your question, yes!! I don't eat the same amount of calories everyday, it just doesn't suit my lifestyle. Try this site for a breakdown of different amounts for different days. (click the 7 day cycle) Good luck!
#2	ofmiceandmoxie	May 14 2008 13:39
queenmedia- BEST WEBSITE EVER! a million thanks, I'm favoriting that =]
#3	ohio45	May 14 2008 13:41
I do this and I know many others do also. There are just some days, special events, dinning out or whatever, that you may overeat, but can average it out over the next few days.
#4	odie03	May 14 2008 14:07
I think the only thing to NOT do is don't let your cals go below 1000 in a day and I wouldn't go and eat 3000 in a day either. Everything else sounds good.
#5	mialondon	May 14 2008 15:12
cool - thanks so much guys! That makes me feel a lot better. I don't ever plan to go under 1200 (think I'd get too hungry, for one thing!), although I do worry that I've had a few Saturdays where I've slipped over 3000 - which I need to stop!!
#6	fairytail87	May 15 2008 17:33
Ok, now I'm confused...someone please help!! I clicked on the link queenmedia posted. Here's what it said: Age: Years Gender: Male Female Weight: Pounds Kilos Height: Feet Inches Exercise level: Basal Metabolic Rate Little/no exercise (desk job) 3 times/week 5 times/week 5 times/week (intense) Every day Every day(intense) or twice daily Daily exercise + physical job Advanced Options Results in: Calories Kilojoules Formula: what's this? Mifflin-St Jeor Lean Mass - Enter Body Fat % Harris-Benedict RESULTS - GUIDELINE ONLY Maintenance: 2575 Calories/day Fat Loss: 2496 Calories/day Extreme Fat Loss: 2496 Calories/day 7 day calorie cycle (zig-zag) Ex Fat Loss Fat Loss Maintain Monday 2496 2496 2575 Tuesday 2496 2496 2496 Wednesday 2996 2996 3090 Thursday 2496 2496 2575 Friday 2496 2496 2496 Saturday 2746 2746 2833 Sunday 2496 2496 2575 I don't get it, the info above says to maintain I need 2575 calories, but for extreme fat loss I need to eat 2496. This is less than 100 calorie deficit a day, or 700 per week and with the two zig-zag days it wouldn't be a deficit at all. Is it doing some calculation I'm missing and adding extra calories that I can't see in the list above? I ask because I've been maintaining a 1000 calorie deficit from the 2580 for sedentary stats listed on CC, and I don't want to be slowing my metabolism down! Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!!
#7	johgar	May 15 2008 19:32
I think it might be because your gender says male? Remember...these are ONLY guidelines...though I visited the site and it was spot on for my calorie range...maybe try it again? I can't eat the same amount of calories every day...makes me feel too much like a robot...but I sure don't feel great after those 2500 cal splurge days...why is it that I feel guilty now? Don't know if I can stick to the zig zag guidelines that the website laid out...but it gives me a good idea :)
#8	fairytail87	May 15 2008 19:50
yeah, I don't know what happened to the neat little box that cut and pasted from the other page. I swear I saw it before I posted and it looked right! Grr! Anyway, I did have all the info right, F, 35yo, 5'7, cw 312 ( if anyone wants to test and see what they get for reference - maybe I did it wrong.) I just didn't see how I could eat 2496 calories a day and lose weight when I'm struggling for every pound sticking to 1500-1600, and my maintenance calories are approx. 2580. It's very frustrating trying to find the right numbers and figure this all out!!
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