Is it ok to carry calories over?

I have started counting calories from today, and have an allowance of 1500 per day. Today I have only had 1100 and don't want to eat anything else. Am I ok to save the rest of my calories for another day, ie to have a drink at the weekend, or will I just have to 'lose' the calories I haven't had. I would rather cut down during the week so that I can relax at the weekend, but I'm not sure if that will just mean I won't lose weight. I would be grateful for any advice anyone could give me. Thank you

I've heard a few people talking about the idea of 'calorie banking', and eh, I'm not really sure about it. For the simple reason that at any one point in time if you give your body too many calories, it will try to use them, and failing that, it will store them. The converse is of course true, but in general I find it easier to gain than to lose. At the moment I am trying to keep my intake low in order to lose a tiny bit of weight in the lead up to an event, but it's more like trying to lose a little weight before the event so I have a buffer zone to absorb some of the weight gain.

Having said that, it's very difficult to go on a diet plan where you can't have any fun or a drink on the weekend if you want one. If the idea of saving some calories for the weekend helps you to both have a bit of fun, and moderate that a bit, then by all means I would say go for it. And really, the only way to find out is by giving it a try .

Essentially, I do this as part of my "Indulgence Diet". You can read more about it via my bio-page. I move calories from 6 days of the week onto the 7th, and I have always seen results with this.
I know that weight-watchers do something like this, or at least used to.
If the main thing is a calorie deficit over the course of a week, then I don't see any harm in moving some over to the next day.
However - why do it, unless you REALLY need them for a "party day"? Why not instead get the extra weight loss from a day well done, and not use it as an excuse to eat more? This way you see more and faster results, you get the pride to "throwing away" some calories. Just a thought.

Having fun and/or drinking can be done on most diets. If you only count calories, go for a low calorie breakfast and lunch, so you have more calories available for dinner and the evening.

Thank you both for your reply. I think it will be trial and error for me this first week, but your comments have been very useful. Thank you

I have been losing weight successfully this way (calorie cycling, the "Spike Diet" for awhile. I have never plateaued, and lose consistently and pretty quickly as long as I follow the plan (which is not always. I do tend to stray in the summers.) I can't say there is a definite correlation between this plan and my ability to lose quickly and easily, or if that's just my body, but I like it. It gives me incredible freedom to live my life and still lose. And I learn a lot about how to make choices at other times in my week.

Now, keep in mind, I still eat whatever I want all day everyday, I just account for it in my other choices throughout the day and I journal EVERYTHING. I also tend to eat pretty healthy, generally, and I exercise intensely six days a week (a mile swim two days a week, and road run 15 miles per week, in addition to weight lifting, yoga, and pilates). But I do take one day "off" per week after maintaining a 500 to 1,000 calorie deficit every day all week. I gain just slightly after my spike, but lose larger the subsequent days than if I didn't spike. Strange? Science? Fluke? Don't know, but it works for me.

See a review of a FS member's book on the plan here Spike Diet review

As I say with every post so the incredibly knowledgeable haters don't swarm, this is a personal, anecdotal experience. I can tell you what I know based on what's happened to me. But I'm a fitness-junkie English teacher, not a nutritionist or nutrient scientist.

(Sorry for the attitude. The number of sassy know-it-alls who don't is increasingly disturbing around here.)

Track your RDI vs. calories burned (exercise history). You'll be amazed at how many calories your burn "resting" and "sleeping". When you add in exercises you've done it increases the burned calorie count per day. Then you can maximize your intake vs. burn. Don't "bank" alcohol calories, count them and you'll stay on track for losing. Eat a lighter meal earlier in the day to account for the calories you'll consume from that cocktail.

Uh? If your going to take swipes like that, may as well name names?

No, no. That's not what I'm about.

This place, in my opinion, is supposed to be about support. Lately, there's an awful lot of my-way-or-the-highway going around. Sharing knowledge is fine and helpful and part of what we're all here for (the learning AND the sharing what we've learned), but not at the expense of kindness, which is the tone lots of commenters have taken. Case in point.

Thank you, all of your comments have been very helpful. It took me a long time to get used to things when I first started Weight Watchers then it became second nature, and I am sure it will be the same for calorie counting. I think for this first week, rather than wondering what I can and can't carry over etc, I will just make sure I end up on a negative net calorie amount every day, and see if that works. If it doesn't I will try to do something different... Although I don't know what !! From what I have read on here, and from other websites I have looked at, everyone seems to have differing ideas of what works for them.

over time maintain a calorie deficit, and you will lose weight.

day to day variations wont make much difference

I would agree. I would also think that part of that of being able to have an open and honest discussion from, as you would say, "personal, anecdotal experience" is being able to express a point of view and other's having an opportunity to disagree respectfully (both as part of the 'learning and sharing' ). I don't consider respectful or 'kind' discussions to involve attacking such as "sassy know-it-alls who don't", etc. There's a very big difference and that had nothing to do with the point at hand. And I guess we could all add a 'This is from personal, anecdotal experience' paragraph onto the end of each post.



Not what your about? That's not exactly what it looks like from here.

You can design a program where you do a couple of light days followed by a heavier day. A lot of people have luck with that. It's considered a type of intermittent fasting.

What you don't want to do is give yourself the green light to ignore your intake today and make it up at some later date.

Shazzyb... YOU GOT IT! "I will just make sure I end up on a negative net calorie amount every day" is EXACTLY what I was trying to explain. If you consume less calories than you burn, you are bound to lose! Best of luck

No thanks.

In fact, since the problem is obviously mine since no one else seems to think there have ever been any out of line remarks made here on the forums, I'll just walk away.

Happy posting, y'all.

Thank you Chowdah, for your help. Am enjoying counting my calories and am going on my treadmill a lot more often. Thank you

You're welcome Shazzyb