This would probably be a little more relevant on the calorie counters board...but I'm mostly only over here...so if you have some input...chime in!
There are times when I know I will be eating a "bigger" meal. Like tonight, hubby and I are going to Red Lobster to use a gift card we were given. I know it will be difficult to eat my usual 400-500 calorie dinner there. I have
"budgeted" for 800 calories there. (And I have pre-planned my meal using their online nutrition facts....so I know I can have grilled fish, broccoli, salad, soup, and one biscuit).
To use this many calories at one meal means that I eat pretty small during the day and have no snacks (I usually have 2-3 snacks a day).
I don't do this extreme calorie budgeting often (maybe 1-2 times a week)....and I think its ok to do. But my husband says it isn't right to "save" my calories for one meal. He says I'm confusing my body this way. (One a budgeting day, like today, I had a 250 calorie protein shake for breakfast...and a 300 calorie lunch of grilled chicken, broccoli and cheese).
What do you think of calorie budgeting? Do you think this is ok for a night or two a week when I know I will be indulging so I stay on track?
As far as I know, they say it doesn't matter as long as you're not going over your calories. I know it better for you to be eating a larger breakfast, as it gets your metabolism fired up, but I don't know about cutting back the rest of the day.
I've done this before too, so I'd like to know as well.
Uh, this is what I do almost every day! I don't really get hungry until later in the evening, so I save my calories for when I'm ready to eat them!
I don't think my body's been too confused. I also tend to calorie cycle, Tue-Friday usually under daily calorie goal & Sat-Mon usually over. And it's been working for me.
What does your husband think your confused body will do? I dont really think you will confuse it. In fact, there are people who say doing things like calorie cycling or changing things up a bit keeps your body "confused" and your metabolism burning (I have never read anything scientific about it though). So what I would think is that your goal, basically, is to eat less than you burn right? So in that way it makes sense to allow for a bigger dinner when you know it is coming by budgetting the other meals appropriately. I dont think doing this every now and again will do you any harm as long as you can manage it (you might be ravenous before dinner and then have a bajillion snacks, i dont know). If this was your normal diet plan, then I'd say it looks a bit unbalanced. But as a way to allow yourself to have a life and go out to eat like people not trying to lose weight, i think its fine. If you stop losing weight, maybe look it. Otherwise, I wouldnt worry. Just my 2c
I tend to skip breakfast - I'm not hungry then, have a 400-500 calorie lunch and 700-800 calorie dinner.
I don't tend to snack, but if I do, it's normally something in the 100 calorie range.
I think budgeting works for people and helps keep you in your calorie count, and I'm not exactly sure why it would mess up your body, as long as you're eating within your calorie range.
I don't see whats wrong with it? It's not like your starving and feeling so hungry that your body is screaming at you to eat. Your just saving a bunch of calories to enjoy a delicious meal later on. Someone once told me it, it doesn't matter if you eat 3 meals a day to tally up your calories or one meal a day that fits your calories it's as long as you eat you calories you're fine. (does that make sense? I think it sounded better in my head.)
The only time budgeting for a meal would be bad would be if you went in so hungry that you then ate way overboard when you got there.
Btw, Red Lobster is one of the friendliest places to go for eating healthy. Check out their menu online before going. Skip the biscuits, get your salad dressing on the side and do the dipping technique. Get grilled fish and choose veggies for a side. Then, if you get a baked potato, ask for butter on the side. I think you can get a good meal for about 500 to 600 calories that way. Unlike the 1000 plus if you eat the biscuits, fried stuff, etc.
Last edited by berryblondeboys; 01-20-2012 at 04:00 PM.
i do calorie budgeting all the time! i read somewhere that that is actually how people who naturally keep weight off tend to think-- they might eat out one night and eat a lot and then the next day they will eat light knowing they ate a lot the night before.
i agree that, as long as you are eating every day, it's okay to plan for big events and eat accordingly as to not be over calories!
I'm new to calorie counting so take my opinion as a grain of salt . But I have done this a few times already. I haven't noticed it being negative on the scale. No if you didn't eat anything all day long and then ate all your calories for dinner one night, that would probably have some ill effects. I know calories are calories, and if reducing you should be able to lsoe regardless, but it also makes sense that eating more stable throughout the day would allow for optimum weightloss versus all your calories at once.
Like other posters have said, it may not be the best way to eat everyday. But I think that planning, and ensureing you can have an OP calorie day is more important that eating bigger meals and snacks earlier in the day.
"Budgeting" your food?
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