Should you save up your calories for later?

Here’s what I think about banking your calories...

Suppose you’re “watching your weight” and you have a party coming up. You’re expecting a big meal to be served for dinner, and there will be open bar with lots and lots of “party snacks.”
 

You’re not sure if there will be any healthy food there, but you are sure that you’re going to be in a festive, partying mood! What should you do? Should you cut back on food earlier in the day to make room for the big feast?
 

What I’ve just described is commonly known as "banking calories," which is essentially saving calories like money because you're planning to consume more later. It’s a very common practice amongst DIETERS. If you’re really serious about your balanced nutrition and fitness goals, then the answer is no, you should NOT bank your calories!
 

Here's why and here's what you should do instead:

First of all, if you're being really honest with yourself, you have to agree that there's almost always something healthy to eat at any gathering or restaurant. (And if you’re not sure, you can BRING it…)
 

You know those tables you see at holiday parties that are covered with yards of chips, dips, pretzels, cookies, salami, candies, cheese, punch, liquor, and a seemingly endless assortment of other goodies? Well, did you also notice that there's usually a tray full of carrot sticks, cauliflower, celery, fruit, turkey breast and other healthy snacks too?
 

No matter where you are, you always have options, so make the best choice you can based on whatever your options are. If nothing else, you can choose to eat a small portion of "party foods" rather than a huge portion. This is called – moderation.
 

If you skip meals or eat less earlier in the day to bank calories for a big feast at night, you’re only thinking in terms of calories, AND you’re depriving yourself of the valuable nutrition you need all day long in terms of protein (amino acids), carbohydrates, essential fats, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that come from healthy food, as well as the small frequent meals required to keep that metabolism moving along.
 

Eating less early in the day in anticipation for overeating later is more likely to increase your appetite, causing you to binge or eat MUCH more than you thought you would at night when the event happens.
 

Eating healthy food earlier in the day is likely to fill you up and you'll be less likely to overeat in the evening. High fiber foods, healthy fats and especially lean protein, will suppress your appetite the most.
 

Even if “banking calories” worked the way you wanted it to, why would you eat less (starve) in an attempt to burn more fat, then overeat (binge) and put the fat right back on? Why allow yourself to put on fat in the first place?
 

A starving and bingeing pattern will almost certainly cause more damage than an occasional oversize meal. This kind of behavior borders on disordered eating. And the reason I know that is because this is what I did – for YEARS.
 

A better approach is to stay on your regular menu - business as usual - and then go ahead partake in the fun, but sure to keep your portions small. Focus on the company…not on how much food and drink you can take down.
 

It should be a big relief to know that on special occasions, whether it's a party, restaurant meal, holiday gathering, you can eat whatever you want with little or no ill effect on body composition, as long as you respect the law of balance. However, you CANNOT starve and binge and expect not to reap negative consequences.
 

To burn fat and be healthy, you don't have to be a "party pooper" or completely deny yourself of foods you enjoy, but you do need to have the discipline to stick with your regular meal plan most of the time and control your portion sizes all of the time.

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