Your Calorie Bank Account

You know by now that you can’t maintain your weight by consuming unlimited calories. Most of us have been there and done that at some point in our lives, only to find ourselves heavier and more frustrated than we ever imagined.

One effective strategy for managing your weight is to think of your daily calorie allotment as income. You have so much to spend every day. If you stay within your limit, your “balance” — or your weight — will stay where you want it. If, on a particular day, you choose to “spend” or consume less, you will have given yourself a choice. You can either apply it toward weight loss, or you can consider it a deposit toward savings, which you can borrow later. In other words, you can eat less one day in anticipation of eating more the next day.