If i'm over my calories...

erin4609
erin4609 Posts: 131 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Question: If I go over my calories for a certain day, do you think I could just log the amount over for the next day so I make up for it by working it off/eating less the day after? (I hope this makes sense...)

For example, say I accidentally eat 500 cals over (hey, accidents happen!) one day, can I just log 500 calories for the next day so I either do more cardio to work it off or eat less? Thoughts?
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Replies

  • Cuso1333
    Cuso1333 Posts: 6 Member
    or you can just keep as is and still work hard the next day...its about being under your calories for the week
  • gowrirao81
    gowrirao81 Posts: 139 Member
    I do that sometimes too .. especially if it's only a small treat that pushed me over (~100cals). I hate being in red and not having the "under calorie goal" status so I move it to the next day. If you are watching only averages over the week, this approach is fine as long as you don't keep carrying over the calories for more that a coupla days.
  • Dottyb1940
    Dottyb1940 Posts: 188 Member
    The answer is yes you can
  • Rosplosion
    Rosplosion Posts: 739 Member
    That doesn't work for me. If I'm over my calories for the day I try to work it off that day. If not, I get over it. Tomorrow is another day. If it works for you, you CAN do that. Especially, if you have a tight schedule it can be difficult to fit in another workout for the day.

    It can become habitual and an easy excuse when the crap committee in the head starts up the BS factory. Yes, I'm crazy.
  • LeanneGoingThin
    LeanneGoingThin Posts: 215 Member
    I would excersize or eat less the next day, yes. It doesn't have to be the exact 500 calories, but just to even things out a bit.
  • bnorris2013
    bnorris2013 Posts: 256 Member
    Honestly your only lying to yourself when you do that

    I don't like seeing red either so when I go into the red I bust my butt with cardio to put me in the green even if its only green by 20 calories

    I mean I get it your loss is over a week period but a month from now if your wondering how come I only lost 1 lb the last 3 weeks your gonna look back or have someone else look back and they wont be able to tell you why because you moved all your stuff around

    Sometimes I look back on my red days and it makes me stronger to push forward
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member

    I mean I get it your loss is over a week period but a month from now if your wondering how come I only lost 1 lb the last 3 weeks your gonna look back or have someone else look back and they wont be able to tell you why because you moved all your stuff around

    ^^^this^^^ When your weight loss slows or stalls later on down the line, you'll come to the forums and say "what's going wrong???" and we will have no way to really offer help to you because your diary isn't accurate. Accept a bad day and do better the next day. It's not the end of the world.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Question: If I go over my calories for a certain day, do you think I could just log the amount over for the next day so I make up for it by working it off/eating less the day after? (I hope this makes sense...)

    For example, say I accidentally eat 500 cals over (hey, accidents happen!) one day, can I just log 500 calories for the next day so I either do more cardio to work it off or eat less? Thoughts?

    Yes, technically you can... but it almost sounds like you are trying to hide it or make excuses. You ate over, so what. Own it and have a better day tomorrow... don't sweep it under the rug and try to forget it/hope no one notices.
  • MayaSPapaya
    MayaSPapaya Posts: 735 Member
    I agree that it seems like you're trying to hide it from yourself, and plus it's kind of like lying about the day. When I go over, I log it, and move on with my life, and just do good for the next day.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Question: If I go over my calories for a certain day, do you think I could just log the amount over for the next day so I make up for it by working it off/eating less the day after? (I hope this makes sense...)

    For example, say I accidentally eat 500 cals over (hey, accidents happen!) one day, can I just log 500 calories for the next day so I either do more cardio to work it off or eat less? Thoughts?

    Yes, technically you can... but it almost sounds like you are trying to hide it or make excuses. You ate over, so what. Own it and have a better day tomorrow... don't sweep it under the rug and try to forget it/hope no one notices.

    this!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Why not just own it?
  • Poofy_Goodness
    Poofy_Goodness Posts: 229 Member
    Question: If I go over my calories for a certain day, do you think I could just log the amount over for the next day so I make up for it by working it off/eating less the day after? (I hope this makes sense...)

    For example, say I accidentally eat 500 cals over (hey, accidents happen!) one day, can I just log 500 calories for the next day so I either do more cardio to work it off or eat less? Thoughts?

    No. This is just mental gymnastics to make yourself feel better about going over calories. If you do, it isn't the end of the world. Just accept it and move on to the next day. Losing weight is about improving our relationship with food too. Carrying over calories is not going to help that. Just move a bit more, do an extra half hour of cardio.

    I think it's a much healthier practice to expend extra calories to "make up" for an overage than to restrict calories the following day.
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    However you do it, it all comes out in the wash. I wouldn't put much stress on yourself either way. If you move the calories or not, you're still planning to reduce the next day's calories to account for them. They get counted.
  • Lochlyn_D
    Lochlyn_D Posts: 492 Member
    Sorry. That's called cheating and it doesn't work like that. You're only going to be lying to yourself doing that and it won't be doing you any favors.
  • phoo513
    phoo513 Posts: 231 Member
    I agree w/ Wolfman. Take the responsibility for what happened, log it honestly, and tomorrow plan better meals. Honesty about how and why we overeat is very important to this process of learning to establish a healthy relationship w/ food.
  • ssdivot
    ssdivot Posts: 193
    For me it is best not to do that. I have done it and am often tempted to do that. When I do, it sometimes ends up with me being "behind" for a week trying to catch up and feeling pressured. Remember that your goal has the deficit built in so if you are setup for say a 500 calorie deficit per day, if you're in the red up to 500 calories you are still not going to gain weight. I'm often in the green by a 100 or more calories, so if I have a day where I'm in the red its often cancelled out in a weekly perspective by the small green numbers I have on the other days. If its not, I don't worry about it and just carry on the next day as normal.
  • socioseguro
    socioseguro Posts: 1,679 Member
    Hi :

    MFP track log is helpful when you log accurately as possible. Then, you can "discover" trends when looking at the Reports over 7 days, 30 days, 90 days.

    If you are going to change the accuracy, then MFP reports will no longer be helpful to you.

    Just own and start fresh tomorrow. Take it one day at a time.

    Good luck in your journey
  • daddydog69
    daddydog69 Posts: 17 Member
    I just put it down......April 13 we went from one end of Duval to the other and probably underestimating I went nearly 2500 over for the day....then I just buckle down. Its like people who cheat on their golf scores....you are only cheating yourself. I gained 3 that week but took off nearly 6 the next....you can't negotiate noshing...either ya did or ya didn't....write it down....and think about why you did.
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
    Your body has a 24-hour clock per one of my excellent doctor's.

    So no. You can't turn back the world a la Superman.
  • abrodniak
    abrodniak Posts: 47 Member
    It's a lot easier just to own it. There are some days I will work it off if I go over, and there are other days when I will suck it up and move on. As some of the others have said, if you shuffle stuff around you're just cheating yourself, and it will be harder to get advice when you need it if you aren't tracking honestly.
  • redrumxtina
    redrumxtina Posts: 10 Member
    you should not be counting calories you should be counting carbs, sugars.
  • conniemaxwell5
    conniemaxwell5 Posts: 943 Member
    It's really up to you how you log your calories. You would be the only one who would know but IMO you should log what you eat, when you eat it. Be accountable every day for what you do. You can still work it off the next day, just account for it where it belongs. My failures in the past were largely due to "cheating" the system a little here, a little there, until I was so far off track I couldn't find my way back.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    you should not be counting calories you should be counting carbs, sugars.

    edited because I can't compete with this level of stupidity.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    I agree that it could be a slippery slope to "hide" calories like that. It's much more honest and accurate to log what you eat within the day and then maybe make a note on the next day's diary to remind you to eat a bit less that day or work a bit harder in the gym. Hell, I've seen several instances where a day here and there going over actually seems to help some folks lose because they're so strict with their calories. We all need a break now and then, just don't make a habit of it.
  • staceypunk
    staceypunk Posts: 924 Member
    Well, you can but it's cheating. Like you're just working the numbers to make it show what you want it to. Log accurately so you can identify patterns and make changes as necessary. As long as you stay around your goal for the week you should be alright, but don't go twisting things around to feel better about your day.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    you should not be counting calories you should be counting carbs, sugars.

    Where did you read that the OP is a diabetic? ... I missed that part
  • carrietehbear
    carrietehbear Posts: 384 Member
    Just log it, own it, and move on... That's my motto. Yup, I ate the entire bag of chocolate covered pretzels that put me over. Guess what? It didn't kill me. I didn't immediately gain 10 lbs. Everyday is a new day!
  • ken_hogan
    ken_hogan Posts: 854 Member
    Question: If I go over my calories for a certain day, do you think I could just log the amount over for the next day so I make up for it by working it off/eating less the day after? (I hope this makes sense...)

    For example, say I accidentally eat 500 cals over (hey, accidents happen!) one day, can I just log 500 calories for the next day so I either do more cardio to work it off or eat less? Thoughts?

    If you ate over one day, you ate over. Why not be honest and just log it when you ate it and move forward? Like you said, accidents happen.
  • ken_hogan
    ken_hogan Posts: 854 Member
    Well, you can but it's cheating. Like you're just working the numbers to make it show what you want it to. Log accurately so you can identify patterns and make changes as necessary. As long as you stay around your goal for the week you should be alright, but don't go twisting things around to feel better about your day.

    And this.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    Carrying over to another day won't make a difference - your body doesn't do an end of week calculation to figure out if you came under/over when allocating weight loss/gain. Just treat each day as its own and you'll be fine. Don't get into the mentality of punishing yourself with extra cardio or depriving yourself of nutrition because you had a spill or you'll dread the process. It's about the long haul, not the immediate gains.

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