Eating back YESTERDAY'S calories

aeloine

I stayed on track in terms of my calories IN yesterday but went to the gym kind of late. I don't sleep well when I eat too late, so I just skipped the meal that I'd made for myself for after the work out. SO my question is, do you guys ever eat back YESTERDAY'S exercise calories?

I think this could go along with counting calories on a weekly average basis rather than as daily inputs, but I'm just curious is that's ever backfired. Would you log it today or retroactively to yesterday?

I do feel hungrier today, and this would give me enough extra to have a second breakfast. I don't eat ALL of my exercise calories back, just half.

GottaBurnEmAll

Some people do things like this on purpose. I remember the first year I was losing, I ate 100 calories under every day for a week to "bank" the calories to have some cheesecake for my birthday.

As you said, it's like you'd be eating on a weekly average. Your body doesn't stop and start a caloric timer at midnight

If you're hungrier today, go ahead and eat some of those exercise calories back.

aeloine

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

Some people do things like this on purpose. I remember the first year I was losing, I ate 100 calories under every day for a week to "bank" the calories to have some cheesecake for my birthday.

As you said, it's like you'd be eating on a weekly average. Your body doesn't stop and start a caloric timer at midnight

If you're hungrier today, go ahead and eat some of those exercise calories back.

Thanks! I guess sometimes I need to make sure that this "extra cheat treat" isn't a "cheat" at all!

maggibailey

I always eat a little less during the week so that date night doesn’t feel restricted for my hubby, or football snacks can be a little heavier. It has worked just fine for me.

Wynterbourne

I've lost over 130 lbs and I average my calories weekly versus following a daily calorie goal. This allows me to work in special events or things I've been craving. Your body doesn't just reset when 24 hours have passed.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Yeah, I go by weekly average. I generally aim for 1800 on weekdays and 2500 on weekends for an average of 2000.

MegaMooseEsq

I’m pretty sure your body isn’t worrying about the numbers nearly as much as you are. I maintain a deficit by week and haven’t noticed any issues losing weight even with my daily totals swinging all over the place - in fact, I haven’t even noticed issues that seem very common, like excessive hunger, nagging cravings, or plateaus. I have no idea if the two are related, but it's one theory.

WhereIsPJSoles

Unless I’m like unusually hungry during the week, I save exercise calories for the weekend. It works for me. I’m not the same amount of hungry every day. Some days I could feel full on 800 calories and some days I need 2,000. It all comes out in the wash.

JaydedMiss

If im hungry i eat. Iv undereaten the past 2 days but waaaaaaay overate day before. MY body is fine and it knows it lol. Sort of what maintenance to me looks like, Undereating some, Overeating others and having it all average out. Would be the same in weight loss just with smaller margins and numbers. I just tend to be hungrier days im doing less. And thats fine. Id be setting myself up to fail if i forced myself to eat when not hungry and to not eat when i was.

laur357

Yep. If you're working on the weekly net calories, it all evens out - your weekly calories eaten, expended through exercise, all that jazz. You might just be a little heavier for a day or two from water weight, mass of food in your system, etc.

I save most of my exercise calories all week and eat more on the weekends because we usually go out for dinner.

Need2Exerc1se

maggibailey wrote: »

I always eat a little less during the week so that date night doesn’t feel restricted for my hubby, or football snacks can be a little heavier. It has worked just fine for me.

I do this as well. Even now that I'm in maintenance I eat at a deficit during the week so I can overeat on the weekends without gaining.

TavistockToad

Yep, look at your weekly goal, not daily.

tomteboda

I do it regularly. I'm very low on calories (net) for the past week. Today I'm ravenous, and I'm eating what I want.

Aaron_K123

I did yeah but if its just one day then probably don't need to stress it unless you are hungry. If you are hungry go ahead and use some of yesterdays deficit as a refeed. Either way I wouldn't make a habit of it if you can avoid doing that.

cs2thecox

Always yes to second breakfast!

I'd log it under today, because I think honest logging is the best approach.
So yesterday would show well under and today over. You can always add a note to today.

I normally do it the other way round and have a lighter day after I've wildly over-eaten. I generally feel less hungry anyway. Doesn't seem to do any damage.

NorthCascades

It's just math. A lot of people do stuff like this and it seems to be working for them.

aeloine

Second breakfast conquered! Thank you guys!

ladyhusker39

I often do a lot of cardio on Saturday but the hunger from it doesn't usually hit until Sunday. Usually Saturday is under and Sunday is over. It all balances out.

Jruzer

I do something similar. I count today's dinner against tomorrow. This is helpful to me as I don't usually make dinner, and have no idea if we're having something light or something heavy. That way I can plan the whole day's calorie budget out the day before.

ttreit

Sometimes. Sometimes I track calories by the week instead of the day.