Day after "cheat" day

tjsims88

I had an unplanned cheat day on yesterday. I was with my family that decided to go out for pizza. I am currently doing IF, so it had been about 18 hours since I had ate anything and I was very hungry. I ended up eating a lot and even having drinks I'd say I probably had about 2100 cals yesterday. My goal is 1500. I am thinking about only having about 500 cals today and exercising for an hour. Good idea? Even when I do plan to have a cheat day , I always feel bad/guilty after and try to make up for it the days after

whatyouwill

In my humble opinion, that sounds like an overcompensation to me. How about eating your normal target of 1500, and exercising for an hour?

Lots of water will help the day after a cheat day. Yesterday I had 2800cals, including a couple of beers. I felt awful at the time, but have come to terms with it being in the past now. Today, I am eating approx. 1800 cals (including a Friday beer) and just doing a light run. It's all about averages, over an extended period of time. Add up all your calorie intakes for the week, and divide by the number of days, and see if that's on target

louiseduckett81

Its was one day, maybe do a bit of exercise but definitely do not just have 500 cals today, that would make you feel worse!! Don't beat yourself up about it

kk_140

I always like to have a very low calorie day after a "cheat" day. But everyone is different. If I have a day where I eat over maintenance, I subtract maintenance from the total then subtract that from my daily calories the next day. I'll probably get crap for this, but who cares:

If I eat 2,100 calories in a day and I maintain at 1,700, then I've gone over by 400 calories.
I eat 1,200 calories a day normally. subtract 400 and that is 800.

I'll eat 800 calories the day after that "cheat" day.

sbarella

I usually don't restrict my calories unless I'm naturally less hungry (which sometimes happens). Sometimes I just get an extra walk/jog, that's all.
Anyway, IF is not supposed to be a torture. One day means nothing, life happens and pizza nights are meant to be enjoyed. But If you find yourself starving all day and overeating at dinner very often it might not be a good strategy for you. Everyone is different.

Iwishyouwell

I always like to have a very low calorie day after a "cheat" day. But everyone is different. If I have a day where I eat over maintenance, I subtract maintenance from the total then subtract that from my daily calories the next day. I'll probably get crap for this, but who cares:

Anybody giving you "crap" for it typically is someone who can't fathom that other people are able to restrict calories for a day and not becoming a ravenous food-beast.

Maintaining your weekly deficit is what matters in the end, no matter when you time your eating. Going over on your calories one day and subtracting them from the next makes total and perfect sense to me.

Branstin

I balance my calories for the week and not the day. I eat high some days and low on others. As long as you are meeting your macros/deficiency for the week then the method you use is your business. The only issue I see is that you might be extremely tired with 500 calories and working out for an hour so you might want to up your exercise on your high calorie days.

XLMACX

dont do it!! thats how i got in to a bad vicious cycle because to me if you cut back day after its like your almost punishing yourself for eating a little more and enjoying yourself!

if you do want to cut back maybe just have 100cals less spread through the week or as others have said just exercise more. i always eat 500cals more one day a week and i lose avg around 1.5lb

sbarella

Anybody giving you "crap" for it typically is someone who can't fathom that other people are able to restrict calories for a day and not becoming a ravenous food-beast.

Maintaining your weekly deficit is what matters in the end, no matter when you time your eating. Going over on your calories one day and subtracting them from the next makes total and perfect sense to me.

Point is, 90% of the time this kind of posts (not necessarily you, OP) begin with "help, I was doing great with my 1000 calories/day diet then I binged, now what should I do?", so it only makes sense that further restriction is not the answer in those cases. But looking at the weekly/monthly deficit is totally fine IMHO.

VeryKatie

2100 calories probably isn't too much higher than maintenance for you. Why don't you eat normally but try to get in a a couple of extra exercise sessions this week? That way you could burn off the excess down to maintenance and you may not have lost weight that day, but won't have gained either! It would be less stressful that way.

However, ONE day of 500 cals won't hurt you. That's how the 5:2 diet works. But if you're doing it often, it might not be the best. Not sure.

levitateme

Log it and move on. It's not going to ruin your progress if you are consistent in the long run.