24 + hours

jrhodges20

Ok so I need some assistance. I have changed the way I count my calories to match my current work schedule, as I night worker for another couple of months. On my days off I return to a normal sleep schedule, I just can't keep the same schedule on my days off. So that leads me to Fridays....Thursday night I am up about 5pm, I then eat my breakfast and head off to work. I am off at 7am Friday morning. Occasionally if I have the time I nap for a few hours, but not enough call it a night's sleep. I have so many things to do on Fridays and don't go to bed till about 7-8 at night. I am up for over 24 hours, and don't work out on these days.

Because I don't work out I am still only allowed 1490 calories a day...and feel like I am starving myself to not eat over my calories, but in reality I think it is becuase I am up for so long. I generally eat under every other day of the week, although the past two weeks I may have been under, but not too healthy, with the exception to Wednesday night I burned almost 2500 calories and there was no way I could eat that back...but ate at least 1200. Is it ok to go over the 1490 on Thurs night to Friday night?

Yes I know the simple answer would be to go to sleep....but that most of the time is not an option

WhiteStar2351

Definitely go over! If you're up for 24 hours in a row you need the calories to supply yourself with the energy to continue. Your body doesn't know what time it is so theres no need to restrict yourself to such a small amount just because it hasn't passed midnight yet.

I would suggest you average out the number of calories to reflect your sleep. Say the calories represent a normal 14 hour day:

1490 calories = 106 calories per hour.

If you're up for 24 hours (minus a couple of hour nap):

22 x 106 = 2341 calories.

Aim for around 2,500 calories and you should be fine! Remember, always eat in line with the activity you're doing - NOT because you feel you must. If you're going to be sitting around doing nothing between this meal and your next, eat low carb. If you're going to hit the gym then eat more carbs safe in the knowledge that you'll have a better workout and you'll burn them off. Simples! )

happybunnysbabe57

i would try counting thur and friday calories together and just try to span them out to fit the time period. maybe try drinking more water inbetween meals on thur and fri so u can span them out longer so u are not so hungry. also i would say if u are up 24 hours doing stuff u could probably eat over ur calories just dont go over too much. i dont kno how well this will help but it is my way of thinking

sabrads

You cals are calculated by taking your BMR ( what your body uses to function ) and multiplying it by a factor based on how active your lifestyle is.

For me my BMR is 2500 and I have a sedentary lifestyle so that would be a factor of 1.2 giving me roughly 3000 cals a day.

For 2lbs per week weight loss I deduct 1000 cals a day for a target of 2000 cals.

This is based on me doing nothing i.e. sleeping for at least a third of the day, so if I was to be up for 24 hours I would say that this is almost an increase of a thrid to half of my daily activity. This could make my daily cals target about 2500 i.e. an additional 500 cals.

This would still place me under my 3000 cals per day level for maintenace and if I am not doing this every day I am still in the weight loss zone.

Remember even if you eat more than your target cals for a given day you still have the weight loss cals that are factored in - you might not loose as rapidly but you will feel better and then might be able to adjust your cals over time.