First Day... Failed already... how does this site make up fo

lynnc1124

Hello... So I've already lost 75lbs and completed a round and a half of p90x before joining this site. I have about 15 to 20 pounds to go before I'm happy. I definitely have an addiction to food and I'm a 100% emotional eater. I have come to the realization that I will be grappling with that for the rest of my life. Today was a really bad day and I reacted by eating a lot of food instead of doing something positive. But the one thing I've learned is tomorrow is another day.

I am wondering however.... when you have a bad day, myfitnesspal doesn't seem to take that into account the next day! Do you ever make up for calories that you over-ate? How does fitnesspal deal with that (if at all)?? I have been using fitday for years and my friend told me about this site. I've hit a complete plateau and as a result my motivation has dipped down a lot! I'm hoping this site gets me going again!

Good luck to all!!

Lindsey

rebeccabickle

I also just started this myfitnesspal site. I don't know what others do or if this is even ok, but I do make up for my extra calories that I ate the day before by burning extra calories the next day. It does seem to work for me well.

taso42_DELETED

Don't try to "make up" for a bad day. Bad days happen, to everybody. Acknowledge it, forgive yourself, and move on. The best thing you can do is try to make the next day (or even the rest of the current day) flawless. Flawless means eating and exercising exactly according to your plan; not under-eating or over-exercising to compensate for the previous day. As long as the majority of your days are good days, over time you will become the lean and fit person of your dreams.

Jorra

Over days happen, especially when you're just starting out. That's what's great about MFP, every day is a new day, a new chance to get it right. You don't need to make up for the past day unless you really want to.

I was over almost every day when I started, but I still saw results because I still had a calorie deficit.

You'll get used to your new goals soon enough. It took me a couple weeks at least.

SLaw4215

If tomorrow is a new day, then why would you want to go backward and worry about making up over-eaten calories? You can make up for them by exercising more and eating within your target and eventually you will have self adjusted and it will show on the scale. I think the whole point is to try and hit your daily target because too many highs or lows can have a negative impact. If you are continually eating like that (Yo-Yo diet) then isn't that what we have all been doing before we found MFP?

glendeb

I guess MFP realises that there will be slip ups along the way, so really the next day you shouldn't be "punished", as long as you get back on track you'll be okay.

One day of overeating dod not make you fat, neither will one day of overeating make you stay on your plateau forever. You are right tomorrow is another day.

Disciplined74

No it doesn't "Make up". You get to start each day fresh and new. (One motivating factor will be at the end of the day when you hit the submit button it will say, "If every day were like today, you'd weigh ____ in 5 weeks."

I wish you the best. Don't let one bad day get you down. '

Keep going.

Eva

sarahc001

Check out the calorie cycling (or zig-zagging) topics on MFP. MFP doesn't specifically track this way, but many people on this site have found it useful for breaking plateaus, since your body does not get used to a specific number of daily calories. Instead, you calculate a weekly total (or the calorie counter does for you) and alter the number of calories you eat in any particular day. Here's the link to the calculator, but I'd still do a search for calorie cycling in the discussion boards.

http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

This may also be more satisfying, because you can plan for a little extra one day, and a little less the next...

Welcome to MFP and good luck with your journey!

BJPCraig

I don't think FitnessPal has an "official" way to do this, Lindsey, but it's easy enough to just figure that you need to account for the difference the next day on your own. (And maybe you can post a suggestion in the appropriate forum.)

I've been on FP for @ 2 weeks, and lost nearly 13 lbs, so I think it's great. I haven't even been putting a lot of effort into it, just being more away of what I eat and what the healthier choices are (last week, my wife & I had so many extra calories at the end of the day, we were actually able to go to Dairy Queen and STILL be under our goals).

But I went over by 40 on my wife's birthday, just shrugged it off, and moved on.

So, good luck. I think this is a great tool!

suzooz

First of all, let me congratulate you on your weight loss so far!

Don't beat yourself up over one bad day, and don't try to make up for it tomorrow. Stick to the plan.

And who knows? You may end up breaking your plateau. . . sometimes, the "cheat" day or an "off" day shocks your body into letting go of pounds. I have had this happen before, and I have seen other similar posts as well.

choughton01

Don't try to "make up" for a bad day. Bad days happen, to everybody. Acknowledge it, forgive yourself, and move on. The best thing you can do is try to make the next day (or even the rest of the current day) flawless. Flawless means eating and exercising exactly according to your plan; not under-eating or over-exercising to compensate for the previous day. As long as the majority of your days are good days, over time you will become the lean and fit person of your dreams.

NICE!