Help with Calorie Cycling

MaryB2

I decided to try calorie cycling for a couple of weeks. Yesterday was supposed to be a high day but I ended up going 522 calories over my goal. I'm just wondering if the best thing to do is just keep going like it didn't happen or deduct those calories from the next 4 days. If I divide the 522 by 4 then I can deduct that number and still stay above 1200 calories every day. Then that still leaves me with the same number of calories for the week.

poustotah

Chalk it up to a bad day and forget about it. Your body doesn't 'bank' calories and you can't deduct them on the subsequent days.

DontThinkJustRun

I tend to disagree. There have been several times I've eaten less before I know I'm going to splurge so I either don't gain or continue to lose. Your calorie deficit is created over time and it's easiest to look at it over a weeks time. So if you're over 500 one day, but under 500 every other day if the week you are still in a deficit for the week.

Regarding what you should about yesterday's overage, it's really up to you. I'd say do whatever makes you feel best mentally, no one can really tell you how your body will respond and in the grand scheme one day isn't going to make a big difference. For what it's worth, I'd make it up by having one or two days where I cut my cals hard since that's kinda the point of cycling - having high days, low days and medium days. Good luck!