How many over on Spike Days?

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Virginia90
Virginia90 Posts: 317 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Today is my first spike day since starting MFP in January. I am unsure how much to go over though? I "saved" 150 calories from yesterday for today, but ate almost all my calories every other day. How many do you think is good to go over? How many do you go over if you track?
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  • Virginia90
    Virginia90 Posts: 317 Member
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    Anyone? I normally eat 1500 calories a day (includes 200 for nursing though).
  • tabinmaine
    tabinmaine Posts: 965 Member
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    I have done 2-300 extra with nice results !!
  • Virginia90
    Virginia90 Posts: 317 Member
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    Cool. That's what I'm at for today. I've seen some threads where people are eating double their calorie goal, but that just seems like it would undo everything, at least in my case.
  • foremant86
    foremant86 Posts: 1,115 Member
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    I do doulbe my BMR. My BMR is around 1600 so i ate 3200 calories friday night. Scale did not go up :)
  • sexyagainbysummer
    sexyagainbysummer Posts: 47 Member
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    what is a spike day?
  • foremant86
    foremant86 Posts: 1,115 Member
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    what is a spike day?

    It's a day where you eat over your daily calorie goal. It helps keep the body from getting use to eating at a calorie deficit and keeps your metabolism from slowing down.
  • Virginia90
    Virginia90 Posts: 317 Member
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    @foremant86 I want to try that...but I'm so afraid to! My BMR is 1350, and I eat 1310 each day (plus 200 for nursing my toddler), but I also always eat my exercise calories back...so I'm afraid if I double that, I just won't have a calorie deficit anymore for that week.
  • natalieg0307
    natalieg0307 Posts: 237 Member
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    what is a spike day?

    It's a day where you eat over your daily calorie goal. It helps keep the body from getting use to eating at a calorie deficit and keeps your metabolism from slowing down.

    Really?!?!?! I was getting so bummed about going over yesterday (buffet at a wedding....and cake) and also over a little today.
  • natalieg0307
    natalieg0307 Posts: 237 Member
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    Here's another thread on spike days.... http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/479462-spike-day-exercise-good-or-bad
  • BlaireV
    BlaireV Posts: 137
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    Honestly, I don't really know. I do log my spike day, but it is a very rough estimation. I assume that I'm around 800-1000 calories over.
  • lynnjunior
    lynnjunior Posts: 42
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    I was just on a post called Russ Banjord's spike day - I was told on my spike day (which is my very first one today) that I should eat 2200-2400calories on spike day - my normal intake is 1200/day (usually a little less) - I too am soooo skeptical but after reading everyone's awesome results i'm gonna give it a try!! You might want to check out that message board for some great tips!! Good luck! :drinker:
  • Virginia90
    Virginia90 Posts: 317 Member
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    Welllll....so my husband made nachos...and how could I NOT eat nachos while watching the Superbowl? lol. So I ended the day at 940 something over. I'd love to wake up tomorrow and find I dropped even an ounce. This morning I saw the exact same numbers I had last week, and it was disappointing! MFP told me I would have GAINED 2lbs in 5 weeks though if I ate that much every day! I only ended my day at 2200 calories total!
  • ADobs
    ADobs Posts: 160 Member
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    when I followed the "Spike" lifestyle, I would choose a day of the week, Sundays for me, and doubled my usual calories. So if I usually ate 1,500, I would eat 3,000. I did work out on my spike days, but that was just so I could eat more :)
  • ADobs
    ADobs Posts: 160 Member
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    also, it dosn't "undo" everything you have done throughout the week as it's just one day. And you would have to go over by about 3,500 to gain even 1 lb.
  • lynnjunior
    lynnjunior Posts: 42
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    when I followed the "Spike" lifestyle, I would choose a day of the week, Sundays for me, and doubled my usual calories. So if I usually ate 1,500, I would eat 3,000. I did work out on my spike days, but that was just so I could eat more :)
    so true - thay say you want to always try and keep your spike day the same day of the week - so if you chosse a friday or saturday always try and stick with that day!!
  • Virginia90
    Virginia90 Posts: 317 Member
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    Next week is gonna be tricky - it's my daughter's first birthday, but we are celebrating it twice (once with only a little family, and once with a TON of family and random people my MIL invited. lol) But I think I'll be able to stick to 1 little piece of cake each day!
  • PurplePookie
    PurplePookie Posts: 85 Member
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    how often should one do a spike day?
  • lja20
    lja20 Posts: 54 Member
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    I don't over think it too much, just allow myself to not worry if I'm over. I do log everything, however. My first spike day a few weeks ago was almost 1000 over... and still lost 1.5 pounds that week. Today I was about 650 over. I don't do it more often than once per week, and usually pick a day where there's something going on that I don't want to have to worry about it.
  • lynnjunior
    lynnjunior Posts: 42
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    how often should one do a spike day?
    I was told you only spike one day/week and try to keep it the same day every week - if you choose saturday then try and always do it on sat or right around there!! :flowerforyou:
  • bpurc22
    bpurc22 Posts: 180 Member
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    Eat a little more than your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) - that's your daily goal + the amount MFP has put you in deficit (Daily Calorie Deficit 420 calories - for me) + any exercise calories

    So if your MFP goal is 1600/day
    And you're set to be at a 500 deficit per day
    And you exercised 900 calories today

    Eat a little more than 3000 calories...maybe 3200-3500. Remember, the extra isn't going to kill you, or bloat you up, it will keep you from going insane.

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