Eating too much one day, not enough the next...

Tiff1124
Tiff1124 Posts: 261 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone :)

This might seem like a stupid question, but hopefully I'll get some smart answers.

Yesterday was a bad day for me eating wise, let's just say I had nothing for breakfast or lunch and then inhaled an entire medium pizza when I got home. Yes the WHOLE pizza. Needless to say I feel so crappy today I don't want to eat anything.

So I was thinking, since I ate pretty much 2 days of calories yesterday, should I just not eat a lot today to counteract the calories? So far I've had a banana and a miniature snickers (damn co-workers bringing in all thier leftover Halloween candy). I'm debating eating lunch, although I just finished 30 day shred and a quick 20 minute run.

Is it really bad to go one day without eating a lot, to make up for a day you ate WAY too much?
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Replies

  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    I don't think its bad for you unless you develop a eating disorder
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    If ~1,800 cals is two days worth, you have bigger problems.
  • Tiff1124
    Tiff1124 Posts: 261 Member
    I don't think its bad for you unless you develop a eating disorder

    Pretty sure that would NEVER happen to me. I love food too much! But being anorexic one day can't hurt could it? ;)
  • kmillers
    kmillers Posts: 144 Member
    Think of your calories weekly, not daily. Stay under your calorie goal for the week and you will be fine. I don't eat all my calories Monday-Saturday and splurge on Sunday and still stay under my goals. It all works out. Don't fret and start over today.
  • nikinyx6
    nikinyx6 Posts: 772 Member
    a whole medium pizza isn't that bad if that's all you ate.

    The body is a machine that needs fuel, I'd eat light, but eat something :)
  • Tiff1124
    Tiff1124 Posts: 261 Member
    If ~1,800 cals is two days worth, you have bigger problems.

    Pizza Hut (From Website, 9/1/12 - 12" Medium Pan Pizza With Pepperoni, 1 container (8 slice ea.) 2,000 calories 208 fat 96 carbs 88 16 protien 4,720 sodium

    2 days worth
  • Zalect
    Zalect Posts: 11 Member
    Just eat normal the next day. Odds are, you gained maybe (AT MOST) 1/4 of a lb. One or two days of healthy eating will negate that without slowing down your metabolism. Cheat days once in a while don't hurt at all. Just don't make it a common things
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Think of your calories weekly, not daily. Stay under your calorie goal for the week and you will be fine. I don't eat all my calories Monday-Saturday and splurge on Sunday and still stay under my goals. It all works out. Don't fret and start over today.

    This ^^ just eat so that if you average your calories over 7-10 days it would be pretty close to goal.
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
    That's fine. It's what I do a lot. But I don't eat super low calories to make up for it because then I feel irritable and get a headache. It's better for me to make up for that one day of bad eating over the course of the rest of the week so I still have energy and don't feel like crap! Just gotta log it all so you know you made up for it all the way ;)
  • lewcompton
    lewcompton Posts: 881 Member
    The trick is to understand why the desire to eat garbage comes up... Personally, I need to eat about six times per day... Small planned meals. It helps me say no to temptations like pizza and fast food... I plan an occasional slice into a day or do a cauliflower crust pizza (look it up - it works)... It also keeps my blood sugar even and I don't get the afternoon slow down. Figure out what works for you though and make it keep working.
  • sunshine_gem
    sunshine_gem Posts: 390 Member
    So basically you're going to punish yourself for eating a pizza by depriving yourself of nutrients? Doesn't seem like a good plan to me. I would just eat as normal and drink loads and loads of water. We all have those days when we don't eat perfectly but that's ok. No need to punish yourself.
  • Eat_clean_stay_tiny
    Eat_clean_stay_tiny Posts: 67
    I don't think its bad for you unless you develop a eating disorder

    Pretty sure that would NEVER happen to me. I love food too much! But being anorexic one day can't hurt could it? ;)

    that's not even funny.

    I have an eating disorder and one cannot just " be anorexic for a day "
    and we don't just not eat. we eat, just not very much. it's also about the mindset, not even the food.

    ugh
  • paleirishmother
    paleirishmother Posts: 242
    I do that all the time. Keep track of your calories by week, not day by day. You can always make up for lost calories by exercising more the next day, or the next couple days. Add a count -calories or +calories in your "exercise notes" of your diary. Keeping track by week, works better, for me at least. Some days I am really hungry, and other days not so much. Just make sure you're making your weekly goal with a healthy amount of calories. Good luck!
  • kelseyhere
    kelseyhere Posts: 1,123 Member
    It's fine to do this every once in a while as long as it doesn't become a habit. If you stuff your face every Sunday and starve every Monday, you may have a problem. But after the occasional holiday or game day where you go a little too overboard, a low calorie day the next day is a good idea. It helps me get back on track faster.
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    I don't think its bad for you unless you develop a eating disorder

    Pretty sure that would NEVER happen to me. I love food too much! But being anorexic one day can't hurt could it? ;)

    that's not even funny.

    I have an eating disorder and one cannot just " be anorexic for a day "
    and we don't just not eat. we eat, just not very much. it's also about the mindset, not even the food.

    ugh

    here we go
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    The trick is to understand why the desire to eat garbage comes up... Personally, I need to eat about six times per day... Small planned meals. It helps me say no to temptations like pizza and fast food... I plan an occasional slice into a day or do a cauliflower crust pizza (look it up - it works)... It also keeps my blood sugar even and I don't get the afternoon slow down. Figure out what works for you though and make it keep working.

    Not bad advice, but who wants to never eat pizza?
  • Eat_clean_stay_tiny
    Eat_clean_stay_tiny Posts: 67
    I don't think its bad for you unless you develop a eating disorder

    Pretty sure that would NEVER happen to me. I love food too much! But being anorexic one day can't hurt could it? ;)

    that's not even funny.

    I have an eating disorder and one cannot just " be anorexic for a day "
    and we don't just not eat. we eat, just not very much. it's also about the mindset, not even the food.

    ugh

    here we go

    sorry but people who make jokes about eating disorders make me sick. I HAVE ONE and it's nothing to joke about or say " omg i'm going anorexic for a day (; "
    just no.
    just stop.
  • KarenisPaleo
    KarenisPaleo Posts: 169 Member
    I do that all the time, fast for a day or most of a 24 hour period and then do high protein etc..It's fine!
    I'd stay away from the snickers bars though ;)
  • jsj024519
    jsj024519 Posts: 400 Member
    zig zag?
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
    Hmm my friends with eating disorders joke about them a lot. They say its a coping mechanism to deal with something that's a really big issue they struggle with. But not everyone deals with things in the same way I guess.
  • toaster6
    toaster6 Posts: 703 Member
    Be careful. Don't get into the habit of eating terribly and thinking you can "just make it up" but not eating the next day.
  • Tiff1124
    Tiff1124 Posts: 261 Member
    I don't think its bad for you unless you develop a eating disorder

    Pretty sure that would NEVER happen to me. I love food too much! But being anorexic one day can't hurt could it? ;)

    that's not even funny.

    I have an eating disorder and one cannot just " be anorexic for a day "

    and we don't just not eat. we eat, just not very much. it's also about the mindset, not even the food.

    ugh

    I am so sorry. I didn't realize.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    I must be doing it wrong. When people make jokes that happen to cover my own medical diagnoses, I don't let them distract me from the actual topic of the post.


    (Well, that's not entirely true, since one of the symptoms of one of my problems is that I'm easily distracted.

    Seriously, if I had a dollar for every time I got distracted, I wish I had a bowl of ice cream.)


    ETA: Back to OP, yeah, zigzagging is fine, but not from a perspective of punishing yourself for a perceived wrong. And 2000 calories for two days sounds like too little to me...but I've never been one of the 1200 calorie zealots. Perhaps if you built into your plan a higher calorie limit, you wouldn't be led decisions where you feel like you have no control. Making your eating decisions calmly and rationally without feeling like you're trying to ease a craving can be very liberating in relearning a healthy relationship with food.
  • Eat_clean_stay_tiny
    Eat_clean_stay_tiny Posts: 67
    Hmm my friends with eating disorders joke about them a lot. They say its a coping mechanism to deal with something that's a really big issue they struggle with. But not everyone deals with things in the same way I guess.

    yeah.. eating a normal amount and then " fasting " by not eating the next day or eating a little? that's called being disordered. I used to do that.

    If one eats to much one day they NEED to eat the next day.. just not eat a bunch of horrible for your body food
  • onyxgirl17
    onyxgirl17 Posts: 1,722 Member
    Just eat normal healthy... the extra will come back off... but 1800 calories probably isn't "extra" opposed to your TDEE. That's maintenance for me...
  • nanainkent
    nanainkent Posts: 350 Member
    When I do that I split up the excess calories over the rest of the week and try to either eat under by that daily amount or exercise off the addiional daily amount. I like the latter the best.
  • palmerig88
    palmerig88 Posts: 623 Member
    I always went with, if I ate bad one day, I made sure to eat properly the next. As in, if I were you I would still eat my calorie goal for TODAY and leave yesterday in the past where it belongs. You are human, you will make mistakes.
  • jesse1379
    jesse1379 Posts: 239 Member
    I was so busy yesterday that I did not eat anything until late at night when I got a third pounder bacon cheeseburger from Mickey D's. I actually ate half of my sons too:) Still didnt even come close to touching my daily caloric intake requirment after I did an hour on the ellyptical trainer. I never like to be that under in calories but that day I couldnt help it.
  • Tiff1124
    Tiff1124 Posts: 261 Member
    I wouldn't say I am punishing myself for my bad eating, although I was pissed at myself I'm not going to intentionally starve to teach myself a lesson. Like I said before, I like food to much to never eat. I should have reiterated what I meant by "eating a little" opposted to NOT eating at all.

    Anyway.. thank you all for the advice. I will make myself a big yummy salad and have some fruit for lunch, and eat light for dinner. Back on track tomorrow :)
  • lewcompton
    lewcompton Posts: 881 Member
    I fast one day (24 hours) monthly and MFP can just go jump that day...

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