HIGH CALORIE DAY...yes or no?!?!?

cjspawn120
cjspawn120 Posts: 33
in Food and Nutrition
Hello! I've been dieting super strict with the new year. I work out everyday and usually still eat under my calories intake by 500...yesterday I ate far below my allowance, I also went to the gym and did 3 miles and an INTENSE zumba class but refused to eat alot. I went to bed hungry and woke up at 4am i believe due to my hunger. However, today I hit about 2000 calories and I did not go to the gym because I felt sooo tired.

My question is having a high calorie day once a week-or once on occasion- will this hurt a diet, or possible help? I thought I read Jillian Michael's allows contestants on the biggest loser a high calorie day once a week. Thank you very much for any thoughts!!

Replies

  • tryclyn
    tryclyn Posts: 2,414 Member
    High calorie days for me are closer to 3000 since 2000 is my everyday goal, but yes I believe in one or two over days in a week is good for your sanity.

    Have you checked out some of the groups, they can be very helpful?
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less
  • spisea
    spisea Posts: 41 Member
    Life is not an episode of the biggest looser.

    Do you mean that you eat 500 calories below what MFP recommends for weight loss? That kind of behavior could be putting your body into a metabolic tailspin. Long term, very low calorie diets will result in weight gain and/or an eating disorder.

    2000 calories in one day isn't technically a binge. That's actually a normal day for a smallish woman in her 30's. Younger people need even more calories than that. Regardless, it was probably needed for your body to recover from the abuse you gave it the day before. Did you eat 2000 calories of good, nutritious food? Did you eat in a calm manner or did you wolf it down with guilt?

    Good for you for recognizing that your body needed a rest today! And great that your body is smart enough to wake you up at 4 am when you underfeed it.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    You work out seven days a week? You eat 500 under your TDEE or under another number? Does your diet contain a balance of all the food groups and all the nutrients your body needs for health and recovery bearing in mind the increased needs from regular exercise (can be double)? Might be worth reading up on overreaching and overtraining syndrome.
  • cjspawn120
    cjspawn120 Posts: 33
    lol.... I realize life is not the biggest loser.

    I was thinking it's because I haven't been eating enough lately, so I'll adjust starting tomorrow-I jst hope 11 days of working out and eating great wasn't destroyed with today =/

    and it was a mix of cookies and healthy, whole foods. iyiyi...
  • cjspawn120
    cjspawn120 Posts: 33
    Sory! I just saw your comment...I'm recommended to eat 1320 without exercise...I've been eating 1000 approx with exercise- til today was 2200ish and no excercise!! Eeek I feel kinda sick. I know it wasn't the healthy way about it but I had a goal vacation in march so I was trying to lose before it but I know I need to up it now
  • dorianaldyn
    dorianaldyn Posts: 611 Member
    I think you should stop under eating and then you won't feel like you need "high calorie" days. This needs to be sustainable... yes, you'll eventually go into maintenance mode, but you're being too hard on yourself with the chronic under eating.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    lol.... I realize life is not the biggest loser.

    I was thinking it's because I haven't been eating enough lately, so I'll adjust starting tomorrow-I jst hope 11 days of working out and eating great wasn't destroyed with today =/

    and it was a mix of cookies and healthy, whole foods. iyiyi...

    You still think taking a rest day and eating normally might have destroyed the last eleven days of starving yourself and overtraining? Seriously that level of obsession is unhealthy and is how eating disorders start. Quality of exercise is more valuable than quantity, you cannot train at high intensities when you are malnourished and not taking rest days. Again please research overreaching and overtraining syndrome, adrenal fatigue too.
  • Bobby__Clerici
    Bobby__Clerici Posts: 741 Member
    I enjoy a "free day" weekly, and where it once was a 24 hour food orgy, these days it's merely a few cheat meals - sky high for most normal folks, but not bad for me.
    You must decide what's right for you.
    Just make sure you're not on some absurd crash diet.
    Follow MFP recommendations for steady and lasting results.
  • luperaz
    luperaz Posts: 26
    In my opinion.
    High calorie days I think are part of good program. I have plenty of anecdotal evidence that shows a single day does not make or break your diet. If your average calories are under your goal you are going to lose weight. I have had plenty of days where i had a high calorie day and lost weight for 2 days straight after the high. I would say changing a single day every 7-10 days is very positive and keeps your body guessing.
  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
    Sory! I just saw your comment...I'm recommended to eat 1320 without exercise...I've been eating 1000 approx with exercise- til today was 2200ish and no excercise!! Eeek I feel kinda sick. I know it wasn't the healthy way about it but I had a goal vacation in march so I was trying to lose before it but I know I need to up it now

    if you're recommended to do 1320 without exercise, if you add 500 cal of exercise (or however many you burn) then the minimum you should be eating is that 1320 number (or BMR + exercise cal - 500 deficit).

    you're not eating enough, which is what caused you to "binge" because your body needed those calories. Give yourself a couple hundred more every day and you won't run into that problem!

    good luck! :)
  • T1mH
    T1mH Posts: 568 Member
    The MFP goal is just that, it is your goal. Try to eat to your goal. Being 300 under your goal when that is 25% of your daily intake is quite significant. Very low calorie dieting is not sustainable. It is one of the reasons many people fail at dieting. You'll be hungry, tired, and cranky. You won't feel good. It messes with your metabolism and is difficult to continue. When you stop the low calorie and go back to normal eating because you can't do it any more your body reacts by continuing to store fat and this is why people often gain it back and then plus some.

Categories