big feast tomorrow, can i "rollover" calories ?

Debbiedebbiey
Debbiedebbiey Posts: 824 Member
edited January 19 in Health and Weight Loss
Can I eat 500 under today and eat 500 over tomorrow ? Sounds risky but with all these stinking Reeses peanut butter eggs in the house I want to have an emergency plan. I plan to hit my protein goal by drinking chocolate protein shakes ( that way I'll be full & satisfied) instead of helpless chocolate bunnies or peeps ! Lol. So can I bank my calories ? I'll only get a short workout, festivities starting early.

Replies

  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    Everybody is different and you have to find what works for you. Since I run three days a week, I frequently can't eat all my exercise calories back the same day and end up really hungry the next day. To make this work for me, I focus on coming in under my calorie allotment for the week rather than each day.

    However, 500 sounds like a lot to save unless they're mostly exercise calories. I'd also suggest spreading them out over two or three days. Fasting today sets you up for binging tomorrow out of hunger - exactly what you're trying to avoid.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Can I eat 500 under today and eat 500 over tomorrow ? Sounds risky but with all these stinking Reeses peanut butter eggs in the house I want to have an emergency plan. I plan to hit my protein goal by drinking chocolate protein shakes ( that way I'll be full & satisfied) instead of helpless chocolate bunnies or peeps ! Lol. So can I bank my calories ? I'll only get a short workout, festivities starting early.

    Yes, although when is the big feast if you're only going over 500 cals?
  • cubbies77
    cubbies77 Posts: 607 Member
    I agree that you should spread them out. If you use the app, there's a tab for weekly calories. It makes it much easier to balance out your days and see if you need to go over/under.
  • _SABOTEUR_
    _SABOTEUR_ Posts: 6,833 Member
    Maths says yes.
  • karenhray7
    karenhray7 Posts: 219 Member
    My answer would be no, but there is a whole faction here that would likely say "as long as you have a deficit for the week you'll be fine". If you're one of those people who can put the chocolate down and walk away after having just a little bit, I'd say don't worry about "rolling your calories"; just plan tomorrow to be a splurge day (I prefer to call mine "alternate decision days"-makes me feel less sneaky), enjoy it, and then get back to the straight and narrow.

    Good luck!
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    500 calories over target is a feast?

    I don't consider eating approximately maintenance for a single day to be a feast.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    500 calories over target is a feast?

    I don't consider eating approximately maintenance for a single day to be a feast.

    This.

    Your body will actually appreciate it if you feast (not binge) once in awhile.

    If you purposely go under today, you are more likely to binge tomorrow. Eat as well as you possibly can today, have your feast tomorrow and eat as well as you possibly can the following day.
  • cubbies77
    cubbies77 Posts: 607 Member
    My answer would be no, but there is a whole faction here that would likely say "as long as you have a deficit for the week you'll be fine". If you're one of those people who can put the chocolate down and walk away after having just a little bit, I'd say don't worry about "rolling your calories"; just plan tomorrow to be a splurge day (I prefer to call mine "alternate decision days"-makes me feel less sneaky), enjoy it, and then get back to the straight and narrow.

    Good luck!

    This is a good point as well. If you eat over by 500 calories, you may be halfway or close to maintenance for that day, depending on what your maintenance calories are. You could very well still lose weight since it's just the one day. It really depends on your body, though. Some people can go over by 500 one day and still lose, whereas others find it hard to get back under control if they splurge one day.
  • spinnybecky
    spinnybecky Posts: 28
    I think that's totally fine.
  • sunsnstatheart
    sunsnstatheart Posts: 2,544 Member
    Sure, it's fine to focus on your weekly intake, but I agree with the others that 500 a feast does not make. You know a few holidays of true enjoyment won't destroy your plan if you are focused the rest of the time.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    yeah I usually don't mind trying to average out and even it over a period of few days. But its only 500 calories, personally I don't sweat it till I go over by at least 1,000 calories
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
    One day is not going to make any difference whatsoever, except in mental attitude and emotional response, maybe ... definitely not to your body.

    Eat your calorie limit today and enjoy those chocolate bits tomorrow (if your OCD lets you, that is), guilt free!
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    yes
  • shoshi68
    shoshi68 Posts: 407 Member
    yes. Enjoy your feast. :drinker: :flowerforyou:
  • BigBigBertha
    BigBigBertha Posts: 208 Member
    Technically I don't think it matters too much if you spread your calories over a few days rather than hitting your goal everyday.

    Though going 500 under on one day might not be a great idea for other reasons... I recently tried to create a large deficit during the week before I knew I was having a big meal and ended up bingeing on cake in the following days because I had deprived myself. Not a good outcome, I've definitely learnt my lesson there!

    Maybe it'd be better to just accept you'll be over that day and continue to hit your calorie goal for the rest of the week, it probably won't make much difference, and you might be less hungry the day after and end eating less then anyway.
  • mmddwechanged
    mmddwechanged Posts: 1,687 Member
    I wanted to weigh in but you're all so darn smart I have nothing left to say!
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    looks like your normal intake is only ~1500 calories--I would NOT recommend eating 500 less than that. Just make tomorrow a maintenance +500-1000 calories and call it a day.
  • KeithAngilly
    KeithAngilly Posts: 575 Member
    My answer would be no, but there is a whole faction here that would likely say "as long as you have a deficit for the week you'll be fine". If you're one of those people who can put the chocolate down and walk away after having just a little bit, I'd say don't worry about "rolling your calories"; just plan tomorrow to be a splurge day (I prefer to call mine "alternate decision days"-makes me feel less sneaky), enjoy it, and then get back to the straight and narrow.

    Good luck!

    I would approach it this way. Some days, you just go over. No biggie. The trend is the thing and an occasional downward blip is going to stop you from making forward progress. But, there are lot's of ways of handling things. Good luck with whatever you choose. :o)
  • avababy05
    avababy05 Posts: 930 Member
    It's one day.

    I'm going out for brunch on easter.Just going to try to make the healthiest choices.
  • Debbiedebbiey
    Debbiedebbiey Posts: 824 Member
    Well, thanks for the replies all !!! While stuffing plastic Easter eggs I managed to eat 200 cals (fine) 37 carbs( not fine )of gourmet jelly beans hiding from my 7 year old in the basement putting baskets together ! Haha. Oh well, I was laughing and enjoying time with my daughter whose 17 now, spitting out the black licorice ones and the other nasty weird flavors....jelly beans shouldn't come in buttered popcorn flavored !!! Enjoy your Holidays, I am !!!!
  • kpstacy
    kpstacy Posts: 41 Member
    Sometimes calorie counting can seem harder than what it really is. So, what I would say is, YUP, it is okay. I have done this on several occasions. Somedays I am just not that hungry and I will have 500 or 600 left over because of the exercising i have done, then the next day, I may go over 400. It all works out in the end. I go weekly, not so much daily, because, well, not everyday can be a perfect one! :) Enjoy!!!!!!
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