Went over goal by 800 calories...

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jennagoogles13
jennagoogles13 Posts: 266
in Food and Nutrition
This past week I ate very well and exercised, and was under my goal by about 100-300 calories depending on the day. Anyways, I went a little crazy on the snacking tonight, and ended up going over by 800 calories. Do the days I was under my goal sort of even out my bad eating today?
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  • jennagoogles13
    jennagoogles13 Posts: 266
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    Anyone?
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
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    Does your goal already have a 500 calorie/day deficit built into it? If it does than you're only really gone 300 over maintenance and this should balance out with the days you were under. Does stress about it, focus on eating healthy tomorrow
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
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    yes it balances out and you are still on a deficit for the week. you should try to eat your goal every day so you dont end up binging.

    it wont effect your loss, but just don't do it every day, or it will.
  • MerBear1985
    MerBear1985 Posts: 131
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    Your body is going to have daily fluctuations. We weigh ourselves on a weekly basis to gauge progress (unless you like to look more often) and calories are the same way, you can fluctuate over and under but what really matters is your weekly total. So if you were (average) 200 cal under for even 5 days that is 1000 cal so you should be okay. Just maybe don't make a habit of it?
  • SlinkyAndHerAmazingBunsOfSteel
    SlinkyAndHerAmazingBunsOfSteel Posts: 434 Member
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    Does your goal already have a 500 calorie/day deficit built into it? If it does than you're only really gone 300 over maintenance and this should balance out with the days you were under. Does stress about it, focus on eating healthy tomorrow
    That's practically what I was going to say! :smile:
  • Shaky44
    Shaky44 Posts: 214 Member
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    Basically, the answer to that is yes. I'm sure some people might have a lot of theory about how eating the same amount every day is different than eating different amounts that add up to the same thing, it probably works out to pretty much the same thing.
  • madamstn
    madamstn Posts: 19 Member
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    I monitor daily intake but look at the entire week to see where i'm at towards my goal. I work harder some day's if I know I have a tough day coming up, then I can eat more :)
  • jessiefreedman
    jessiefreedman Posts: 28 Member
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    Yes that's sort of how calorie counting works, if you are looking to lose weight say, 1lbs a week you need to create a 3500 calorie deficit. This happens throughout a week period or so. So that's why weight loss can be so slow. So if you still create that deficit large enough to lose the weight through the week then it shouldn't be a problem. It also works eating 3500 calorie surplus, so don't stress you won't magically be fat the next day. Just be cautious of what you eat the next day and exercise :smile:
  • JenCatwalk
    JenCatwalk Posts: 285 Member
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    Hahahaha... this reminds me of when my hubby surprises me with late evening eat-outs after I already ate 2 3rds of my calorie intake. When that happens I usually go 500-800 calories over for the day. But I don't stress it because those extra calories are rolled over to the next day, so I just eat less and am fine. Calorie cycling is a beautiful thing isn't it? :P I still manage to lose inches this way!
  • 74honeybadger
    74honeybadger Posts: 14
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    You went over by 800 calories and you're still alive? You're lucky! LOL, you'll be fine, I'm sure many other people have done it before:wink:
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
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    Simple answer is yes they do. If the majority of the 800 calories came from carbs then chances are it won't be a big issue. I doubt you will put on any weight as a single day of carb overfeeding will not do this.

    To be honest I think you should relax, you didn't do anything wrong. Stressing about it is much worse. Carry on with your day as normal and forget about it.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
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    Some say yes those little splurges help boost metabolism and take your body briefly out of a deficit mode. Think of it as a breathe of air for your body. Deficits by nature are a huge stress to the body. It doesn't know the difference between famine and weight loss, so when you feed it a little bit more the body relaxes and goes back to what it does best burn calories for energy. Then you can go back to deficit body has the nutrition it needs and you continue to lose weight.
  • ApocalypticFae
    ApocalypticFae Posts: 217 Member
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    Just remind yourself that overall, you are still doing amazing. It only becomes a problem if you are eating over your goal by 500+ calories more than once or twice a week. I'm assuming you are still consuming far less net calories every week than you were before you started tracking. You'll be fine. :flowerforyou:

    I proved this to myself this morning. Last night I ate around 800 calories over my goal and when I stepped on the scale this morning, my weight was a little bit lower than it has been in a couple weeks. But if I ate 800 calories over every day, my weight would slowly creep back up to where it was when I joined MFP.
  • 122ish
    122ish Posts: 339 Member
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    I had a cheat day every week during weightloss and other than the water weight the extra sodium caused it never affected me. I don't know about the calories rolling over thing but know some that follow a plan based on eating anything they want once a week and have seen them be successful. Don't stress about going over every so often!
  • jennagoogles13
    jennagoogles13 Posts: 266
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    Thanks for the responses! I'm going to stop worrying about it, and just continue doing what I've been doing and learn from my mistakes:)
  • hilaryhill
    hilaryhill Posts: 156 Member
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    Some say yes those little splurges help boost metabolism and take your body briefly out of a deficit mode. Think of it as a breathe of air for your body. Deficits by nature are a huge stress to the body. It doesn't know the difference between famine and weight loss, so when you feed it a little bit more the body relaxes and goes back to what it does best burn calories for energy. Then you can go back to deficit body has the nutrition it needs and you continue to lose weight.

    This is my belief. I was on Weight Watchers in the past and they have "flex points" that are 35 extra points per week you can use past your daily points value (that compares to your TDEE - 20%, like most use here). WW is said to be the best weight loss program out there, so Ill actually be trying to go over at least every once in awhile. :)
  • bukayashley
    bukayashley Posts: 1
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    My old trainer gave us one cheat day a weak. you can eat WHATEVER on that day. pizza, taco bell, drink beer....it doesnt matter. everything is ok in moderation. if youre working out and eating well 6 out of 7 days, youll be ok. keep up the good work, girl
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
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    NO! Absolutely not. If you ever go over by 800 calories, you will gain all your weight back and then some within a week and it will be impossible to ever lose it again.. You have been warned.... (OK< yeah, I am joking)...

    In the end it is all cumulative.. In other words, over time, how have you done. I have been over my goal by 2000+ calories on a given day.. and still lost down for the week (Admittedly, that was when I was set for a 2# per week loss with a 1000 calorie deficit built in)... It will all balance out in the end. You are doing great. Keep up the good work.
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
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    I regularly try to save 100+ calories a day so i can use them for Sunday roast, BBQs etc. I've not done so well this week because I've had a bad back so not been exercising so much (and I was out with a friend for a once-a-year catch-up on Tuesday) but over the past six months I think I've only been over for the week twice. On the phone/i-pod app you can look at your weekly picture (mn-sun) which shows your intake each day. average daily intake and tells you how many calories you have left for the week. I can't find how to get it in PC view, but I find it really useful to check on a Friday night and calculate how much exercise I need to work into the weekend.
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
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    Hahahaha... this reminds me of when my hubby surprises me with late evening eat-outs


    stop right there....

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