How to factor in a missed workout day

miztrezzlyn
miztrezzlyn Posts: 44 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been trying to follow a TDEE method and have been following it for a few weeks. I have gone up a pound or two but they were really quick gains(overnight) that just doesn't want to seem to drop as quickly and I keep yoyo'ing between 129 and 131. Anyway, that's not even what my question is about :)

Today, I woke up with an incredible pain in my neck/shoulder. I must have slept on it wrong and I am not sure what to do about the calories I'm supposed to have with the TDEE method. I read that if you miss a planned workout that you should drop 100 calories per hour of exercise missed from eating that day.

My problem though is that my workout schedule is such that M/W/F/Sun I walk 5 miles and do yoga. On T/Th/Sa I jog 5 miles and do heavy lifting. If I were to only miss a walk/yoga day it wouldn't bother me so much but since it's one of my heavy days that I'm going to miss, it doesn't seem that I'd only drop like 150 calories from my eating today.

Since it is averaged out throughout the week and I'm missing two workouts that are heavy lifting and jogging, wouldn't that mean I need to eat less over an entire week by what the spreadsheet had calculated my burns for them to be?

The worksheet works out my calories as 262 per day for the jogging and 51 for the lifting over a 7 day period. I don't mean to be neurotic about it but since my weight seems to be extremely stubborn and I'm only losing MAYBE 1/2 a pound a month currently, I don't want to mess with what little deficit I already have.

Thanks for any advice you can give.

Replies

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    If I miss a workout I don't change my calories or eat less.
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
    If I miss a workout I don't change my calories or eat less.

    I don't either, because one day here or there, in the grand scheme of things, is not going to eff things up.
  • dickrocketjones
    dickrocketjones Posts: 78 Member
    Dont worry about missing a day. It's not worth the guilt and wont make a difference in the long run. Just eat to goal and go on. Just get back to it tomorrow, if you can.
  • Unknown
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  • miztrezzlyn
    miztrezzlyn Posts: 44 Member
    I'm shocked that most of you wouldn't reduce your calories in some way. That could be something like 600-700 extra calories. That's really the advice? To just ignore it? lol it is tempting because I rather like just having a set number of calories to eat every day and don't have to do any extra figuring. It just seems that it'd wipe out what little deficit I'd have for the week.

    I guess in the grand scheme of things, it would just be a small blip but gosh I've been having such trouble losing ounces nevermind actual pounds.

    Well, thanks for the advice. I'll think on it some more and try and figure out which way I want to go with it. Mostly I ask because things come up and if it were to happen again I wanted to know what others did in the same situation. I'm usually pretty good about not missing my planned workouts, missing today was unavoidable though :/

    Just as an aside, any advice on how to deal with this pain? Its from sleeping on my shoulder wrong I imagine, but I can barely move, my husband had to help me dress this morning and I have small children to take care of. Its incredibly painful and my neck and shoulders are very stiff. I took some Aleve but so far it doesn't seem to be helping much :(
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    I would see a doctor if it's that painful.
  • Eoghann
    Eoghann Posts: 130 Member
    I would just carry on with my regular routine. In the space of a month a blip of a few hundred calories just doesn't register and trying to adjust to burn/consume the exact same number of calories each day is just too much of a hassle.

    Now if it turns into a weekly thing... then I know I've got a larger problem that needs to be addressed.

    Otherwise... it's just life and life doesn't run by spreadsheet.

    If you're having trouble losing much weight it might be time for a more general review of your exercise, diet and also your goals. I can't see a situation where even 700 calories is going to change that overall picture.
  • Fit_Fox88
    Fit_Fox88 Posts: 410 Member
    Like others have said, I wouldn't worry about missing a day and get back to your routine the next day. If it really bothers you, reduce your calories by a couple hundred or whatever you feel is a good compromise. I know it's not the same for everyone but I've had several over days in the past month yet I've still managed to lose 4 more pounds. One day here and there is not going to matter in the long run- don't stress so much about it :flowerforyou:
  • miztrezzlyn
    miztrezzlyn Posts: 44 Member
    Thanks for the advice :) I'll just eat as normal and forget about it. I get caught up in the numbers sometimes and overall I have lost quite a bit of weight (75 pounds to date) so I'm in a good place :) I think its just these last 5-10 pounds are driving me batty! My body apparently LOVES me at 130 pounds :p

    As for my neck/shoulder, I've put a heating pad on it and am just relaxing, it is okay if I don't have to move very much lol
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    missing a day here and there is nothing to concern yourself with...this is really about what you're doing overall over a much longer period of time...your body doesn't get wrapped up in day to day minutia and neither should you.

    Also, your fluctuations are just natural fluctuations...water retention/release....more or less waste in your system...hormones...timing of food in/out, etc. Body weight isn't static...nobody weighs exactly XXX Lbs all of the time...maintenance is going to be a range of weight. For example, I generally fluctuate between 181 - 186 with my 12 month average being around 183ish which is what I consider to be my "true" weight. Also keep in mind that if you just went into maintenance your body will replenish your glycogen stores that have been chronically depleted while you were dieting...this is why most people will get to a goal weight and immediately put on 3-5 Lbs when they up their calories...it's just their body replenishing glycogen which is rather heavy.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I think its just these last 5-10 pounds are driving me batty! My body apparently LOVES me at 130 pounds :p

    you may want to consider the possibility that you don't actually need to lose anymore weight. People put far too much emphasis on some arbitrary number on the scale without understanding what makes up that number. If you're at a healthy BF%, your body is going to be pretty reluctant to decrease fat stores further...the human body as a matter of evolution does not prefer to be super lean.
  • miztrezzlyn
    miztrezzlyn Posts: 44 Member
    missing a day here and there is nothing to concern yourself with...this is really about what you're doing overall over a much longer period of time...your body doesn't get wrapped up in day to day minutia and neither should you.

    Also, your fluctuations are just natural fluctuations...water retention/release....more or less waste in your system...hormones...timing of food in/out, etc. Body weight isn't static...nobody weighs exactly XXX Lbs all of the time...maintenance is going to be a range of weight. For example, I generally fluctuate between 181 - 186 with my 12 month average being around 183ish which is what I consider to be my "true" weight. Also keep in mind that if you just went into maintenance your body will replenish your glycogen stores that have been chronically depleted while you were dieting...this is why most people will get to a goal weight and immediately put on 3-5 Lbs when they up their calories...it's just their body replenishing glycogen which is rather heavy.

    Yeah, I do understand that, but I'm not trying to be in maintenance right now :)
  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
    Missing a workout, or having a bad meal, is just part of life. Doing so every so often isnt going to hurt a thing, and if you stress over it too much then you are doing more harm than good.

    I would venture to say throwing caution to the wind and missing one or having a bad meal, and allowing yourself to actually enjoy it, may to a long way in helping you achieve your goals.

    At times we get too worried about calories, or a workout, and that stress has an adverse affect. Just like allowing yourself to have a bad meal every so often, allow yourself to miss a workout and dont fret.


    ..just dont let it become commonplace
  • Jim_G10
    Jim_G10 Posts: 132
    If I miss a workout I don't change my calories or eat less.

    .....and another one as well.
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,064 Member
    You move on.

    Edit: Your body does need a rest day once in a while.
  • miztrezzlyn
    miztrezzlyn Posts: 44 Member
    I think its just these last 5-10 pounds are driving me batty! My body apparently LOVES me at 130 pounds :p

    you may want to consider the possibility that you don't actually need to lose anymore weight. People put far too much emphasis on some arbitrary number on the scale without understanding what makes up that number. If you're at a healthy BF%, your body is going to be pretty reluctant to decrease fat stores further...the human body as a matter of evolution does not prefer to be super lean.

    Yeah I have considered it. I don't necessarily care about the number on the scale but I DO mind the bit of tummy flab I still have at the top of where my jeans sit. According to my scale (which I'm sure is inaccurate) I'm at 23% bf. The measurement calculators range from 16 to 20% (which has to be completely wrong). I think 23% could be closer to the truth from what pictures I've seen and the fact that I CAN see some abs.

    23% is a healthy bf %, I realize that but when I'm wearing jeans and say a t-shirt, there's this bit of flab hang over. I'm just trying to get rid of that. I don't like to see that. If I was at 140 pounds and that was gone then I'd be just as happy.

    Partly I think it's loose skin. I am older (40), don't have great elasticity, and lost a lot of weight. BUT, it's loose skin that has some loose fat. It's only really apparent when there's any sort of pressure on my waist. Looks fairly flat when wearing a bikini or underwear that doesn't touch the area.

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