Messed up yesterday - can I cut my calories down to 1000 for the next two days to compensate?

Hi all,

I majorly messed up my plan yesterday by comfort eating at night. This added 1000 calories to my day :(

I weigh on Wednesday mornings and was wondering could I balance out the damage by reducing my calories to 1000 for today and tomorrow?

I read so much about starvation mode that I just wanted to check 1000 calories isn't going to slow it down just for two days or something. I'm just trying to save the last week's progress, which has generally been good apart from that 1000 calorie binge.

Thanks
«1

Replies

  • misnomer1
    misnomer1 Posts: 646 Member
    No professional here, but 2 days seems fine.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    what is your current deficit? you may have just been eating at maintenance or at 500 cals above maintenance so there is no need to cut your calories so drastically?
  • sam_c_93
    sam_c_93 Posts: 23 Member
    I'm eating to 1400 (ignore my profile, it's out of date mostly). I know that adding a 1000 to that still means I won't gain weight (according to Google I need 2300 to maintain). I've lost 1 stone 2 pounds in three weeks so far and I guess I'm deluding myself into thinking it can continue at this rate, but I know that doesn't really happen.

    I do obsess over the scales and I have opted out of daily weighing for that reason. I know fluctuations are normal but I worry that it would put me off :/
  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,081 Member
    what is your current deficit? you may have just been eating at maintenance or at 500 cals above maintenance so there is no need to cut your calories so drastically?

    ^^^^^^^^^ this. Why the drastic deficit?
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,122 Member
    No such thing as starvation mode and no need to be so drastic. You will likely see a gain on the scale Wednesday from water weight from eating more than usual, you ate less than maintenance - that is not a binge, that is your normal food intake if you were not trying to lose weight, no point in putting yourself in a binge-restrict cycle, just carry on with your normal calorie allowance.
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
    No need to be so drastic, no need to punish yourself. It will even out over a week or so with a bit of extra exercise and by maintaining your daily target.
  • Gab149
    Gab149 Posts: 26 Member
    I really wouldn't cut back so much like that. Weight loss happens over time.

    I've had the occasional blow-out where I'll eat over 2100 calories in a day, but over several weeks, my average intake is a little over 1400 and I've been losing pretty steadily.

    My weight has jumped up once or twice after a big eat, but getting straight back to 1300-1400 the next day makes it drop off pretty fast. Just be patient.
  • managematics
    managematics Posts: 27 Member
    IMO, the important thing is to get in the habit of eating at the level at which you will lose weight. At this point, you cannot change the past. Just as you wouldn't drastically restrict calories below the level you will lose at to compensate for how you ate 3 years ago, don't do it because of what you ate yesterday.

    If all of these concerns are because of the approaching weekly weight-in, then you are still overemphasizing the scale. Even eating consistently, changes on the scale can be flat for weeks and then suddenly there's a big drop. It can be difficult to do, but I find it more productive to find accomplishment in knowing that I've eaten well and been active. Celebrate doing things the right way, rather than the result at the scale. The results will take care of themselves, but only over time.
  • Muscleflex79
    Muscleflex79 Posts: 1,917 Member
    sam_c_93 wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I majorly messed up my plan yesterday by comfort eating at night. This added 1000 calories to my day :(

    I weigh on Wednesday mornings and was wondering could I balance out the damage by reducing my calories to 1000 for today and tomorrow?

    I read so much about starvation mode that I just wanted to check 1000 calories isn't going to slow it down just for two days or something. I'm just trying to save the last week's progress, which has generally been good apart from that 1000 calorie binge.

    Thanks

    "reading so much about starvation mode" ?? if that reading was on here, you'd know it doesn't exist!
  • SundropEclipse
    SundropEclipse Posts: 84 Member
    There are a number of factors that will influence the scale besides calorie intake and the only way you're going to get used to slowed or paused progress is to accept it. This summer my biggest problem has been constipation, which can sometimes add up to 5 lbs in waste, especially if hubby cooks or decides he wants takeout. The important thing to remember is that none of us got fat in a day or even a week. Messing with your daily intake over a single day that wasn't even in excess of your maintenance weight only increases the odds of future "binges" and encourages an unhealthy attitude towards food and diet.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
    Not necessary at all. Keep your normal deficit, just eat less if you're not hungry, and you'll have made up for it in a few days anyway.
  • ck2d
    ck2d Posts: 372 Member
    I wouldn't restrict. It's harder to be kind to yourself rather than punish yourself. What would you say if a friend did it? "No big deal, new day today, put it behind you." Right? Plus there's evidence that having a 'cheat meal' resets your body and helps you lose more in the long run.

    What matters most is you don't let it snowball and continue to overeat.

    Are you eating enough now? If you're feeling overly restricted maybe up it by 200 calories and have a slower - and more permanent - weight loss. And definitely eat back exercise calories while you're at it.
  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
    sam_c_93 wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I majorly messed up my plan yesterday by comfort eating at night. This added 1000 calories to my day :(

    I weigh on Wednesday mornings and was wondering could I balance out the damage by reducing my calories to 1000 for today and tomorrow?

    I read so much about starvation mode that I just wanted to check 1000 calories isn't going to slow it down just for two days or something. I'm just trying to save the last week's progress, which has generally been good apart from that 1000 calorie binge.

    Thanks

    It's not a major mess up. Don't worry about starvation mode. It won't happen.

    That said, if you decide you want to "make up" for it by overdoing the next couple of days with restriction (if you are convinced you should do this, I would see it as a red flag), you may or may not get the result you hope for. You may not have gotten it anyway because of normal fluctuations! Those extra calories would have done exactly what? Maybe add 1/3 of a pound to your Wednesday weight? You could have 3 pounds of water weight that day! Or maybe have gotten rid of 2-3 pounds of water weight.

    How would you know in either case?

    This is why you can't obsess over a number on a particular weigh in or punish yourself for a "mess up". If you eat at maintenance for day, all it potentially does is add one single day to your progress. Depending on your weight loss goal, one single day is, at the most, 0.29 pounds.

  • sam_c_93
    sam_c_93 Posts: 23 Member
    ck2d wrote: »
    I wouldn't restrict. It's harder to be kind to yourself rather than punish yourself. What would you say if a friend did it? "No big deal, new day today, put it behind you." Right? Plus there's evidence that having a 'cheat meal' resets your body and helps you lose more in the long run.

    What matters most is you don't let it snowball and continue to overeat.

    Are you eating enough now? If you're feeling overly restricted maybe up it by 200 calories and have a slower - and more permanent - weight loss. And definitely eat back exercise calories while you're at it.

    I feel like I'm eating enough now. I haven't felt particularly restricted or hungry. I've only had two incidences of breaking my limit in the four weeks I've been doing it, and one was yesterday. It was emotional eating rather than me being hungry.
    sam_c_93 wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I majorly messed up my plan yesterday by comfort eating at night. This added 1000 calories to my day :(

    I weigh on Wednesday mornings and was wondering could I balance out the damage by reducing my calories to 1000 for today and tomorrow?

    I read so much about starvation mode that I just wanted to check 1000 calories isn't going to slow it down just for two days or something. I'm just trying to save the last week's progress, which has generally been good apart from that 1000 calorie binge.

    Thanks

    It's not a major mess up. Don't worry about starvation mode. It won't happen.

    That said, if you decide you want to "make up" for it by overdoing the next couple of days with restriction (if you are convinced you should do this, I would see it as a red flag), you may or may not get the result you hope for. You may not have gotten it anyway because of normal fluctuations! Those extra calories would have done exactly what? Maybe add 1/3 of a pound to your Wednesday weight? You could have 3 pounds of water weight that day! Or maybe have gotten rid of 2-3 pounds of water weight.

    How would you know in either case?

    This is why you can't obsess over a number on a particular weigh in or punish yourself for a "mess up". If you eat at maintenance for day, all it potentially does is add one single day to your progress. Depending on your weight loss goal, one single day is, at the most, 0.29 pounds.

    Thank you, the last part of your post helped me a lot. It adds one day to my progress and that's nothing. I think I need to think that way. I've kind of guestimated that it will take me a year to lose what I need to lose so a day is nothing.
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    sam_c_93 wrote: »
    I'm eating to 1400 (ignore my profile, it's out of date mostly). I know that adding a 1000 to that still means I won't gain weight (according to Google I need 2300 to maintain). I've lost 1 stone 2 pounds in three weeks so far and I guess I'm deluding myself into thinking it can continue at this rate, but I know that doesn't really happen.

    I do obsess over the scales and I have opted out of daily weighing for that reason. I know fluctuations are normal but I worry that it would put me off :/

    There are a lot of red flags in your posts...
    You've lost 16 lbs in 3 weeks - how much total are you trying to lose?

    You're eating "to 1400" does that mean sometimes less? Are you exercising? Do you eat back exercise calories?

    You are concerned about a day or two of "messing up" and eating at a level that is right about your maintenance calories. You want to compensate for that by eating at an even steeper deficit than you already are, and you mention obsessing over the scales. This is concerning.

    I'm trying to lose eight and a half stone total. So I have a long way to go.

    I swim three times a week and walk everywhere I can. That's the exercise I do. I really hate exercising in the gym and jogging so they are the two things I've compromised with. I don't add exercise calories to anything, I don't even think about them. I was under the impression you shouldn't eat them back?
  • MommaGem2017
    MommaGem2017 Posts: 405 Member
    sam_c_93 wrote: »
    I don't add exercise calories to anything, I don't even think about them. I was under the impression you shouldn't eat them back?

    Your calorie target from MFP is calculated without any additional exercise. You have a deficit even if you sit on the couch all day. So if you exercise, you should log it into MFP and eat back a portion of those calories.