Do you guys compensate your macros the next day if you had deficit the day before?

Like, let's say you were missing 10g of protein the day before you somehow didn't ingest, do you compensate it the next day?

I've seen people claiming to do it because your daily intake should be as it is only, but I've also read other people claiming our body doesn't function in a 24h cycle so we should compensate it.

How do you do it guys?

Replies

  • EliseTK1
    EliseTK1 Posts: 479 Member
    I don't actively compensate it, but my diet has enough variation that it just sort of happens. Over the course of a week my average protein is in my goal range, but there may be one or two days that I didn't quite reach it.

    For reference, my goal is 1.6 g/kg of my weight. It's working very well for me. (I'm doing a slow cut.)
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Not really. I don't worry about my protein the next day provided it is in my range, so for me that is anywhere from 130-150g minimum. I mean if I am really low (not just 10g short) I might make it up the next day but for me it's more about being consistent vs the odd low day.

    Now calories is a different story. Those I will make up during the week if I am short one day, however I tend to spread it out more when bulking vs adding it all the next day.
  • ecjim
    ecjim Posts: 1,001 Member
    edited July 2019
    A little daily fluctuation really doesn't make much difference. as long as you keep your macros in the ballpark you should be fine.
    If you go way over - like eating a pizza or 2 , then cut back for a couple days to even things out.

    Protien & total calories are your main concerns , but 10 gms of protien is insignificant - it will probably vary more then that in measuring errors
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,467 Member
    Personally, if I am very short on protein, I will probably know it before I see it in my diary, and I will be very careful to get at least my minimum the next day, maybe a little over. If I am only a little short, I figure I will be a little over one day. It’s all good.
  • RovP6
    RovP6 Posts: 108 Member
    I don't compensate on a day to day basis if I'm over or short. I tend to be pretty good and stay within 5-10g across all macros. Even if I fast one day I don't then make up those calories over the rest of the week. I do keep an eye on my overall weekly deficit, currently in a fat loss phase, but any daily fluctuations tend to balance out over the course of the week.
  • lukejoycePT
    lukejoycePT Posts: 182 Member
    Never, if you are consistent then being under once in a while isn't going to hinder you at all. Plus it's not an exact science, you are never going to be 100% accurate with your tracking e.g chicken breasts once cooked change in weight and as food cools down it changes in weight so it's impossible to be 100% accurate. Your body will be getting what it needs as long as you are consistent.
  • diogomello12
    diogomello12 Posts: 33 Member
    Thank you for your answer guys, specially to likejoycePT. I don't know if I should assume you are Portuguese by your last two letters but if you are, I am as well. But I'm currently living in Bulgaria.

    Agradecimentos de um Coimbrense 😀🇵🇹
  • LyndaBSS
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,970 Member
    I treat each day separately. That whole robbing peter to pay paul concept would be stressful for me.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,958 Member
    edited July 2019
    I generally look at my intake on a week to week basis rather than day to day...
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,879 Member
    Macros aren't important enough to go to that kind of effort. Trying to be bang on with your macros is an exercise in frustration...and they're just not that important. Calories are what are important for weight management.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,958 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Macros aren't important enough to go to that kind of effort. Trying to be bang on with your macros is an exercise in frustration...and they're just not that important. Calories are what are important for weight management.

    Agree. They are a target to aim for, not the be all end all...
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,971 Member
    Cals are more important than macros in terms of day to day continuity.

    Obviously better to be under than over cals if you are trying to lose weight. There are those who like to think that they can "bank" the cals they "saved" during the week and then use the "extra" cals to binge on the weekend but I'm not one of them. I have no proof but I don't think your body works like that.

    I don't think you can "make up" a shortage in your protein (or other macros) either. It's use it or lose it. When you consume your food, it is converted into stuff that your body can use. If you are consuming less in cals than the body needs, whatever is left over will be converted to fat -- doesn't matter if what's left over was originally protein, carbs or fat.

    If you eat excess protein the next day because you were "short" the day before AND your body doesn't need that much protein the following day, the excess protein will just be converted into fat, if it is not used by the body in some other way. So, there's no point in trying to "make up" any deficiencies from day to day.

    Just treat eat day as a separate event and, if you are doing it "right," it will all balance out in the end.

  • Ro_4R
    Ro_4R Posts: 100 Member
    Nope! I take it day by day. Keeps me more motivated as well
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    for one day - nope.
    i take a look at trends now and then and if i'm constantly low then may tweak things. For me protein is rarely an issue but i am fairly low fat so i'll "peak" at fat row now and then. i won't adjust for one day but if i see i'm under/low for a few days in a row i'll rejig things. This is less of an issue now as I've tweaked things and kept those tweaks.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 4,950 Member
    Not really. Protein is the only macro I really pay attention to. If for some reason I have a particularly low protein day then I will make a conscious effort to get more the next day, but I don't worry about it too much.
  • ythannah
    ythannah Posts: 4,366 Member
    kgirlhart wrote: »
    Not really. Protein is the only macro I really pay attention to. If for some reason I have a particularly low protein day then I will make a conscious effort to get more the next day, but I don't worry about it too much.

    Ditto. Especially after leg day. I have a vague notion that those big muscles really need to be fed and I don't like falling short on protein.
  • MohsenSALAH
    MohsenSALAH Posts: 182 Member
    Have seen some YouTube videos saying ur protein intake should be around 0.8 to 1.2 for each pound of ur weight
    What i do is if i hit that range whether high or low i close my calories for the day from healthy fats or carbs.