Is having a 1 Maintenance calorie day after 6 days caloric deficit a sustainable or fine habit?

erichpoblete2
erichpoblete2 Posts: 3 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I’ve researched that I should do a 1 day maintenance calorie day at least once a week of caloric deficit. Though some say that it would just ruin or slow down my progress.

Replies

  • anxietyfairy
    anxietyfairy Posts: 36 Member
    Sounds like a good idea. Would probably also depend on your daily deficit.
  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,652 Member
    Absolutely fine to use a weekly total rather than a daily total - it still works. It only slows down loss if you eat too many calories overall: you might weigh more after a bigger calorie day but that’s temporary weight from extra food / water etc.
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,247 Member
    erichpoblete2 wrote: »
    I’ve researched that I should do a 1 day maintenance calorie day at least once a week of caloric deficit. Though some say that it would just ruin or slow down my progress.

    Add weekly calories and divide by 7. If this is your targeted daily calorie budget then it's ok. If the maintenance day puts you over then yes it will slow progress. It's all about weekly calories.
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 12,057 Member
    Let's see what the math has to say...

    If you are wanting to lose one pound per week, that means your goal is 500 calories less than maintenance per day.

    If you eat 500 below all seven days this week, you have lost 1.0 lbs.
    If you eat 500 below for six days, and maintenance the last day, you have lost 0.86 lbs.

    Have you slowed down your loss? Yes, technically you have. But the fact is you STILL LOST WEIGHT this week.

    Other factors are at play here, also. Psychologically, it can be easier to commit to six days of discipline if there's a promise of an easier day at the end of the week. Or maybe a similar day, but you add a special treat: donuts before church, or a cup of wine on Friday night after work, whatever. As long as you don't let the day become a "eat everything in sight" day, it can help.

    And that's the rub. Are you the type of person who can give yourself a treat without losing control? Or are you a person who when given an inch, takes a mile? Only you can decide that.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,598 Member
    Define "progress"? ;)

    I agree with others above, generally.

    If a person eats at a deficit 6 days, then maintenance one day, they will lose weight slower than if they ate at the same deficit all 7 days, but probably not by much. So, yeah, in that sense it will "slow down your progress".

    HOWEVER, if eating at maintenance helps you stay at an average calorie deficit over the week more easily than eating at a deficit every day, it's possible that you'll improve your odds of sticking with the plan long enough to lose a meaningful total amount of weight. That would be versus doing some plan that is harder so doesn't last very long.

    A plan that makes things easier can help a person reach goal weight in less calendar time than something more aggressive that causes bouts of deprivation-triggered over-eating, breaks in the action, or even giving up altogether. In that sense, if one maintenance day helps you stick to the plan longer-term, in that sense the one maintenance day will NOT "slow down your progress". It will improve your progress.

    I'd add that I think practicing eating at maintenance calories sometime(s) during loss can be helpful in planning habits to stay at goal weight after reaching that goal.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,340 Member
    I have been very happy and successful at a more aggressive deficit 5-6 days a week, and maintenance at 1-2 days a week. The flexibility makes this all sustainable, and if my progress has slowed at all, I didn't need it to be faster in the first place.
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,247 Member
    Bottom line is you can structure your daily calories to suit your preferences however at the end of the week you’ll need to be accountable to yourself with the numbers.

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