Leftovers

Dexy_
Dexy_ Posts: 593 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Just a question that I probably already know the answer too...

Yesterday I was over 600cals under (was busy most of the afternoon so didn't end up eating much), today I am going out with friends and will probably end up indulging in some fast food/alcohol. What are peoples opinions on eating an extra 600 today as I "missed out" on them yesterday?

I'm thinking I probably shouldn't and I'm just trying to find an excuse... thoughts?

Replies

  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
    It's called zig zagging your calories. Go ahead and eat up. :) As long as it averages out over the course of a week, I think you're fine. I wouldn't try eating 600 under for more than a day, and then binging the next week, but if it's just a day here or there, I think you're ok.
  • Dexy_
    Dexy_ Posts: 593 Member
    Yeah, I never intend to eat under my goal! But every now and then I end up doing it by accident. :)
  • HonkyTonks
    HonkyTonks Posts: 1,193 Member
    I think it's fine - it's the overall deficit that is important (ie. from week to week) rather than having the same deficit every day :)
  • lobbylobster
    lobbylobster Posts: 33 Member
    Eating calories you didn't eat yesterday actually doesn't make any sense. Your body will still require the same amount of calories today as any other day, it doesn't "remember" that you didn't eat 600 calories yesterday. It found the calories elsewhere (ie by burning fat). If you eat those 600 calories today, you're giving your body 600 extra calories that it doesn't need. This isn't a good thing to do regularly, despite what people say about zig-zagging.
  • HonkyTonks
    HonkyTonks Posts: 1,193 Member
    Eating calories you didn't eat yesterday actually doesn't make any sense. Your body will still require the same amount of calories today as any other day, it doesn't "remember" that you didn't eat 600 calories yesterday. It found the calories elsewhere (ie by burning fat). If you eat those 600 calories today, you're giving your body 600 extra calories that it doesn't need. This isn't a good thing to do regularly, despite what people say about zig-zagging.

    Yes - because at midnight every night your caloric requirements 'reset' back to 0 and you start the day anew!!
  • terrigrace
    terrigrace Posts: 199 Member
    When I did weight watchers we always looked at the whole week, not just the individual day. I've been doing the same thing with MFP and it seems to work for me.
  • lobbylobster
    lobbylobster Posts: 33 Member
    Eating calories you didn't eat yesterday actually doesn't make any sense. Your body will still require the same amount of calories today as any other day, it doesn't "remember" that you didn't eat 600 calories yesterday. It found the calories elsewhere (ie by burning fat). If you eat those 600 calories today, you're giving your body 600 extra calories that it doesn't need. This isn't a good thing to do regularly, despite what people say about zig-zagging.

    Yes - because at midnight every night your caloric requirements 'reset' back to 0 and you start the day anew!!

    They don't magically reset each week either, nor each month. A day is the best measure to use. Your requirements are never zero, but just because they are never zero doesn't mean you can store up calories. Your calorie needs are only affected by exercise etc, not by what you ate yesterday, or even what you ate a few hours back. Ideally, the majority of your food will be digested by the next morning, hence why using days is easier.

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