Russ Branjord's Spike Day

Russellb97
Russellb97 Posts: 1,057 Member
edited October 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Some people were curious on what my Spike Days look like,so I'm logging it.
I typically have 3 large meals, and a couple of tasty snacks in between.
My calorie goal is 5,000.
I eat both good healthy foods and "junk food"

So far I had modified no-bake protein bars, with oats, PB, coconut oil, protein powder, and m & m's
Nutella on bread, milk, and my homemade chocolate using milk chocolate chips and coconut oil.

Breakfast:
1,282 Calories
143 carbs
59 fat
60 pro
«1345

Replies

  • Ambrogio1
    Ambrogio1 Posts: 518 Member
    LOL
  • Gee... that's all? :P
  • Russellb97
    Russellb97 Posts: 1,057 Member
    Gee... that's all? :P

    :laugh:

    I'm just starting, like your bro I eat most of my cals at night.
  • Workinmom1986
    Workinmom1986 Posts: 17 Member
    Its my spike day too, im being sensable throughout the day as much as i can be but lemme tell you most of my cals will be eaten tonight with homemade pizza and hotwings!
  • SolidGoaled
    SolidGoaled Posts: 504 Member
    Ok - I am trying this also today. I am on day 7 of my 1200 cal/day "diet" and today I am shooting for 3000. Tomorrow, back to 1200/day. I am going to weigh myself daily throughout and share after 2/3 weeks. I've eaten everything from tuna to m&ms...

    Also, yesterday was day 6 in a row of daily cardio - last night I cardio'ed for 1.25 hrs. I am taking today off from exercise, then hitting weights and treadmill tomorrow, hard.

    Hope I'm doing all of this right!

    (sorry, didn't mean to hijack - its all about you now.) :)
  • NicoleSchimmel
    NicoleSchimmel Posts: 162 Member
    When I first heard about spike days from your posts, I didn't think you meant 1,000 or 2,000 more calories. I just assumed it was an extra 500 or so. So my question is this, how much should you 'spike'? 1000 calories? 500 calories? Does this make sense?

    I can't wait to hear about the rest of your day :)
  • Ambrogio1
    Ambrogio1 Posts: 518 Member
    Ok - I am trying this also today. I am on day 7 of my 1200 cal/day "diet" and today I am shooting for 3000. Tomorrow, back to 1200/day. I am going to weigh myself daily throughout and share after 2/3 weeks. I've eaten everything from tuna to m&ms...

    Also, yesterday was day 6 in a row of daily cardio - last night I cardio'ed for 1.25 hrs. I am taking today off from exercise, then hitting weights and treadmill tomorrow, hard.

    Hope I'm doing all of this right!

    (sorry, didn't mean to hijack - its all about you now.) :)

    Totally acceptable to hijack!! GL
  • Ambrogio1
    Ambrogio1 Posts: 518 Member
    When I first heard about spike days from your posts, I didn't think you meant 1,000 or 2,000 more calories. I just assumed it was an extra 500 or so. So my question is this, how much should you 'spike'? 1000 calories? 500 calories? Does this make sense?

    I can't wait to hear about the rest of your day :)

    2x your normal day. But should never put you over what you need to lose for the week.

    lets say you are eating 1000 a day to lose 1 lb per week. Then cut it to 800 a day and take in those 1200+1000 on the spike day=2200
  • SolidGoaled
    SolidGoaled Posts: 504 Member
    When I first heard about spike days from your posts, I didn't think you meant 1,000 or 2,000 more calories. I just assumed it was an extra 500 or so. So my question is this, how much should you 'spike'? 1000 calories? 500 calories? Does this make sense?

    I can't wait to hear about the rest of your day :)

    2x your normal day. But should never put you over what you need to lose for the week.

    lets say you are eating 1000 a day to lose 1 lb per week. Then cut it to 800 a day and take in those 1200+1000 on the spike day=2200


    Ooooh... I think I miscalculated...

    If I am on 1200/day, last night I netted 900 after exercise... today I am going for 3000... back to netting 1200 tomorrow for another 6 days... is 3000 too much for my spike?

    If I am shooting for 1200/day, then after a week, including my spike, I should still net 8400 cals for the week? (7 days X 1200cal) And the spike day, I borrow from other days to make that up? I thought it didn't work that way.

    FWIW: 39 years old, female, current weight 213, goal 165
  • dobenjam
    dobenjam Posts: 232 Member
    Some people were curious on what my Spike Days look like,so I'm logging it.
    I typically have 3 large meals, and a couple of tasty snacks in between.
    My calorie goal is 5,000.
    I eat both good healthy foods and "junk food"

    So far I had modified no-bake protein bars, with oats, PB, coconut oil, protein powder, and m & m's
    Nutella on bread, milk, and my homemade chocolate using milk chocolate chips and coconut oil.

    Breakfast:
    1,282 Calories
    143 carbs
    59 fat
    60 pro

    Just so I understand, do you exercise this all away the same day? Or do you not exercise on your spike day?
  • SolidGoaled
    SolidGoaled Posts: 504 Member
    Just when I thought I got it... Just to be clear: are your weekly total of calories NOT to exceed your goal's worth - even including the spike day, then?
  • Russellb97
    Russellb97 Posts: 1,057 Member
    Lunch
    Buffalo Wild Wings

    Honey BBQ Wings, fries, and pop


    I do not exercise on Spike Day, I will have a killer workout tomorrow!
  • Russellb97
    Russellb97 Posts: 1,057 Member
    I want to go above my maintenance calories today and have an actual surplus.
  • Russellb97
    Russellb97 Posts: 1,057 Member
    2,414 calories so far.

    2,600 more to go.
  • dobenjam
    dobenjam Posts: 232 Member
    I understand the theory behind it. But is it really "healthy" to eat like that? Granted your body will burn the calories at some point but does your body have a unhealthy increase in insulin or anything? And you stay under your WEEKLY calorie goal still?
  • 4theking
    4theking Posts: 1,196 Member
    Great idea Russ. My full spike day is tomorrow. I will probably end up around 4700. Lost two pounds this week.
  • djkshdfd
    djkshdfd Posts: 443 Member
    Have spike days worked for anyone? That's my question. I am doing one today but this is my first day trying it.
  • 4theking
    4theking Posts: 1,196 Member
    Have spike days worked for anyone? That's my question. I am doing one today but this is my first day trying it.

    I am a spiker for life!
  • marathonmom72
    marathonmom72 Posts: 191 Member
    What are the benefits to a 'spike' day, and how does it differ from calorie zig-zagging?
  • 4theking
    4theking Posts: 1,196 Member
    What are the benefits to a 'spike' day, and how does it differ from calorie zig-zagging?

    I have a bit about it on my profile but basically boosts your fat burning hormones. You could call it a form of zig zagging but on a more extreme scale.
  • dvcab
    dvcab Posts: 78
    during the week do you eat you exercise calories daily or could you just save these up for spike day?
  • 4theking
    4theking Posts: 1,196 Member
    during the week do you eat you exercise calories daily or could you just save these up for spike day?

    Nope, don't eat them. Your spike day will keep you losing.
  • I do have a spike day (although I've never called it this) once a week but I don't even go near 5,500 calories!
  • Question: Can you choose any day out of any given week depending on the events of that week to have a spike day? Or must it be every 7 days like clockwork?
  • stubbysticks
    stubbysticks Posts: 1,275 Member
    Has it worked for anyone?? Um, well, Russ lost 112 lbs doing it. My guess is YAH. And as for it being "healthy," you eat clean, nutritious food 6 days of the week. One day of indulgence isn't going to "undo" the benefits of the healthy food. I think it's far less "healthy" to deprive yourself of crappy food you love all the time. I spike every weekend, & sometimes it's not even crap. Maybe I'll go buckwild on some pasta or rice or guacamole. However, this weekend it will be alcohol....:drinker: :smokin: :devil:
  • 4theking
    4theking Posts: 1,196 Member
    Question: Can you choose any day out of any given week depending on the events of that week to have a spike day? Or must it be every 7 days like clockwork?

    When I lost my 68lbs, I usually spiked on Saturday. I occasionaly moved it to Friday or Sunday but you do want to keep it around 7 days.
  • djkshdfd
    djkshdfd Posts: 443 Member
    Question: Can you choose any day out of any given week depending on the events of that week to have a spike day? Or must it be every 7 days like clockwork?

    When I lost my 68lbs, I usually spiked on Saturday. I occasionaly moved it to Friday or Sunday but you do want to keep it around 7 days.

    So what happens if you do eat some of your exercise calories throughout the week? I have really high burns sometimes so I eat them.
  • 4theking
    4theking Posts: 1,196 Member
    Question: Can you choose any day out of any given week depending on the events of that week to have a spike day? Or must it be every 7 days like clockwork?

    When I lost my 68lbs, I usually spiked on Saturday. I occasionaly moved it to Friday or Sunday but you do want to keep it around 7 days.

    So what happens if you do eat some of your exercise calories throughout the week? I have really high burns sometimes so I eat them.

    When I am setting somone up on their diet, I look at their physical activity. If they are really active, I will set them at their bmr. If they are sedentary, I set them up a bit below bmr. You can tweak it from there.
  • dobenjam
    dobenjam Posts: 232 Member
    Has it worked for anyone?? Um, well, Russ lost 112 lbs doing it. My guess is YAH. And as for it being "healthy," you eat clean, nutritious food 6 days of the week. One day of indulgence isn't going to "undo" the benefits of the healthy food. I think it's far less "healthy" to deprive yourself of crappy food you love all the time. I spike every weekend, & sometimes it's not even crap. Maybe I'll go buckwild on some pasta or rice or guacamole. However, this weekend it will be alcohol....:drinker: :smokin: :devil:

    I was never suggesting that you deny yourself the food you love all the time, just stay within your daily calorie budget. I haven't gone wanting for anything, I just plan it in my daily budget. It just seems unhealthy to binge for an entire day. It may be effective but I don't see how it can be healthy.
  • Russellb97
    Russellb97 Posts: 1,057 Member
    I'm done and very satisfied. I ended up just under 6,000 calories, and this pretty typical of my past 300+ Spike Days.

    Now tomorrow I will wake up feeling like an animal and crush it at the gym!
This discussion has been closed.