Missed Diet, Compensate or not?

[BeastMode]

I miss my target caloric intake on very hectic days. I got to thinking about it and started doing some searches, which returned almost nothing. I get paranoid about not meeting my goals, so this is the paranoid side of me posting.

Typically I have a target goal of 3300 calories on any given day, but sometimes life gets in the way and i fall short, only to intake 2500 or 2700 calories. Are there any pros and cons of making up for that 600-800 calorie deficiency on following days, consuming 3600-4000 calories to make up?

Focus: Should I be worried about missing my target caloric intake on Day 1? Should I keep up with my normal diet, and just pretend that I didn't miss anything, where I dont try and counterbalance that deficiency? Or should I counterbalance that deficiency on Day1 by increasing caloric intake in upcomming days?

 

[mbj0186]

I miss my target caloric intake on very hectic days. I got to thinking about it and started doing some searches, which returned almost nothing. I get paranoid about not meeting my goals, so this is the paranoid side of me posting.

Typically I have a target goal of 3300 calories on any given day, but sometimes life gets in the way and i fall short, only to intake 2500 or 2700 calories. Are there any pros and cons of making up for that 600-800 calorie deficiency on following days, consuming 3600-4000 calories to make up?

Focus: Should I be worried about missing my target caloric intake on Day 1? Should I keep up with my normal diet, and just pretend that I didn't miss anything, where I dont try and counterbalance that deficiency? Or should I counterbalance that deficiency on Day1 by increasing caloric intake in upcomming days?

I actually have the same problem on occasion. In my opinion, I don't think it would hurt to add a few extra calories the following day (maybe 300 or so), but you have to consider that your body can only metabolize a certain number of calories at any given time, unless your chronically malnourished, which I'm pretty sure your not, when speaking of making gains. Any "excess" calories taken in at one given time will have certain fates depending on your nutritional status. 1) Metabolized for energy (protein, fat, or carbs), 2)used to synthesize new body tissues (protein) or 3) be converted to fat. The latter occurs when your NOT chronically malnourished (also occurs during long term fasting, but at that point who cares!) and take in a significant amount of calories at any given time.

I don't think messing up a day every now and then will reek too much havoc on your gains, but will deplete your glycogen stores, especially if your training hard. I wouldn't go beyond taking in the amount needed to replenish glycogen within muscles. Any excess calories beyond that will just cause you to accumulate fat more than build muscle. If anything, take off the next day from training, because it's then that your muscles will be weak. It takes roughly 24-48 hrs to replenish glycogen after pounding the weights, so not eating very much one day will most likely have negative effects the following day. Put simply, I think a lot of people are in the same boat, but many go about it the wrong way.

Have you considered weight gainers as a way to get in those extra calories?

 

[Nitrox]

Typically I have a target goal of 3300 calories on any given day, but sometimes life gets in the way and i fall short, only to intake 2500 or 2700 calories. Are there any pros and cons of making up for that 600-800 calorie deficiency on following days, consuming 3600-4000 calories to make up?

Lets assume that 3300 calories is the optimum energy intake for maximizing muscle growth while minimizing fat gain. In that case, overcompensating the following day is just going to lead to a higher percentage of fat gain. By not providing adequate energy the previous day, you will have lost that 24 hour period of potential growth. Just forget about it and get back on your plan the next day.

The same applies for diets. If you blow your diet one day and then try to double up on your deficit the following day, the 'make up' weight loss will probably come from more muscle loss.

 

[drewh10987]

Lets assume that 3300 calories is the optimum energy intake for maximizing muscle growth while minimizing fat gain. In that case, overcompensating the following day is just going to lead to a higher percentage of fat gain. By not providing adequate energy the previous day, you will have lost that 24 hour period of potential growth. Just forget about it and get back on your plan the next day.

The same applies for diets. If you blow your diet one day and then try to double up on your deficit the following day, the 'make up' weight loss will probably come from more muscle loss.

I completely agree, especially when cutting. Do your best to meet your goals for each day but if you fall short or if you end up cheating forget about it and focus on hitting your goal the next day. One day is not going to matter in the long run.

 

[BeastMode]

Have you considered weight gainers as a way to get in those extra calories?

I have considered them, but im trying to really stay away from them right now, trying to hit my goals by eating...i have been doing real well, so well see how it goes

finally, thanks

 

[drewh10987]

I have considered them, but im trying to really stay away from them right now, trying to hit my goals by eating...i have been doing real well, so well see how it goes

finally, thanks

That's the right mind set. Try to stay away from weight gainers and get all your calories in from real food sources.