I personally go by calories per day, not by week. I know some people have a weekly goals though. If you want to cut back, do it over a few days, but not all 800 in one day. Maybe 200-300 per day as long as your not below 1400.
I wouldn't advise it as it could lead to excessive hunger and preoccupation with food. I think the healthiest thing to do when you go off plan, whether on purpose or accidentally, is to just get back on your regular plan the next day, without "punishing yourself." It doesn't matter if your weight loss is stalled by an eighth of a pound. The important habit to develop and reinforce, IMO, is getting back on the merry-go-round after hopping off.
Whenever I go over, I just get right back on plan the next day. I never feel the need to "make up" for the bad days prior or anything. Since you are already eating the bare minimum that a woman should eat, I really suggest you do not cut back any calories. In fact, eating the 2000 calories was probably a nice mix up for your body.
I calculate my calories weekly, so if I do go over my calories, I do cut back on other days of the week. However, since your calorie count is so low to begin with and you only went over by 800 calories, I would probably just get back to your usual calorie count rather than cutting back. In fact, believe it or not, it may even help that you went over your calorie count; sometimes, shaking things up like that has a positive effect on your weight loss.
Admittedly I tend to cut back the next day, but only if I don't feel like making it up via exercise (basically eating what I normally eat but adding a 30 minute brisk walk or climb a flight of stairs 25 times throughout the day, etc.)
Since I am pretty sedentary and my eating plans are pretty flexible, I just cut out my carb-loaded breakfast but still drink my milk with tea for the next day or two, which brings me down to 1,000-1,100. I know it's not considered the smartest thing to do but I tend to think that I underestimate my calories anyways by about 100 and this way I know I am eating the bare minimum I should (1,200). I only do this for two days maximum then its back to normal (1,200-1,350, which in reality is probably 1,300-1,450.) I see all my thin girl friends eat 'lighter' the day after a heavy night out so I figure its a good habit to adopt.
Last edited by DesertTabby; 02-12-2012 at 08:17 AM.
I would exercise an extra 5 min each day for the next week or whatever and call it good. And don't beat yourself up. It's over and done, so move along to the next step and it will all be okay in the end. If you eat too much every day, then you need to reconsider what you are doing all the way around, but an occasional misstep ain't the end of the earth!
Can I make up for overeating?
