When to eat exercise calories?

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Triquetra
Triquetra Posts: 270 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am having a bit of a problem with eating my exercise calories, no it is not finding something to it, it is when to eat them.

I am a single parent so I can only exercise after the kids go to bed (around 8pmish) and depending on the nights disasters I can't always promise myself to get to the DVD's and treadmill. I don't want to eat the anticipated extra calories throughout the day and then find out I am not able to do the workout and am very over for the day. Nor do I think I want to eat another 200-500cals at 9:30 at night after my workout is done right before I go to bed at 10:00...

Does anyone know if it would hurt me in any way if I worked out one day and then logged and used the exercise calories for the next day's menu? Any other thoughts on this?

Replies

  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
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    ALWAYS.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
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    Mathmatically if you go over/under a little bit you can technically make it up the next day
  • Rhonnie07
    Rhonnie07 Posts: 36
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    Go for it, I don't see how it could hurt anything.
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
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    You could add it to the next day- as long as thats the consistent way you do it, it should be fine. Often what I do is go in to the exercise tab and project or pre-log my exercise eat a little more over the course of the day. But I do long runs on Wednesdays (often burning 900 cals or more at 7 or 8 at night) and usually split the difference- an extra 400 on the day I do it, an extra 400 on the next day, and I see no detriment.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    within reason, eating some of them the next day is probably fine, but it makes things a bit more complicated logging wise.

    Ideally, you should make your best effort to anticipate exercise for a day, and add the needed calories to your food plan for that day ahead of time, that way you aren't scrambling for calories at the end of the day. I know this isn't alway possible, so it's usually a good idea to have some pre-made snacks in the fridge to grab and go.
  • Rowell29s
    Rowell29s Posts: 32
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    I think you should eat the extra calories on the day of workout. This will also keep you on track with working out. You will know that you already ate those calories, so when your mind is telling you I don't want to work out tonight your calorie log will tell you that you have to. :bigsmile:

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