How fast does your body turn calories into fat?

MommyLyssa

Ok, odd question, and I had no other idea how to phrase the title

Anyway- I am wondering how fast your body turns something into fat? Let's say I ate more than usual yesterday (ate a burger I have been craving for weeks...man, it was good!)- Anyway, not that it really matters, because it isn't like I can take it back, but this morning I weighed in and I was lower than yesterday (the usual, it is fun to watch it drop a little each day), and I was just wondering how long it would take to be out of the woods?

Hope that makes sense. Thanks so much, everyone!

aviduser

I am not sure what the scientific answer is, but I would say a few days to see it in the scale. Just do a little extra exercise, or leave a bit of a calorie deficit today and you'll be fine. Just cause you are trying to lose weight does not mean you can't indulge once in a while. You just have to balance it out with exercise or smaller meals.

deksgrl

If you are eating healthy and your body is not in starvation mode and you are exercising, then your body shouldn't be turning much of it into fat. Your body should be burning the calories as energy, not storing them.

MommyLyssa

I generally eat rather healthy (yesterday was NOT a god example. Ha!). And I do indulge from time to time, or else there is NO way that I will make it doing this for the rest of my life. I was just surprised to see a lower number on the scale this morning. I guess I was expecting to see a gain (if there was one) quickly.

crux

Your consistently under your goal calories, that burger is not going to turn to fat

Even if you had exceeded your calorie goal for the day by eating more burger, your still not going to turn it into fat because your weekly trend would still be in overall calorific deficit.

MommyLyssa

I just realized I plugged it in as a half. I was planning on only eating half, then ate the whole thing, but went up to bed with the hubby. So, now it looks worse, but still not as bad as I thought!

Thanks guys!

ninerbuff

Your metabolism will dictate that. For everyone it's different. It does take time to put on noticeable weight. That's why many overweight people don't notice it until a few years later.
Stay in calorie deficit most of the time and it shouldn't be an issue.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

MommyLyssa

Thanks everyone! Feeling a lot better about it! I was hoping to keep it to half the burger...but it just looked so delightfully yummy!

ScottysSpeedShop

This was a great question.

BarackMeLikeAHurricane

http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1b5riy/if_i_eat_a_3500_calorie_surplus_today_how_long/