Do I have to eat excerise calories the same day?

emily115
emily115 Posts: 78 Member
in Food and Nutrition
There are times where I dont want to eat them, so lets say I burned 300 cals, then can I eat them the next day instead? Or later that week?
Thanks:)

Replies

  • JoniBologna
    JoniBologna Posts: 653 Member
    Sure. I know plenty of people who look at their calorie intake on a weekly basis vs daily.
  • melissabillington
    melissabillington Posts: 2
    I was wondering the same thing : )
  • LiddyBit
    LiddyBit Posts: 447 Member
    I actually think it's way more healthy, psychologically, to think of your diet in terms of weekly and not daily. It gives you wiggle room to fit normal life into your healthy lifestyle choices. So I think if you want to save your exercise calories for the next day, that's a good strategy, especially if you have to go out for drinks or dinners or whatever social obligations you have. You won't have to feel guilty because it will all even out.
  • Mercenary1914
    Mercenary1914 Posts: 1,087 Member
    Good luck keeping track of that if you dont.....

    Say on Monday you earned 212 Cals
    Then Tuesday you earned 500 Cals
    You mean to tell me you just will eat 712 Cals just for the heck of it?
  • taxidermist15
    taxidermist15 Posts: 677 Member
    ehh.. i dont know.....

    I don't want people to start thinking that if they eat below thier BMR then hey can binge on the weekend with drinks and horrible food, and stay under calories.That just doesn't seem healthy.
  • Dudagarcia
    Dudagarcia Posts: 849 Member
    I believe WW says no, those calories have to be eaten the day you worked out.
  • gpstrucker
    gpstrucker Posts: 930 Member
    I look at the weekly totals. If I'm under one day and over another it doesn't matter to me as long as I am close on the weekly.
  • JoniBologna
    JoniBologna Posts: 653 Member
    Good luck keeping track of that if you dont.....

    Say on Monday you earned 212 Cals
    Then Tuesday you earned 500 Cals
    You mean to tell me you just will eat 712 Cals just for the heck of it?

    It wouldn't be for the "heck of it". It'd be because she had an additional deficit of 712cals.

    Try it out. See how it works for you.
  • Fat4Fuel2
    Fat4Fuel2 Posts: 280 Member
    It's probably not a good idea so save all your exercise cals for one day (ie earn 1000 exercise cal and eat that much extra on one day) However, it's perfectly normal to eat 100 -200 cal less than the exercise cal for the day and save a couple days for a friday/saturday night dinner with friends. While it's the daily choices that effect our success, our success is measured by the week. As long as you're creating a weekly deficit, technically you should lose (ie 500 less cal/day is 1 lb/week)
  • kluvit
    kluvit Posts: 435 Member
    Within the same week has worked for me, but I wouldn't save up thousands of calories and binge in one day. The Droid Ap actually calculates remaining calories for the week (Monday - Sunday) which is great if you tend to eat more on weekends. I also try to workout more on days I know I will splurge. Without an HRM, I don't necessarily trust the calories burned calculations, and I don't completely trust the intake calories, so I try to only eat about 1/2 to 3/4 back.

    BTW: If I know I'm saving up for some special event, I'll keep a running tab of my deficit on the food notes for that day.
    Example: If I know we're going out with friends Friday night, I'll start logging deficits on Friday's Food Notes:
    M= -53; Total -53
    T=-50; Total -103
    W= -100; Total -203
    ETC.
  • Mercenary1914
    Mercenary1914 Posts: 1,087 Member
    .........
  • JoniBologna
    JoniBologna Posts: 653 Member
    Sorry for the confusion...I was telling the OP to try it.
  • Mercenary1914
    Mercenary1914 Posts: 1,087 Member
    I was telling the OP to try it.

    Gotcha
  • Sierra_419
    Sierra_419 Posts: 201 Member
    well .. there are some days i dont work out but still have extra calories from another day i will eat a few of them back... as long as i meet my weekly goal i dont see a problem with it. i still have been losing weight.
  • mes1119
    mes1119 Posts: 1,082 Member
    I usually "save" a couple hundred calories for the end of the week because I tend to eat out or indulge a little extra on the weekends.

    So I say go for it, it has been working for me for the past 4 months. :smile:
  • obsidianwings
    obsidianwings Posts: 1,237 Member
    I look at mine on a weekly basis. Seems to be working out ok for me, although obviously I can't say if I would be doing better if I didn't do it that way.
  • Olivia1977
    Olivia1977 Posts: 84 Member
    No, you don't. My calories flip flop all the time. I have maintained my weight give or take a couple pounds for 3 years. I average at 140lbs at 5 feet 8 inches tall. I say go for it!
  • cheddle
    cheddle Posts: 102 Member
    yes, if overall body weight is your only concern.

    If you are concerned with your body composition i.e: how much fat vs. muscle you have then, dont...

    Ideally eat your exercise calories immediately BEFORE you exercise, this will be, generally, the most benificial method of increasing lean/muscle mass and reducing fat mass.

    but each body is different and it depends also on what you have eaten. there are plenty of resources online regarding body building, you should read some and this will teach you.
  • Catrinaxox
    Catrinaxox Posts: 7
    The new WW plus points gives you additional weekly points to be eaten.
  • alyblue
    alyblue Posts: 20
    i follow diet strictly measuring etc 6 days of the week. on sunday i take an "off day". I don't binge eat but I dont measure absolutely everything, i just kind of eyeball my portions and I don't mark them on fitnesspal. I try to just have a day I enjoy. Fitness wise, it's better if you eat the calories the same day. If you don't, I would just start the next day fresh and hey you've burned an extra 300cals that can go to weight loss. If you're hungry though, eat them.
  • UrbanRunner81
    UrbanRunner81 Posts: 1,207 Member
    I definitely don't eat below my BMR and I will work with a weekly goal instead of daily. So if I am over one or two days, technically I am not over. On rest days I always seem to be hungrier or days after I lift.
  • tryinghard71
    tryinghard71 Posts: 593
    I had that happen to me this week. Had a special event. Did not get to work out. Ended up being over that day by 900. So the rest of this week I am trying to be under a little each day to make up for it. But! I would not want to do this all the time like every week.
  • madmex569
    madmex569 Posts: 49
    U can use those calories whenever u want. If u burn the calories during exercise, they r gone. U don't lose that work u did. 3500 cal in a pound. If u have a deficit then u lose the weight. good job.
  • tryinghard71
    tryinghard71 Posts: 593
    I definitely don't eat below my BMR and I will work with a weekly goal instead of daily. So if I am over one or two days, technically I am not over. On rest days I always seem to be hungrier or days after I lift.


    Same here. Always hungrier on rest days! Lol!
  • hesu0501
    hesu0501 Posts: 1
    So I am new to all of this....

    what's the point in eating your exercise calories? Are you supposed to? Don't you not eat them back, otherwise your exercise was pointless?

    Sorry, I am clueless!
  • nwhitley
    nwhitley Posts: 619
    I look at my weekly calories. On Sat, my long run is anywhere from 10-15 miles so there is no way I can eat all those calories back in 1 day. Well, I could but it wouldn't be healthy so I have to spread them throughout the next week. Try it and see how it works for you.
  • theartichoke
    theartichoke Posts: 816 Member
    So I am new to all of this....

    what's the point in eating your exercise calories? Are you supposed to? Don't you not eat them back, otherwise your exercise was pointless?

    Sorry, I am clueless!

    It depends on how you're doing things. If you're using MFP's recommended calorie goal then yes, eat them back. Watch your net calories...keep that at the recommended level. If you set your own goals then perhaps no.
  • jfan175
    jfan175 Posts: 812 Member
    I think it would be more beneficial to look at things on a daily basis. All of our days aren't perfect....some will be low, some will be high. Do your best to keep it close, and see where the week ends up. Playing catch up and carry over just complicates things, IMO. "Today is a new day" has served me well over the years.

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