Can you burn today's excess calories tomorrow?

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sb_morton
sb_morton Posts: 4
in Fitness and Exercise
I am on a 1200 calorie a day plan and exercise 5-6 hours a week. I alway burn more calories that what MFP specifies for my weekly exercise. (I wear a Polar Heart rate monitor to keep track of calories burned).

The past couple of days I have not made it to the gym so I did not earn extra calories and had to eat strictly 1200 calories.

I was okay with the 1200 cal one day, but today I was very hungry and wanted to eat more. I ate about 600 calories over the 1200 today. If I exercise tomorrow for 2 hours and burn about 800 calories or more... could I erase today's extra calories tomorrow?

Replies

  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,301 Member
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    I say yes. but it can be a slippery slope..but who cares. Just make up for it..
  • kooltray87
    kooltray87 Posts: 501 Member
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    Oddly enough I had that same question....I was stomped because doesn't burning more require eating more? I do Insanity everyday and if I don't eat enough I can barely get through the workout....
  • invisibubble
    invisibubble Posts: 662 Member
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    Or... here's a crazy idea... you could eat MORE than 1200 a day when you exercise for that 5+ hours a week. I do 3-4 hours and eat 2200 a day and maintain a 143lb weight.
  • niknak2308
    niknak2308 Posts: 315 Member
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    Hi,

    I try to average out my cals from week to week rather than fretting over just one day. I'd say if you're worried about it, then commit to burning a few more each day and you'll make them up pretty quick. If you try to make them all up in one say you'll be super hungry the next day and create a vicious circle.

    Edited to add If you're exercising that much every week I would recommend eating more than 1200 as you will burn yourself out eventually (speaking from personal experience)!
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
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    Yes. You may burn off tomorrow what you overeat today.

    That said your numbers are pretty low.

    Also,if you overate by 600 theres no need to exercise off 800. The calories didn't grow inside you.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    weekly picture is best
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    Yes.

    But you could probably eat more than 1200 net and still lose weight.
  • NCchar130
    NCchar130 Posts: 955 Member
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    I say yes. I rare hit my calorie goal exactly - sometimes it's under 200 sometimes over 200. As long as I've hit my weekly goal, it has all worked out fine, so far. This allows me to eat according to my hunger, to some extent, instead of feeling like a slave to the numbers.
  • MissPeppers
    MissPeppers Posts: 302 Member
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    I second the week view; you don't necessarily digest the food you eat on the same day that you eat it - nor do you put on fat directly either. I always aim for a sensible weekly deficit and it's working splendidly.
  • sb_morton
    sb_morton Posts: 4
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    Thanks for all the replies. It takes some getting used to - suddenly going on a 1200 calorie diet. I eat a lot of healthy foods but never watched the calories before. I think that I feel satisfied at about 1800, and that would mean that I would have to burn off 600 calories a day to stay at 1200 net daily. Some days that is possible. It's the days that I try to stick to 1200 (without exercise) that make feel feel hungry. It worked out okay for about 12 days then there was a hunger surge! I think my body was fighting back.

    I will focus on the week to week, rather than day to day. I like MFP so far. I am now eating plenty of fruits and veggies (lower in calories) which I wasn't doing enough of before. I like being able to track how much fiber and calcium comes from my food. Some days I can actually skip taking a calcium supplement.
  • lizblizz2012
    lizblizz2012 Posts: 196 Member
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    Went on vacation with my hubby over the weekend, and ate 4,000 one of the days. So every day this week I have been cutting out 400 calories of my intake (not by eating less, just exercising more) to get rid of it. It's a week to week thing, your body doesn't reset itself every day.

    Also, I know they sound like a broken record, but everyone telling you to eat more than 1200 a day is right. Listen to them. Eating 1200 calories a day is the reason I failed the last time I tried to lose weight. But in the end you are responsible for your own body and can make that choice for yourself. Good luck!
  • Heyyleigh
    Heyyleigh Posts: 268 Member
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    A pound of fat equals 3500 calories. To lose 1 pound a week you will need to burn 3500 more calories than you eat that week. Losing one pound of fat a week is a sensible goal, but it requires a reduction of 500 calories per day. You can do this by increasing your calorie-burning activity or by eating fewer calories -- or both. It is easier to achieve it with the combination of increased activity and eating less. Exercising enough each day to burn 300 to 400 calories is a good goal for the exercise portion of your weight loss plan.

    So in saying that, compare your week, one day eating over does not destroy the entire week, also the kinds of foods you eat are impt as well.

    I too am really hungry some days, so I eat around 1500-1600 calories, back to 1200 or so the next day. I think sometimes if I dont make it to 1200 eventually as the week progresses I am hungry, its not rocket science for me- it means I am hungry!

    People comment that I dont eat enough calories for what I do, but I do whats best for me, its never going to be an exact science since we dont eat out of a lab. Good luck to you!
  • sweetteacher123
    sweetteacher123 Posts: 178
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    If you have the Iphone app, along the top on the "Home" screen is a weekly tab. You can click on that and actually see how you are doing for the week. I go by the week. I try to stay under my calories, but if I go over one day, I make up for it at least one or more days the rest of the week so I'm good on the whole.
  • sb_morton
    sb_morton Posts: 4
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    Kooltray 87 you might consider mixing up a sports energy drink for yourself to get through the insanity workout better. I like Cytomax and Amino Energy. The Amino energy has caffine and less calories. Your muscles won't get so sore or burn. These drinks help you to recover from workouts faster and give you an energy boost. Just remember to drink and rinse with water afterwards to get the citric acid off your teeth.

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