How fast does your body turn calories into fat?

MommyLyssa
MommyLyssa Posts: 134
edited October 5 in Food and Nutrition
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!

Replies

  • aviduser
    aviduser Posts: 208 Member
    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
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    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
    MommyLyssa Posts: 134
    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
    crux Posts: 454 Member
    Your consistently under your goal calories, that burger is not going to turn to fat :smile:

    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
    MommyLyssa Posts: 134
    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! :D

    Thanks guys! :D
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,990 Member
    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
    MommyLyssa Posts: 134
    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
    ScottysSpeedShop Posts: 47 Member
    This was a great question.
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    http://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1b5riy/if_i_eat_a_3500_calorie_surplus_today_how_long/
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