timing of calorie burn?

calderst
calderst Posts: 222 Member
edited September 29 in Fitness and Exercise
I know it doesn't exactly work this way, but is there a time limit on how long you have to burn calories once you've "messed up" or gone way over?
I managed to consume 1300 calories around midnight last night (granted, not my wisest choice...). I burned 1200+ on a long walk/jog this afternoon. I entered the calories in for yesterday's journal so that I wouldn't think I still had lots of calories left to eat today. Is this wrong? I find that on days when I work out either at a high intensity or am doing a lot of endurance stuff (like today), I don't eat as much. I make sure I get my protein and fluids for fuel but I'm just not as snacky. But then on days "off" I tend to go way over. I just want to make sure I'm not doing any damage by putting my calories in on days other than when I burn them.

Replies

  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
    In the interest of accuracy, why not just put food and exercise on days they actually occur? Sure you'll go over some days, but it will help you determine where you need to be.

    The fact of the matter is, anytime you have excess glucose (sugar) that your body isn't using, it will be converted and stored as fat. When you do exercise, you then have to deplete your blood sugar (glucose) and stored sugar (glycogen) before you ever really start using up the energy that was stored as fat. So, depending on how far you go over, you could actually be making things harder on yourself.

    Also, if you start to record things on the days they are actually eaten. seeing the numbers may be a motivation to get some sort of exercise in those days!
  • princess2910
    princess2910 Posts: 3
    Hey! It doesnt really matter what the time limit is for burning calories as it all has to be used or stored in some sort of way regardless. It simply comes down to energy in.

    I hear what you are saying, being more active means that you are better with your eating....I'm the same. I put it down to a few thing

    1. Doing something, whether it be exercise or another activity is a distraction from eating, you are doing something and therefore not thinking about food, right? Therefore you dont eat as much

    2. Exercise uses a different part of our nervous system (ever heard of fight and flight mechanism vs rest and digest?) Basically when we are exercising we are accessing our fight and lfight nervous system which requires less blood flow to our digestive system and therefore less 'hungry' signals. When we are resting however, this is the time that our body likes to refuel as it has plenty of opportunity to send blood to our digestive system, so we tend to feel more hungry.

    On the days you are not exercising (because it is important to have some rest days) try to determine if your hunger is simply through boredom, or if your body actually needs food - take the emotional urge to eat out of the equation. If it is through boredom, do something else, something you enjoy.

    Hope this info helps!!
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