How long does it take for excess calories to turn to fat?

[DrGreenThumb]

Hey guys,
Just wondering what an approximate amount of time for excess calories to turn to fat is? Like 24 hours? A week?
Im just asking as last night I had a huge binge eating session and had my body fat taken this morning and I had lost fat, but im worried that the calories wouldnt have been converted yet and will slow me down for my next body fat test next week?

Thanks for any help.

[Colin Gilbert]

Maybe an hour or two? The nutrients have to get into the bloodstream, and that can take from half an hour to several hours, then get into the fat cells... Don't worry about it, you still lost fat.

[DrGreenThumb]

Maybe an hour or two? The nutrients have to get into the bloodstream, and that can take from half an hour to several hours, then get into the fat cells... Don't worry about it, you still lost fat.

Thanks a lot man, that makes me feel a lot better.
I really appreciate the reply.

[DrGreenThumb]

This is the only site I could find relating to my question, although it is pretty vague I now think its pretty safe to say ill be on track for next week.

http://www.menshealth.co.uk/answers/answer.phtml?id=28

[DrGreenThumb]

I still have one doubt about this though. If all the excess calories are converted to fat within a 8 hour period wouldnt that mean if you over ate one day by 7000 calories (I realise thats a lot but its definately possible) you would gain 2 pounds of fat? That cant be right.

[psycho69]

err but you burn calories during the day dr_green, it doesnt ALL go to fat

[DrGreenThumb]

err but you burn calories during the day dr_green, it doesnt ALL go to fat

Im saying eating 7000 calories over maintanence level. So if your maintanence is 3000 and you eat 10000 calories one day would you gain 2 pounds within 8 hours?
I know this is an exaggerated example but I wanna get a good idea of the time range for excess calories converted to fat.

[Rock_0220]

Im saying eating 7000 calories over maintanence level. So if your maintanence is 3000 and you eat 10000 calories one day would you gain 2 pounds within 8 hours?
I know this is an exaggerated example but I wanna get a good idea of the time range for excess calories converted to fat.

It seems like a logical train of thought but since it is such an extreme overload of calories, your body would just expel what was not required. Two weeks ago coming off a fitness shoot I had back-to-back cheat days where I ingested roughly 20,000 calories. When I weighed in three days later I was down two pounds and still am today. Excess calories in moderation (1 - 2 times per month) can be beneficial since you're system is not use to all that food or the nature of it.

[psycho69]

It seems like a logical train of thought but since it is such an extreme overload of calories, your body would just expel what was not required. Two weeks ago coming off a fitness shoot I had back-to-back cheat days where I ingested roughly 20,000 calories. When I weighed in three days later I was down two pounds and still am today. Excess calories in moderation (1 - 2 times per month) can be beneficial since you're system is not use to all that food or the nature of it.

agreed

[image101]

Your body simply cannot process all that food at once. Most of it passes right through you.

[DrGreenThumb]

It seems like a logical train of thought but since it is such an extreme overload of calories, your body would just expel what was not required. Two weeks ago coming off a fitness shoot I had back-to-back cheat days where I ingested roughly 20,000 calories. When I weighed in three days later I was down two pounds and still am today. Excess calories in moderation (1 - 2 times per month) can be beneficial since you're system is not use to all that food or the nature of it.

Thanks man that explains a lot.
Why though do you believe it would be beneficial to our system to extremely overeat 1 - 2 times per month? For our metabolism or something else?
Thanks a lot for your help.

[Rock_0220]

Thanks man that explains a lot.
Why though do you believe it would be beneficial to our system to extremely overeat 1 - 2 times per month? For our metabolism or something else?
Thanks a lot for your help.

I'm not recommending to extremely overeat....that was just my specific scenario. Having one or two cheat days a month can be beneficial in speeding up your metabolism or breaking plateaus. The excess calories will provide your body with a so-called jump-start. Just eat clean the rest of the time and no worries.