Caloric Deficit or Net Calories

empressjasmin

I have been working to have a caloric deficit, but just also learned of net calories. Having a caloric deficit has helped me to lose some weight in the last few months. But when I look at my net calories from a day to day basis, I see that they are significantly high. Could this be why my weight loss has been slower than I would hope? Just wondering if someone could help explain net calories? Thank you!!

Machka9

During my first 16 week, I went for net 1250 calories.

In other words ...

- if I did no exercise, I ate 1250 calories.

- if I did 200 calories worth of exercise, that gave me 1450 calories to work with. So I might eat 1450 calories but because I burned off 200 calories, that's a net of 1250 calories.

- if I did 500 calories worth of exercise, that gave me 1750 calories. If I ate 1750 calories, and burned off 500, that's a net of 1250 calories.

Because I exercise every day, that meant I was often eating 1400-1600 calories a day ... sometimes more.

But you've got to be reasonably confident in the number of calories you're burning, which might take some experimentation. I always under estimated mine a bit. Even if I felt like I put in a good bicycle ride, I'd record it as a light, slowish ride. Even if I felt like I was really motoring along on a walk, I'd record it as a moderate walk and round the time down. If you think you burned 500 calories but really only burned 200 calories, and you eat as though you burned 500 calories, you're probably not going to lose as much or at all.

And working with net calories like this is a calorie deficit. It's good ol' CI<CO.

rainbowbow

empressjasmin wrote: »

I have been working to have a caloric deficit, but just also learned of net calories. Having a caloric deficit has helped me to lose some weight in the last few months. But when I look at my net calories from a day to day basis, I see that they are significantly high. Could this be why my weight loss has been slower than I would hope? Just wondering if someone could help explain net calories? Thank you!!

it absolutely could be, especially if the way that you're tracking calories burned is innacurate. I personally DO NOT track in this manner for this exact reason.


I eat my set number of calories each day regardless.

zamphir66

empressjasmin wrote: »

I have been working to have a caloric deficit, but just also learned of net calories. Having a caloric deficit has helped me to lose some weight in the last few months. But when I look at my net calories from a day to day basis, I see that they are significantly high. Could this be why my weight loss has been slower than I would hope? Just wondering if someone could help explain net calories? Thank you!!

IF you're using MFP the way it's intended,
AND your number of calories consumed is accurate,
AND your number of calories burned is accurate,
THEN there is no meaningful difference in looking at Net Calories or Calorie Deficit.

empressjasmin

Thanks, everyone. This helps!