What are Net Calories?

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Keriann23
Keriann23 Posts: 37 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello, I am tracking exactly what i eat, plus working out calories based on the machine. I see my net calories and I do know what it means. Example for last 3 days

Monday - Ate 961 calories - Burned 735 - Net 226
Tuesday - Ate1262 calories - Burned 613 - Net649
Today - Ate 856 calories - Burned 677 - Net 179 (SO FAR)

I am trying to lose 2 lbs per week. This week i have already lost 1 by the middle of the week.

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  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    edited April 2017
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    The net is what you're actually giving your body to run on once exercise is accounted for.

    Generally, your net should equal your calorie goal. So if your goal is 1,400 and you burn 200 calories through exercise, your net is now 1,200 and you can eat 200 more calories in order to get back to your original goal of 1,400.

    If your numbers are accurate, your net is way, way, way, too low. You can't maintain health and energy on 200-650 calories per day. That said, machine calorie burn numbers are often over-estimates, so it probably isn't that extreme.

    Why are you eating under 1,200?
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,384 Member
    edited April 2017
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    Unless you're doing 10k runs or 2-hour high-intensity workouts every day, it's pretty doubtful you're burning 600-700 exercise calories. Gym machines usually greatly exaggerate the numbers - you can probably just cut them in half for a more accurate result.

    And most people recommend eating 1200 NET calories as a minimum, to make sure you are fueling your body with what it needs. So you should definitely eat more.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Keriann23 wrote: »
    Hello, I am tracking exactly what i eat, plus working out calories based on the machine. I see my net calories and I do know what it means. Example for last 3 days

    Monday - Ate 961 calories - Burned 735 - Net 226
    Tuesday - Ate1262 calories - Burned 613 - Net649
    Today - Ate 856 calories - Burned 677 - Net 179 (SO FAR)

    I am trying to lose 2 lbs per week. This week i have already lost 1 by the middle of the week.

    If your calorie burns are to be trusted (machine? ......most of them over estimate) you should be eating like this:

    1200+735 = 1935 gross calories. This is 1200 "net"
    1200+613 = 1813 gross calories
    1200+677 = 1877 gross calories

    This wouldn't likely give you the 2 pound a week loss you were looking for.....it's just as low as you should go. 2 pounds a week is more appropriate if have 75+ pounds to lose.

    Try eating back a % of the machines calories. 50% is a good starting point.

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