Confused about net calories

oneallmama
oneallmama Posts: 108 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
My caloric goal (based on mfp) is 1370. I burn 500-700 calories a day... when I look at the charts It says for the past four days (for my net calories) 528, 748, 722, 665... Am I doing things wrong or right? Im confused.

Replies

  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
    You're not eating enough. MFP's goal is *net* calories: the total calories you eat in a day minus the calories you expended in exercise. It's explained here:
    http://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/12031-what-are-net-calories-

    So if your goal is 1370, and you burn 700 calories in exercise, you should eat 2070: 2070 - 700 = 1370.

    You don't want to eat too little, because it deprives you of essential nutrients.

    The only catch is that calorie burn is often overestimated, even by heart rate monitors. I'm a 5'10", 170 lb. male, and to burn 700 calories I need to spend 65-75 minutes on my bicycle at a hard pace. If I tell MFP that I've cycled 65 minutes at 16-20 mph, it will tell me I burned 1000 calories. So it's overestimating by 300 calories.

    For that reason, a lot of people eat back only 50-75% of their estimated exercise calories.

    Best thing to do is eat more, aim for net calories near 1370, and monitor your progress.
  • oneallmama
    oneallmama Posts: 108 Member
    So I've been eating too few calories? So you would recommend 2070? I usually burn 500 calories on my exercise bike (that's 45 minutes at a hard rate)....
  • mreeves261
    mreeves261 Posts: 728 Member
    So I've been eating too few calories? So you would recommend 2070? I usually burn 500 calories on my exercise bike (that's 45 minutes at a hard rate)....

    The way MFP works is by eating back you exercise calories. There are other methods but if you are following MFP it is designed for you to eat them back yes. For example, I am set at 1550, I burn 300 running, I would eat 1850. I use a HRM and not the numbers on MFP that is why I eat 100% of my exercise calories. Others say 50 - 75%. Others will say you should move over to TDEE - XX%.

    What works for ME is eating my allowance plus 100% of exercise calories. On the weekends I can eat up to 2500 depending on what I am doing. I lose about a pound a week this way.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    yes- ish.

    remember- most people UNDER estimate their food- and OVER estimate their workouts- meaning they think they are buying like 1000 calories... and you probably bought yourself like 500-700.

    I also eat back 1/2- 3/4 of my exercise calories. I know I need to eat more when I work out- so I do- but I don't make myself crazy trying to hit an exact number. Remember- it's about trend lines- not every day numbers.
  • oneallmama
    oneallmama Posts: 108 Member
    So I've been eating too few calories? So you would recommend 2070? I usually burn 500 calories on my exercise bike (that's 45 minutes at a hard rate)....

    The way MFP works is by eating back you exercise calories. There are other methods but if you are following MFP it is designed for you to eat them back yes. For example, I am set at 1550, I burn 300 running, I would eat 1850. I use a HRM and not the numbers on MFP that is why I eat 100% of my exercise calories. Others say 50 - 75%. Others will say you should move over to TDEE - XX%.

    What works for ME is eating my allowance plus 100% of exercise calories. On the weekends I can eat up to 2500 depending on what I am doing. I lose about a pound a week this way.

    Okay! Now I understand! Thanks so much! No wonder I've been sluggish and not seeing results.

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