How many net calories?

sarahmichel101

Can anyone give some educated advice? I don't want opinions, rather I would like to hear what you have experienced/learned from professionals (the last post I read one woman suggested that all women need to eat 1200 calories a day to lose weight). My big question is what should my net calorie intake be? I have only been doing this about 3 weeks and am not tired nor ill, but I am worried I am not taking in enough. My net calories range between 300 and 1000 per day. Should my minimum net intake be 1200, or is that what I need to eat not taking into account my exercise (Three days a week I have been burning 900 calories between walking and swimming). Please comment here, or if you have detailed info email me.
Thank you

AmyRhubarb

Your net calories should be at or very near your original goal calories for the day. Example - if your goal is 1400, you burn 300 through exercise, now your net cals are only 1100 for the day. Eat enough to bring the net number up to, or very close to 1400.

Food is fuel!

The reason for this is because the daily goal MFP gives you already has you at a deficit, meaning you could eat all the way TO GOAL every day, do zero exercise, and you'll lose weight. Burning off more cals through exercise leaves you with a much larger deficit, too large, and can cause you problems in the long run. That's why they add the exercise cals back into your goal - you are supposed to eat them.

megsmom2

Your net calories should be what MFP set for you if you're following its method. That means your calorie allotment PLUS what you exercised off. If MFP said 1200...(and I hope it didn't....)then your net for the day should be 1200. I lost this weight eating over 1600 net...easily and safely.

sarahmichel101

Ok so my goal is 1590 and Friday I exercised for 911 calories. Are you saying that I eat 2501 calories on days like this? Doesn't that seem like too much?

Dnarules

Ok so my goal is 1590 and Friday I exercised for 911 calories. Are you saying that I eat 2501 calories on days like this? Doesn't that seem like too much?

You haven't given us much information, so it is hard to say. But IF your numbers are correct, and you logging consistently and accurately, then 2501 would not be too much. BUT, 911 calories for exercise is very, very high! You need to make sure you are not overestimating your calorie burns. You may want to start by eating back a portion of your exercise calories, and adjusting up or down from there.

sarahmichel101

911 Calories was a 55 minute walk at 3.5 mps (just a little 3.5 mph actually) then 45 minutes of lap swimming in the evening. I don't think that is too high.

devil_in_a_blue_dress

Ok so my goal is 1590 and Friday I exercised for 911 calories. Are you saying that I eat 2501 calories on days like this? Doesn't that seem like too much?

I am not sure how accurate those numbers are (MFP tends to over estimate) but if they are accurate, then yes you should eat 2501 calories. Your body used those 911 calories during your workouts. The rest is needed for your body to do its bodily things.

I don't know how long you've been at this, but netting 300-1000 a day is asking for a problem. Yes, you will lose weight but it's going to include muscle mass. You'll eventually become tired, hair/nails will get brittle and you won't feel like doing anything.

PS: I've lost 50 pounds and maintained it for over 10 years. If I need to lose, I do so by eating 1,700 calories every day.

timmer74

Let me know if you have an answer you are happy with.