HELP! NET CALORIES IN THE NEGATIVES??!

Ambersikes17

Okay. So this is literally my first day using MyFitnessPal! I had two nuts from an Organic Fruit & Trail Mix package. Then went to the gym to workout FIRST. After I came back from the gym, I cooked a small breakfast of one slice of 100% whole wheat grain bread folded over, with scrambled eggs in it ( half egg sandwich), half a banana, and half container of light yogurt with water obviously. Then I snacked on a small portion of nut and fruit trail mix (containing cranberries, raisins, raw almonds, raw cashews and raw walnuts) in a ziploc bag, A little tuna on one slice of 100% whole wheat grain folded over to make a small tuna sandwich, the other half of my light yogurt, and a salad with light dressing, also another small portion of trail mix. My food calories are 529. But now my my NET CALORIES ARE NEGATIVE?? WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? I AM SO CONFUSED WITH ALL THE MATH. HERE ARE MY NUMBERS:

GOAL: 1,200
FOOD: 529
EXERCISE: -655
NET: -126
REMAINING 1,326

I have it set to 2 lb. loss/week but even when I changed it to 0.5 lbs a week it is STILL in the negatives. If I workout more than I eat, will I not lose the weight and tone? I don't understand how eating 1200 calories of food then working out causes weight loss..... Help.

I need help with what brown meals to eat in the lunchtime/dinner. (brown rice, brown pasta)? I don't want to just eat fruits and veggies, because my body needs a small meal.

alanaealeman

You have burned more calories through exercise than you have consumed. That is why your net is negative. It's just subtraction.

You absolutely need to be eating more than 529 calories of food, especially if you are exercising. What you are doing right now is dangerous calorie restriction.

DavPul

IT MEANS EAT SOME FOOD!!! AND WHAT, PRAY TELL, ARE YOU DOING FOR EXERCISE THAT IS BURNING 600+ CALORIES AT YOUR BODYWEIGHT??!

JenMc14

The more you work out, the more you need to eat. 1200 is the minimum for getting the nutrients you need. If you're working out hard enough to burn that many calories, you need to eat at least some of them back. The 1200 is NOT a cap, it's the number to hit. A deficit is built in, so if you exercise, you can eat more. Also, 2 pounds a week is really aggressive, and likely not attainable unless you have over 50 pounds to lose.

PetulantOne

You only have 20 pounds to lose according to your ticker, so you should be aiming for around 1/2 pound a week loss anyway.

If you exercise, you're supposed to eat more. MFP has you eating at a deficit without exercise, that's why it tells you to eat more after exercising.

Graelwyn75

Not sure where you got the idea you have to eat less than 1200 calories to lose weight. 1200 is the absolute minimum, and consistently eating less will most definitely not result in you getting toned as you will lose a lot of muscle. Mfp is designed so that your deficit is already taken off. You are meant to eat back your exercise calories, or at least half of them. Also, unless you have a lot to lose, 2 Ibs a week is too much of a deficit. It is better to set it to 1/2 Ib to 1Ib a week. It is not a race.

AlongCame_Molly

MFP is quite notorious for setting calorie goals FAR too low, regardless of height and weight. For example, it told me to eat 1200, and my BMR (the bare amount of calories I need to LIVE) is 1280. And I am extremely tiny, only 5 feet. So unless you are smaller than me, or bedridden, it is almost a CERTAINTY that you are eating too little. (This can result in lean muscle loss, chronic fatigue, metabolism damage, and bingeing due to over-restriction.)

Go to

http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

and enter your height/weight/activity level.

Subtract 10-20% from the number it calculates for you, and that is the number of calories you should be eating a day in order to lose weight.

jennycina93

You definitely should eat some more. Also, try paying attention to your macros goals (protein, carbs, fat, and fiber). You are probably not hitting those goals if your calorie intake is so low (although I did not look at your diary). You will lose weight with negative net calories, but it is most certainly not healthy and you will most likely lose a lot of muscle.

Duck_Puddle

See where it says calories remaining? Eat until that says 0.

And why just brown foods?

Heyyleigh

seriously- its called starvation.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

Eat more food.

You'll lose weight doing what you're doing. But you'll be unhealthy and before too long you won't have the energy to workout. You'll also sacrifice your muscle along with fat, which works against your goal of "toning." Many people also find that eating such an extremely low number leads to binging.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

Also:

I need help with what brown meals to eat in the lunchtime/dinner. (brown rice, brown pasta)? I don't want to just eat fruits and veggies, because my body needs a small meal.

That's just silly. Why brown? What your body needs is more calories.

Achrya

.....


Seriously, wtf? Brown foods? Eating less than 600 calories (Not that I think you're really eating that little, what with the trail mix and all. A small portion of my trail mix is 170 calories, but that you think you're eating that little is worrying) Working yourself into the perceived negatives?

It's like a 'Do Not Do This' list.

AmyRhubarb

You are confusing the phrase "eat less than you burn" - it does not mean less than you burn from exercise, but less than your body burns all day long - sleeping, walking, brushing your teeth, working - just existing! Even comatose hospital patients burn calories!

Do not eat less than 1200 cals - eat more, much more. If you changed your weekly goal to lose .5 lbs a week, that's good, now eat until your net cals are at, or at least very close to, that daily goal number.

Food is fuel, and at negative net cals, your body ain't gettin' any of it!

Edited to add:

I need help with what brown meals to eat in the lunchtime/dinner. (brown rice, brown pasta)? I don't want to just eat fruits and veggies, because my body needs a small meal.

Eat a well balanced diet of all the foods - your body needs protein, healthy fats, & carbs. Eat your fruits and veggies as well as lean meats, nuts and seeds, legumes, dairy (unless you have an allergy), etc.

ihad

I think it would help you to get some more information on how to do this. Start here - its very good info: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

Cranquistador

:noway:

trogalicious

EAT MOAR. NAO.

bajoyba

As someone else already mentioned, with only 20 pounds to lose, you should really aim to lose half a pound a week, and no more than a pound.

The calorie goal that MFP assigns you is what you need to eat to lose weight. Which means you need to eat to MEET that goal every day. To clarify further, you should get AS CLOSE to your calorie goal as possible. If you add exercise to your normal daily routine, you should also eat at least some of those exercise calories back.

Food is fuel. It gives your body the energy it needs to function, and it provides you with macro and micro-nutrients that are vital to your health and well-being.

wheird

Brown is the color of brownies and dark lager. In for the Brown Diet.

DavPul

Brown is the color of brownies and dark lager. In for the Brown Diet.

I love the brown

Ninkyou

Brown is the color of brownies and dark lager. In for the Brown Diet.

I love the brown

+1

OP; Eat more. You're not doing your body or yourself any favors by giving it so little. 1200 calories MINIMUM.

AmyRhubarb

Brown is the color of brownies and dark lager. In for the Brown Diet.

I love the brown

Woohoo!

Natmarie73

Can you post up the exact weights and calorie breakdown of what you have eaten and what you did and how long for for your excersise because I seriously think your counts are off. For example, Calorie King calculates two slices of whole grain bread equalling 218 calories on its own without anything added. I eat around 390 cal for breakfast alone and that is not usually much more than 2 poached eggs on a slice of wholegrain bread, 2 fried mushrooms and a cup of coffee.

Also to burn 655 calories you would need to be running at a fair speed for a good 2 hours or so. If you have just used the count on the treadmill (or whatever) it is bound to be way incorrect. Even MFP, Calorie King or Map My Fitness calorie counts are so far out of the field I am very wary of using them in case I overestimate my excersise calories. Maybe cross reference your calorie counts with other sites to see if you get a similar tally.

brianpperkins

Also to burn 655 calories you would need to be running at a fair speed for a good 2 hours or so. If you have just used the count on the treadmill (or whatever) it is bound to be way incorrect. Even MFP, Calorie King or Map My Fitness calorie counts are so far out of the field I am very wary of using them in case I overestimate my excersise calories. Maybe cross reference your calorie counts with other sites to see if you get a similar tally.

655 for two hours of running? For just how light of a person and at what speed? Mayo Clinic estimates 606 calories per hour for a 160 lb human at 5mph ... one of the lower estimates.

The math resulting in needing two hours of running to burn 655 calories is suspect.

Ambersikes17

White foods are extremely high in cals. That might just make me go over, right?

brianpperkins

White foods are extremely high in cals. That might just make me go over, right?

Huh? Where are you coming up with this stuff?

trogalicious

White foods are extremely high in cals. That might just make me go over, right?

what? no. I don't.. I can't even...


what?

Ambersikes17

Can you post up the exact weights and calorie breakdown of what you have eaten and what you did and how long for for your excersise because I seriously think your counts are off. For example, Calorie King calculates two slices of whole grain bread equalling 218 calories on its own without anything added. I eat around 390 cal for breakfast alone and that is not usually much more than 2 poached eggs on a slice of wholegrain bread, 2 fried mushrooms and a cup of coffee.

Also to burn 655 calories you would need to be running at a fair speed for a good 2 hours or so. If you have just used the count on the treadmill (or whatever) it is bound to be way incorrect. Even MFP, Calorie King or Map My Fitness calorie counts are so far out of the field I am very wary of using them in case I overestimate my excersise calories. Maybe cross reference your calorie counts with other sites to see if you get a similar tally.

here are my numbers today:
goal: 1200
food: 963
exercise: -350
net- 613
remaining: 587

Nephy07

White foods are extremely high in cals. That might just make me go over, right?

White foods? Wait, what!?

Ambersikes17

Everyone is seriously taking my comments WAY TOO seriously and out of context! I said white/light foods like white bread and white rice I have stopped eating because I thought grains were healthier. If I am still able to eat what I regularly eat (white breads/cereals) I will be happy. As long as I eat in moderation. Jeez

Ambersikes17

My numbers are

Goal: 1200
food: 963
exercise: 350
net: 613
remaining: 587

For breakfast I had two eggs which I scrambled with a little light kraft cheese and put on one slice of whole wheat grain bread (which I folded over to make a sandwich), Half cup of light yogurt, a organic banana with a little peanut butter, water

For lunch: 6' in subway sub on 9-grain whole wheat bread: turkey breast and black forest ham with lettuce and tomatoes. No dressings/condiments. and the other half of my yogurt

I also had a little fruit and nut trail mix in between. Am I doing better?