Net Calories?

patriot201

Is my net calories for each day supposed to be zero? I am eating very little (probably too little), but my net calories each day is around 400-800. Is that too high?

patriot201

For example, yesterday, I ate 800 calories for the entire day (I know... too low) and burned 261 calories through exercise. So, my net calories shows 539 calories "positive" calories on my net calories report. But, I know that I burn much more than that just existing.

I still want to lose another ten pounds. Do I need to be exercising off the same number of calories I consume (so my net calories is zero)? It seems that is excessive.

Am I wrong?

eillamarie

NO! Your net calories per day should be what they give you, shouldn't be more than 200 less, on average. For ex, MFP gives me 1,530 calories, for every calorie I burn for exercise it adds that to the calories I am allowed to eat for the day. I do try to eat these calories because only eating 1,530 is already a 1,000 calorie/day deficit for me (meaning I lose 2lbs a week). If you eat a lot less than the calories MFP is telling you to eat then you risk going into starvation mode and doing a lot of damage to your metabolism-and your body! You can do this once in a while, but if you make it a daily habit to have a 1,500 (or 2,500 calorie deficit if my net calories of 0) you are going to really hurt yourself!

patriot201

Thanks! That's what I thought, but I just wanted to make sure.

I already have a complete screwed up metabolism from starving myself off and on since I was nine years old, so I am not sure how to follow the "directions" MFP gives me. I know that I gain HUGE amounts of weight when I eat 1,200 calories a day, but I also know that I should be eating at least that in order to heal my metabolism. It just sucks to think that I have to gain weight in order to lose it.

Maybe I should just try to maintain where I am now. I am at an acceptable weight now.

iluvwdw

Exactly, your net calories should never fall below 1200 per day or you could risk gaining weight or plateuing and damaging your body. Excercise cals are added back on to your daily allowance. YOu can choose to consume them or not. More energy expended means your body needs those extra calories to function. If you don't eat them, they count towards a deficit just as your reduced calories go towards weight loss. Example, MFP gives you a deficit of 500 cals per day to equal one lb of weight loss per week. If you excercise 500 cals each day for a week, that will equal an additional lb of weight loss cals burned.

To figure this out you need to go into your tools and calculate your BMR to see the cals your body needs to function, and you will see your net cals is reduced by 500 per day if you choose 1lb per week or 1000 per day if you choose 2 lbs per week. You need to eat more, or you will harm your efforts and your body.

You may lose initially doing this but your body will go into starvation mode and your body will not hav what it needs to function effectively. Remember it takes a reduction of 3500 calories to lose 1 lb of weight. Either by excercise or reduction in calories or a combination of both.

carl1738

Your net calories is how many calories you consume in a given day minus the calories that you burn off exercising. This should be equal to your goal calories. If your goal is set for 1200 calories, then your try to keep your net calories as close to 1200 as you can. So a net of 539 is definetly too low. A calorie deficit this high will lower your metabolism so that your body will actually hold onto the fat, and use your lean muscle for energy. This approach might help you achieve that number on the scale, but your body will actually have a higher percentage of fat than you have right now, and more fat will soon follow when you resume eating at a normal calorie level. Eat a little more now, especially healthy foods like veggies and lean protein, and you will look and feel much better.

patriot201

Eat a little more now, especially healthy foods like veggies and lean protein, and you will look and feel much better.

Thanks! I try to eat healthy selections, but I know that my choices aren't always "the best." Sometimes I eat too much or too little, and other times my fat/protein/carb balance is way off. For example, the other day, I had:

Breakfast:
* 1/4 cup blueberries (frozen and thawed)
* 2 hard-boiled small eggs
Lunch:
* Healthy Choice Pumpkin Ravioli (300 calories total, but 52g carbs)
* 1.5 cups mixed veggies (frozen and thawed)
Snack:
* Fiber-One Bar
Dinner:
* 2 cups fresh brocolli
* plain black-bean burger



As I went through the day, I thought I was making good choices, but I guess I should cut the carbs a bit and add more protein and veggies. My balance was WAY off that day. Too many carbs.