A visual about MFP and NET calories

WarmDontBurn

I will start by saying I AM NOT AN EXPERT nor do I play one on the internet. I just grasped this all a few weeks ago and have been a member now for over a year.

In the last few days I have answered a lot of questions about NET calories and people trying to stay BELOW 1200 NET. I know I will get jumped on because "Everyone is different" and I am not saying what is right or wrong but for me to learn how it works it helped to SEE it.

If this helps someone great and if not then it will be on page 10 by the end of the day...lol.

My point is how MFP works and I feel silly for posting because again I am no expert but maybe this will serve as a reference for newbies or people like me that took a little longer to "get it".

I hear people say that they need to eat below their NET to lose weight because generally that is how it works with most other site, you need to create a deficit. Most people may or may not realize that MFP does that for you...thanks MFP:flowerforyou:

So I took my goals and made some notes....hopefully it will help with all the questions about how can I lose weight if I don't create a deficit.

Below you will see my NET (1560) where I should be at the end of the day. Since MFP creates the deficit which you can see (250) circled I don't have to do anything at all.....well unless I want to be healthy Add exercise to that and either I will create a bigger deficit which is not always good. If my NET was 1200 and my deficit already 500 by eating under I would be making the deficit to large making bigger issues for myself.



If I am wrong in any of this PLEASE correct me...as I am sure someone will. This has been my understanding and I want to help not preach :flowerforyou:

WomanofWorth

bump

mexiana

lol... yes! I see people eating their alloted calories of 1200, but then exercising 500 of them away and they wonder why they aren't losing weight! I can get away with not eating them because of my size, I have 1590 calories a day, so if I burn 300 calories and don't eat any of them back, I'm still over that 1200 mark that's VERY dangerous to go under. ALWAYS look at your NET calories, and make sure they are 1200 or more!

racharla

Thanks a lot ..never did I think about the gap I was creating with exercise... I am allowed 1650 cal... and I add up some 500- 600 cal from exercise ... I was filling only between 1700-1800 .. Now I need to re-think my strategy

kappyblu

You are correct. But exercise creating that deficit is a GOOD thing IF AND ONLY IF you eat all or most of those calories back. To me, I like adding the exercise calories because then I can eat more. And I STILL lose, and I am getting stronger physically. It's a win-win! It comes off 1 1/2 to 2 pounds per week which may not be fast enough for some people, but I know that I am doing the right thing for me. Because by the pounds coming off slowly, I am truly changing my life, and facing the issues that got me here in the first place. It is a major life change, and that kind of change does not happen overnight. I want that change to have sticking power. I don't want to have this same problem years from now. Slow and steady wins the race. Someone wanting to lose pounds as fast as they can will only gain back the weight and be back here wondering what happened. This is where yo-yo dieting comes from. So kudos to you for "getting" it. This issue is probably the most brought up issue on MFP. Take care and best wishes!! :flowerforyou:

alienblonde1

I get this in tools BMR calculator ......

BMR Calculator
Your estimated BMR is: 1,595 calories/day*
*BMR based on the Mifflin - St. Jeor equations. Please remember that even the best BMR calculators provide only a best guess and should be used as a guide only.


I get this in settings ......


NUTRITIONAL GOALS TARGET
Net Calories Consumed* / Day 1,490 Calories / Day
Carbs / Day 205 g
Fat / Day 50 g
Protein / Day 56 g
*Net calories consumed = total calories consumed - exercise calories burned.


So the 1005 less calories per day is suppose to help me lose 1lb a week? That seems like I should lose more then 2 lbs a week? Or am I wrong? :ohwell:

ajbeans

You are correct. I think for some people, eating exercise calories doesn't work, but I think that most of the time that's because of an error in calculation somewhere: either MFP got the BMR wrong, or the activity level is wrong, or the estimated calories burned is wrong, or something. Because if everything is correct, then yes, MFP already gives you a deficit to lose weight. Increasing that deficit too much can cause problems.

So even though you're right, prepare for battle. Some people around here get really fired up over this.

ajbeans

I get this in tools BMR calculator ......

BMR Calculator
Your estimated BMR is: 1,595 calories/day*
*BMR based on the Mifflin - St. Jeor equations. Please remember that even the best BMR calculators provide only a best guess and should be used as a guide only.


I get this in settings ......


NUTRITIONAL GOALS TARGET
Net Calories Consumed* / Day 1,490 Calories / Day
Carbs / Day 205 g
Fat / Day 50 g
Protein / Day 56 g
*Net calories consumed = total calories consumed - exercise calories burned.


So the 1005 less calories per day is suppose to help me lose 1lb a week? That seems like I should lose more then 2 lbs a week? Or am I wrong? :ohwell:

Where do you get 1005?

BMR is only what you burn lying in bed all day. The deficit comes from maintenance (BMR + calories burned from normal daily activity), *not* from BMR alone.

alienblonde1

Oh and I have mine set to lose 1 lb a week

kappyblu

Alienblonde1: What is your activity level set at? That is part of MFP creating the deficit. The higher your activity level the more calories you burn. If you have a BMR set at 1595 and they add 700 or so for being lightly active, then they would subtract from that 1000 calories a day for losing 2 pounds per week. Double check your settings to make sure they are what you want. :flowerforyou:

alienblonde1

The 1005 is the difference between the 2. First one is 1595 and other one is 1490.

I have it set to lose 1 lb a week and exercise 3 days a week. I don't understand why one give 1595 and the other gives 1490?

ajbeans

The 1005 is the difference between the 2. First one is 1595 and other one is 1490.

I have it set to lose 1 lb a week and exercise 3 days a week. I don't understand why one give 1595 and the other gives 1490?

That's 105, not 1005.

1595 is your BMR -- how many calories you burn just staying alive. Lying in bed, not even getting up to pee. Your activity level gives you some more calories. 1490 is what MFP has given you to eat so that you create a deficit between your activity level and what you're eating, so that you take in fewer calories than you burn, giving your body no choice but to burn its energy stores and help you lose weight. Does that make sense?

Also, MFP doesn't factor in exercise in your goals. It's just a goal for YOU to reach. That's why when you do exercise, you need to eat the cals burned, because they're like a bonus.

AggieCass09

Funny, i just posted something very similar on a friend's wall. You are correct with you analysis of your calories eaten. As far as exercise calories being eaten back: i know everyone has their own option for the exercise calorie debate and ultimately you do have to find what works for you. BUT, as a biochemistry undergrad and a marathoner, I do feel the need to stress the importance of eating the vast majority of your exercise calories. Especially when you are working out, you are demanding your body to exert energy and in order for it to do that, there must be sufficient fuel on hand. (Think of the car gas tank analogy: to go on a road trip you need to have sufficient fuel in the tank to get there and running on fumes or empty will not get you anywhere fast) Yes, for a while your body will be fine using what you give it and perhaps tapping into fat reserves, and you'll see the scale going down. THEN (usually when you get close to your goal or are in the "normal" bmi range), your body gets nervous because the fat levels it has been using are getting low and your body starts using MUSCLE for fuel since you aren't eating enough. This is really bad since you'll be getting more slender but your muscles are being deteriorated..."skinny fat" is the term for this when you don't have muscle definition but are thin. This is also why lifting and exercise in general is important (and it burns calories well after the work out). Once your body starts tapping into muscle reserves, the scale will halt and your metabolism slows down to try and conserve what stored reserves it has left. All of this can be found in pretty much any biochemistry text in terms of the biochemical reactions. They dont mention "exercise calories" but they do refer to the net-calorie concept (in-out). The 1200 calorie number is just a general guide line but differs for everyone and may even change from time to time for a single person. My trainer/nutritionist said +/- 5% of net calories was a safe range. I do admit that sometimes (VERY rarely) i dont eat them all back, especially when i have long runs and burn 1500+ calories. In my blog I talk about hitting the plateau and eating all my exercise calories if you start at the end of December and read forward to see my personal experience with eating my exercise calories back.

Happy sunday to you all!

WarmDontBurn

You are correct. But exercise creating that deficit is a GOOD thing IF AND ONLY IF you eat all or most of those calories back. To me, I like adding the exercise calories because then I can eat more. And I STILL lose, and I am getting stronger physically. It's a win-win! It comes off 1 1/2 to 2 pounds per week which may not be fast enough for some people, but I know that I am doing the right thing for me. Because by the pounds coming off slowly, I am truly changing my life, and facing the issues that got me here in the first place. It is a major life change, and that kind of change does not happen overnight. I want that change to have sticking power. I don't want to have this same problem years from now. Slow and steady wins the race. Someone wanting to lose pounds as fast as they can will only gain back the weight and be back here wondering what happened. This is where yo-yo dieting comes from. So kudos to you for "getting" it. This issue is probably the most brought up issue on MFP. Take care and best wishes!! :flowerforyou:

Very true about exercise and eating back calories but if you are eating them back (all or most) are you not then decreasing the deficit? I mean you create the deficit by working out but closing the gap again by eating more. So at the end of the day there is no great deficit.

Also wanted to say for some a bigger deficit isn't huge...I mean my deficit right now is 250 so I have a little more leeway then someone who is consuming 1200 calories with a defict of 500.

staciekins

You are completely correct!!!

BUMP

alienblonde1

That's 105, not 1005.


hahaha too early in the morn. I think I need to wake up more :flowerforyou:

ajbeans

That's 105, not 1005.


hahaha too early in the morn. I think I need to wake up more :flowerforyou:

Heh, trust me, I know the feeling.

Lisa__Michelle

I have always wondering why people are even on here if they are not going to follow the program? Doesn't that not make sense? It obviously says to eat your exercise calories because that is the whole point of the program, and that picture you showed shows where they give you a calorie deficit! It is like going to weight watchers and saying, "Forget the point system, I am going to do my own way." Why even be on weight watchers (my example) if you are not going to follow it as intended?

I know everyone is different and some feel they don't need to eat them back. However, if that is what their body likes then why are these people choosing THIS program out of others (one that wants you to eat them back and that is the point of the program)?

kappyblu

kickrz: Love the sunflower avatar! I'm from Kansas, so I love those sunflowers!! About the exercise deficit, here's an example: my net calorie goal per day is currently 2030. If I add 300 calories of exercise to that, I can consume 2330 calories for that day. If I do that, my net calories for the day is STILL 2030. The deficit is built in by MFP, which for me is 750 calories a day to lose 1 1/2 pounds per week. (750 x 7 days = 5250 calories which is 1 1/2 pounds because 3500 calories = 1 pound.)

So by eating those 300 calories, the 750 calorie deficit is still there. If I exercise more, I should eat more. The deficit is still there as long as my net is 2030.

If you don't eat the execise calories back, you will lose weight faster, but it is only in the short run. You will plateau. Your body is a machine which needs fuel to run. If you are not feeding it enough, it will not run efficiently and will eventually slow down the metabolism because it is not getting enough calories to meet the physical demands that are being put upon it. Hope I explained this okay. Have a great Sunday!! :flowerforyou:

bryanstewart

I find that a day including exercise I am sooooo hungry I have to eat most of them back

WarmDontBurn

kickrz: Love the sunflower avatar! I'm from Kansas, so I love those sunflowers!! About the exercise deficit, here's an example: my net calorie goal per day is currently 2030. If I add 300 calories of exercise to that, I can consume 2330 calories for that day. If I do that, my net calories for the day is STILL 2030. The deficit is built in by MFP, which for me is 750 calories a day to lose 1 1/2 pounds per week. (750 x 7 days = 5250 calories which is 1 1/2 pounds because 3500 calories = 1 pound.)

So by eating those 300 calories, the 750 calorie deficit is still there. If I exercise more, I should eat more. The deficit is still there as long as my net is 2030.

If you don't eat the execise calories back, you will lose weight faster, but it is only in the short run. You will plateau. Your body is a machine which needs fuel to run. If you are not feeding it enough, it will not run efficiently and will eventually slow down the metabolism because it is not getting enough calories to meet the physical demands that are being put upon it. Hope I explained this okay. Have a great Sunday!! :flowerforyou:

Right the deficit is still there but NOT getting bigger because you are eating some or all back.
Maybe I wasn't clear .. I was agreeing with you anyway.
I meant for someone with a goal of say 1200 calories and they have a MFP deficit of 500 then exercise say 500 they have now created a deficit of 1000 which for most is too much. That is what I meant about creating a bigger deficit however if that same person ate back 300 of those then they would be closing the gap of the deficit they created. Basically meaning that if you exercise and eat back most or all you are technically not in a bigger deficit.

WarmDontBurn

Another useful visual that helps.

If the GOAL and NET equal out or are very close to I am a happy girl :happy:

WarmDontBurn

Had to report. I had my weekly weigh in today and I am down 0.3lbs which is good... I am set to lose .5lbs a week.
So far upping my calories what I feel is substantially is working YAY!!

April will be my first FULL month on my new 1560 calorie intake so I plan to weigh in April 1st and report back April 30th!

See you Friday :flowerforyou:

ohthatmomma

Thanks for this post! After pouring over the posts regarding net calories, I now get it! And maybe this is why I haven't lost anything but one pound over the course of a month. Now, maybe the weight will melt off!

ohthatmomma

Didn't realize, until recently, that MFP created a deficit. This makes this journey a little brighter... and lighter

ohthatmomma

Because 'silly' folk like me don't understand the whole 'eating your calories back' thing. See, I thought that it was a bad thing to eat your calories back, based off of the tiny bit of knowledge I had regarding weight loss. But after reading the posts tonight... I am happy to say that I understand the program and will gladly eat my calories back Thanks for the post!

jujubean1992

hold on... i wanna say two things here. 1st you should never eat under 1200 calories a day, your body will go into starvation mode. 2nd to lose weight you need a deficit, (correct me if i'm wrong) the deficit MFP gives you is the deficit you need to have at the end of every day to lose the "goal" weight every week... for example my deficit set by MFP is 750 if i want to lose 1.5lbs a week, you have to eat fewer calories that you burn a day, not only eat wheat you burn away from exercise but your net cal at the end of the day should under your goal by the deficit MFP gives you.

Stewie316

I have always wondering why people are even on here if they are not going to follow the program? Doesn't that not make sense? It obviously says to eat your exercise calories because that is the whole point of the program, and that picture you showed shows where they give you a calorie deficit! It is like going to weight watchers and saying, "Forget the point system, I am going to do my own way." Why even be on weight watchers (my example) if you are not going to follow it as intended?

I know everyone is different and some feel they don't need to eat them back. However, if that is what their body likes then why are these people choosing THIS program out of others (one that wants you to eat them back and that is the point of the program)?

This isn't a program. It's a website to track calories. Some people use it just for that, some people follow MFP's recommendations and some use it for the support. I never thought this was a one size fits all website, like weight watchers. Not everyone lose weight the same. Some people lose eating their exercise calories, some don't. Do want works for you.

WarmDontBurn

hold on... i wanna say two things here. 1st you should never eat under 1200 calories a day, your body will go into starvation mode. 2nd to lose weight you need a deficit, (correct me if i'm wrong) the deficit MFP gives you is the deficit you need to have at the end of every day to lose the "goal" weight every week... for example my deficit set by MFP is 750 if i want to lose 1.5lbs a week, you have to eat fewer calories that you burn a day, not only eat wheat you burn away from exercise but your net cal at the end of the day should under your goal by the deficit MFP gives you.

Ok I read this a few times and not sure I get what you are saying.

MFP gives you a deficit yes in your case 750 so therefore I would assume (correct me if I am wrong) your calories are set to 1200. Now if you do nothing all day long then that is fine ( well not healthy but for the example fine) because the deficit is factored in and you will lose weight. Now if you add exercise you need to add more calories. At the end of the day you NET should not be under 1200 and very close to your goal intake.

Your NET should not be under. I have 1560 calories on my high days so if my net is 1500 I don't sweat it however if I was set to 1200 I would rather be a little over then under.

ETA: I believe that MFP is more then just a website to track calories. If you just want to track calories there are many websites that are plain old plug in and see. MFP does a little work for you by creating a deficit and that is the part that gets people confused. My point was MFP does it different then most sites by creating this deficit so people do not understand that it isn't like every other site and then claim others are crazy when eating exercise calories back. MFP tells us this because that is how it was designed.

You can't say I bought a small car and expect it to be a race car...bad example sorry. A small family car was designed for functionality. A race car made to race. You cannot buy the small car and expect it to perform like a race car just because it is a car.

So although this is a calorie counting website it has a built in feature that makes it a bit more advanced then most. You cannot expect it will be the same as the plain calorie counting ones.

LOL....did that make much sense.

jujubean1992

hold on... i wanna say two things here. 1st you should never eat under 1200 calories a day, your body will go into starvation mode. 2nd to lose weight you need a deficit, (correct me if i'm wrong) the deficit MFP gives you is the deficit you need to have at the end of every day to lose the "goal" weight every week... for example my deficit set by MFP is 750 if i want to lose 1.5lbs a week, you have to eat fewer calories that you burn a day, not only eat wheat you burn away from exercise but your net cal at the end of the day should under your goal by the deficit MFP gives you.

Ok I read this a few times and not sure I get what you are saying.

MFP gives you a deficit yes in your case 750 so therefore I would assume (correct me if I am wrong) your calories are set to 1200. Now if you do nothing all day long then that is fine ( well not healthy but for the example fine) because the deficit is factored in and you will lose weight. Now if you add exercise you need to add more calories. At the end of the day you NET should not be under 1200 and very close to your goal intake.

Your NET should not be under. I have 1560 calories on my high days so if my net is 1500 I don't sweat it however if I was set to 1200 I would rather be a little over then under.

ETA: I believe that MFP is more then just a website to track calories. If you just want to track calories there are many websites that are plain old plug in and see. MFP does a little work for you by creating a deficit and that is the part that gets people confused. My point was MFP does it different then most sites by creating this deficit so people do not understand that it isn't like every other site and then claim others are crazy when eating exercise calories back. MFP tells us this because that is how it was designed.

You can't say I bought a small car and expect it to be a race car...bad example sorry. A small family car was designed for functionality. A race car made to race. You cannot buy the small car and expect it to perform like a race car just because it is a car.

So although this is a calorie counting website it has a built in feature that makes it a bit more advanced then most. You cannot expect it will be the same as the plain calorie counting ones.

LOL....did that make much sense.

ok what you said made sense... and what i was saying was true about other sites... i reassessed what i said and it's not true about MFP i've used other websites and my calories for the day were higher so what you said in the original post was true and some what complicated. and my calorie goal is 1200 actually, but i feel guilty i went over my calories by like 600 today mcdonalds was a bad idea... no fries next time.