What are your net calories on average a day?

baisleac

average around 2000 net or 2200-2400 total.

you folks in the triple digits - you're doing it wrong.

I can't be doing it that wrong though, I admit I may be netting too low now I have increased my exercise hence this post to see what others are doing

You posted in another thread that you'd "gotten complacent" and gained some weight back. You may have hurt your metabolism by undereating, even though you continued to lose weight.

Biert

Your net calorie = Food (cal)- Exercise (cal)

Your goal is the amount of calories your body needs to lose weight in a healthy way.

This means that your NET calorie should be close to your Goal calorie.

If you are really low with your net calorie intake this means your body will go into starvation mode and stop/ lower normal energie (i.e. calorie) usage.

pls read http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition it has a bunch of posts explaining.

Jillatha

average around 2000 net or 2200-2400 total.

you folks in the triple digits - you're doing it wrong.

I can't be doing it that wrong though, I admit I may be netting too low now I have increased my exercise hence this post to see what others are doing

You posted in another thread that you'd "gotten complacent" and gained some weight back. You may have hurt your metabolism by undereating, even though you continued to lose weight.

The weight gain was almost 8 months ago now, and I have lost all I had gained. I have been eating 1200 calories a day and only been full on exercising for about 2 weeks now

Celo24

isn't your net calories how many calories you've eaten? Like today I've had 914 which means my net is 914

No. Your NET is calories eaten - calories burned through exercise. So, if you eat 2000 calories and burn 600 on a run, your NET would be 1400. VERY important to know the difference.

taso42_DELETED

average around 2000 net or 2200-2400 total.

you folks in the triple digits - you're doing it wrong.

I can't be doing it that wrong though, I admit I may be netting too low now I have increased my exercise hence this post to see what others are doing

This path can lead to health problems or an eating disorder. Just because you lost weight doesn't necessarily mean it's healthy. As an analogy - Some people never change the oil in their car and it seems to run fine, for a while. So they might be inclined to think, oil changes aren't necessary. Over time, the engine gets internal damage, severely limiting it's lifespan, or just seizing one day. Your body is not a car, but it needs some basic maintenance. Unlike a car, you can't get a new one.

Celo24

average around 2000 net or 2200-2400 total.

you folks in the triple digits - you're doing it wrong.

I can't be doing it that wrong though, I admit I may be netting too low now I have increased my exercise hence this post to see what others are doing

This path can lead to health problems or an eating disorder. Just because you lost weight doesn't necessarily mean it's healthy. As an analogy - Some people never change the oil in their car and it seems to run fine, for a while. So they might be inclined to think, oil changes aren't necessary. Over time, the engine gets internal damage, severely limiting it's lifespan, or just seizing one day. Your body is not a car, but it needs some basic maintenance. Unlike a car, you can't get a new one.

To add to taso's post (in which he is absolutely right), you also lost that much weight because you had 120 pounds to lose when you first started. Now that you are so close to your goal, you NEED to give your body more fuel or it will NOT cooperate and you will hit a plateau that so many people on here get frustrated with. Your NET calories should equal your MFP target at the end of every day to avoid causing yourself serious frustrations and potential medical problems down the road.

papastu

so on a typical Saturday due to my work and hobby I tend to burn about 4000 calories, add that to the 1950 i should eat you guys are saying I should eat 5950 calories, to be honest I would rather not exercise at all and stick to the daily amount, read the other posts, just doesnt make any sense

taso42_DELETED

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overtraining

Oishii

I'm trying to maintain at 1790 net, and I'm certainly not gaining. I do wonder if this is partly because I haven't screwed up my metabolism with really low net calories (lowest just a few calories short of 1200). My friend has been on 600 calories a day with Cambridge and it's scary how fast she piles on weight if she stops the diet for a bit. For me the big advantage of mfp is that when I was losing I ate MORE than I would if I was trying to diet by myself.

I hope you can find a net calorie goal that works for you in the long run, and personally I would up the calories now in preparation for that time.

donicagalek

Today it's looking like 525 - but I might get another 10-20 minute of cardio in this evening. Yesterday it was 359.

Here's the thing:

1. My caloric intake is anywhere between 900-1150 on any given day I think. I don't own a food scale. I eyeball meat and use measuring cups for grains/veggies/fruit. I measure fats with measuring spoons. I could be, realistically a hundred calories to two hundred calories off on any given day.
2. Workout calories are never perfectly accurate in their estimation. EVEN if I had an HRM. I'm sure there are some HRMs that are very nice - I'm unwilling to lay out that kind of cash for one.
3. Given that fluctuations in both of these factors could work against me on any given day, I accept the fact that they could work for me as well. If I'm hungry, I'll eat. Something SENSIBLE. And I'll log it. :-)

ladyhawk00

I try to NET at least 1200, and generally try to have my net match my initial daily goal.

And, to echo other, your NET should always be over 1200 and should NEVER be negative.

donicagalek

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overtraining

OMG. I had to actually set *limits* on my cardio after the first couple weeks being here. My net was getting too low and I'd start binging late at night. Better on my joints and muscles to limit the cardio and eat less than to work every bit of food off and let the hunger drive me bonkers. :-D

Jillatha

I have changed my evening meal a little and now I am standing at a NET of 560. Better than 216 but not perfect. I will have to monitor it over the next few weeks to see if I still lose and make sure I don't fall of the wagon!

shybelle

I Net about 750-800 ish a day...I am not starving myself and I eat often...I am not gonna eat more than what I am now..I just think that is working against what I am trying to do. I find the whole eating calories back thing weird..go ahead and bash me if you wish.. maybe I AM just confused haha

fteale

Totally depends on how much exercise I do. On a rest day I am usually near quota (1220), but on a day when I do a 10k, I am usually 300 under.

Walt75

If you are burning 4000 cals a day with exercise then you SHOULD definatley fuel your body alot more than usual.

ChunTingO

wow!!! you are awesome

LaurnWhit

I usually NET around 1100-1200...I've lost 100 plus pounds and I eat every 2-3 hours... I LOVE healthy food.

Therapist_mama

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overtraining

Interesting read! Thanks Taso for posting this link! I think perhaps, I have been overdoing it a bit and that is why I am having so much trouble with my knees and the patella tendonitis. I am going to have to redo my fitness program!