Net calories vs actual calories

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Jechira
Jechira Posts: 3
in Food and Nutrition
I am starting to run into a little problem of having a hard time eating over 1200 net calories. I am unsure if this is a problem or not? Is it under 1200 actual calories that puts your body into starvation mode or is it the net calories? If it is the net calories then I guess I will start having to eat more snacks. The only problem with snacks though the days that I work. I am not allowed to have any food at my desk that is not a hard candy :huh: its like they want us to gain weight or something. Most the time though I can hide some carrot sticks or something so any suggestions for discreet and easily hidden snacks would also be appreciated.

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  • Chrissy2627
    Chrissy2627 Posts: 70
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    Bump
  • fatboypup
    fatboypup Posts: 1,873 Member
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    i dont eat 1200 net calories ........ eating 1400 and burning 500 is NOT the same as only eating 900!
  • barbiex3
    barbiex3 Posts: 1,036 Member
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    i'm in the same boat as you. I rarely eat back all my exercise calories because I burn off so many. It's a good plan. I find that if I go over on the weekends my body still loses because i'm net under for the rest of the week :)
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
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    It's important to remember that 1200 is not a magical number. It's the MFP minimum set based on averages. Your real minimum depends on your size. A shorter or smaller person can be just fine on less than 1200 and a larger person needs much more. If you are worried that your net is too low, work in some calorie dense foods into your daily routine. Find room for nuts, peanut butter, real cheese that can get calories up without filling you up too much.

    The biggest concern with not eating enough is your metabolism slowing down and your body holding onto fat (which can be called starvation mode). If you are losing normally, you should be fine.
  • Crystal_Rudolph
    Crystal_Rudolph Posts: 632 Member
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    i dont eat 1200 net calories ........ eating 1400 and burning 500 is NOT the same as only eating 900!

    Thank you!!!

    When I tried to eat back all my calories (exercise included), I ended up gaining. :mad: Now I try to hit the 1200 mark everyday and not even worry about the net calories.
  • katheern
    katheern Posts: 213 Member
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    I asked my nutritionist about this and she said not to worry so much about the net and that's much more important that I eat a good amount calories but also getting in a good workout. She said unless you feel extremely weak or tired that you shouldn't worry as much about net. I know other people on this site have a different opinion, but so far I have not had any problems not eating back (at least not all of them) my calories.
  • fatboypup
    fatboypup Posts: 1,873 Member
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    i dont eat 1200 net calories ........ eating 1400 and burning 500 is NOT the same as only eating 900!

    Thank you!!!
    somedays i net negative cals most days I net below 500 ...... 6 months down no problems no starvation no plateaus
  • seasonalvoodoo
    seasonalvoodoo Posts: 380 Member
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    Please do read this link, it is very informative:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/175241-a-personal-view-on-exercise-cals-and-underfeeding

    As for myself, I eat back all of my exercise calories and I have no problems losing weight. But what is more important is being healthy and replacing nutrients lost when exercising, which is really where it becomes important to eat back those calories with foods that will replace lost fuel, so to speak.
  • Just1forMe
    Just1forMe Posts: 624 Member
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    i dont eat 1200 net calories ........ eating 1400 and burning 500 is NOT the same as only eating 900!

    Thank you!!!
    somedays i net negative cals most days I net below 500 ...... 6 months down no problems no starvation no plateaus


    If you are happy eating that way forever...go for it. You are setting your body up to expect to eat no more than that. If you do it long enough, expect to gain when you go over that amount. My husband did that for years and now, when he isn't exercising as much and eats a "normal" amount of calories he gains instantly. NOW, he gets it.
  • Just1forMe
    Just1forMe Posts: 624 Member
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    i dont eat 1200 net calories ........ eating 1400 and burning 500 is NOT the same as only eating 900!

    Thank you!!!

    When I tried to eat back all my calories (exercise included), I ended up gaining. :mad: Now I try to hit the 1200 mark everyday and not even worry about the net calories.

    That is because you were probably undereating previous to that, so your body didn't expect to get more calories so you gained. If you plan on eating that way forever (netting 500-1200 calories per day) then you are fine. Once you start eating more, the weight will come back. You are training your body to live on too few calories which will cause your metabolism to slow down to compensate.
  • RaeannePemberton
    RaeannePemberton Posts: 382 Member
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    opinions are like belly buttons.... :-)

    look into the hard science on this, do a google search, read up on it....

    from what i have read, cutting your net too low does some pretty serious damage to your metabolism. yes, your weightloss may be constant and you may really love what's happening.... but once you get there you can run into trouble.

    maintenance is REALLY what we are working towards, keep the end in mind. you want to get there as healthfully as possible.... i won't go into details but i got pretty sick when my focus was purely weightloss... we have to keep the bigger picture in focus.

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