What is NET Calories?

gatorgirlyyy
gatorgirlyyy Posts: 349
in Food and Nutrition
Can somebody please help me with this. I see people on MFP talking about them and how important they are, but I still don't understand exactly what they are. Can somebody please explain to me Net Calories, why they are important, and how to "meet" the goal in order to lose weight.... Thank you so much!

I'm just super confused! :(

Take care!

Replies

  • scorpio516
    scorpio516 Posts: 955 Member
    What I assume most people mean is:
    BMR + extra burned - consumed = net calories (surplus or deficiency)

    So, calories needed to live + calories you burned in exercise/daily movement - calories eaten
  • FitFoodieMomBillie
    FitFoodieMomBillie Posts: 227 Member
    http://www.acaloriecounter.com/diet/ This will explain most of it.

    http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm This is a better calculator.

    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/ This can help you find other calculations like body fat percentage. (To use in the calculator above.)

    It's a journey, but worth it.

    Good Luck!
  • sonyalear2012
    sonyalear2012 Posts: 29 Member
    I try to stay between 500-1000 net calories...:flowerforyou:
  • challengeaccepted
    challengeaccepted Posts: 66
    If you eat 1,200 today and burn 200 by exercise your net calories are 1,000. I would simply define it as the amount of calories consumed that were not burned.
  • Juliet_622
    Juliet_622 Posts: 165 Member
    Calories eaten - calories burned = net calories.

    So if I eat 1600 calories today, and I exercise and burn off 400 calories, my net calories is 1200. The big debate around here seems to be whether you should eat 1200 calories total, or 1200 net calories.
  • EmilyMarieMo
    EmilyMarieMo Posts: 67 Member
    People say to eat back your exercise calories... If you do, you will NET your calorie goal. for example 1200 cal goal but you ate 1500 and exercised 300... means you netted your 1200 goal.

    I lose more weight when I net lower numbers, but they say it's healthier to not net below 1200. So I mix it up and do some of both.
  • DixiedoesMFP
    DixiedoesMFP Posts: 935 Member
    The total calories you consume in a day minus the numbers of calories you burn from exercise = net calories (the number of calories you actually have available for necessary body functions like digestion, circulation, etc.)
  • ShaSimone
    ShaSimone Posts: 270 Member
    Calories consumed - Calories burned during exercise = Net Calories

    Some people are of the opinion that your Net calories should never be below 1200 calories. Also, if you eat back your exercise calories your Net should always equal your goal calories (what MFP has your goal calories set to) mainly because MFP does not factor in exercise when it gives your a daily calorie goal.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    I try to stay between 500-1000 net calories...:flowerforyou:

    That is way too low, Net cals should = your goal caloric intake that way you have the same deficit whether you workout or not. anything lower than 1200 is much too low (1200 Net itself is too low for most people)
  • C00lCountry
    C00lCountry Posts: 282
    I try to stay between 500-1000 net calories...:flowerforyou:
    500 calories would be hard to live on long term.
  • lorenzoinlr
    lorenzoinlr Posts: 338 Member
    http://www.acaloriecounter.com/diet/ This will explain most of it.

    http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm This is a better calculator.

    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/ This can help you find other calculations like body fat percentage. (To use in the calculator above.)

    It's a journey, but worth it.

    Good Luck!

    Hey, thanks for the links! For anyone who hasn't seen them or gained their insight, you might check them out. I'm itching to get started gaining muscle at a faster rate and now that I'm almost at my target weight I'm about ready.

    To the OP, these calculators and metrics are helpful as a start. Before long if you do a good job tracking you can figure out more closely what your numbers are.
  • MissTattoo
    MissTattoo Posts: 1,203 Member
    I try to net close to 1900-2000. My daily goal is 2100.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,222 Member
    Net calories would be the amount consumed after everything has been discounted including all exercise.
  • monerddd
    monerddd Posts: 27
    Net calories just like everybody else has said is the amount you excersised minus the amount you have consumed and your net calories is the amount that is still in your body...I think im not good with these stuff after all im still a newbie.
  • Kirsty_UK
    Kirsty_UK Posts: 964 Member
    It's like gross and net pay.

    Gross is what your salary is, and net is the amount you actually take home after taxes.

    So far calories, gross calories are what you eat, and net calories are what your body has to use that day, after the amount you've burnt off through your logged exercise.
  • eloksta1
    eloksta1 Posts: 1
    What is net cals ... I am new to mfp and my diary says goal 1790 and food says i consumed 1260 and today i burned 643 cals at the gym and it says that my net cals is 617 and my remaining is 1173. .. I dont get this what are net cals am i suppose to burn 617 more cals or consume them ... When i finish my diary it says that if did this everyday i should weight 206 lbs in 5 weeks i weigh 224 right now so am i doing good or bad because the other time i only consumed 800 cals n burn 600 n it told me that it was bad cus im low on cals consumed ... But i thought that you are suppose to burn what u eat plus more in order to lose weight

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