NET + eating back calories

hanneberries

Is there a simple way to explain these two things? Because I'm confused as to what they mean.

My goal for every day is 1490, according to MFP. However yesterday I had "earned" an extra 200 calories due to exercise. Now am I supposed to eat those extra calories, or is that only if I want to maintain my weight? Obviously I don't. Is that what eating back calories is?

Also, what is the NET that is on the mainpage? Should that be in negatives at the end of the day?

lublue

Net calories is how many calories you have eaten and not used - so what you have eaten, minus the calories you have burned.

The calorie goal MFP sets already has a built in deficit for you to lose your goal number of lbs per week. So, when you exercise, it allows you to eat those extra calories so that your deficit doesn't get larger (meaning the exercise is more for health benefits/healthy weight loss than creating a deficit).

There's some debate around whether you eat them back or not because people want to make sure they are eating enough calories and not creating a deficit bigger than the one already set. For example if your goal is 1200 c/day and you exercise 300 calories off but still only eat 1200, you've only actually netted 900 - which by most people's opinion is not enough calories to get by - so to still net 1200 calories (which is already a weight loss amount for you calculated on your stats and activity level), you would have to consume 1500 that day. Others just see the exercise as bonus activity. I just stick to my normal daily goal but if it goes into exercise calories that's fine, as long as I feel like I'm eating enough.

hanneberries

So when you're in negative figures on the net, you've burned more than you've eaten? Which isn't good because you'll stop burning, or?

Ah, I see. That makes sense. So my original goal of 1490 is what I'd have to stick to if I wanted to lose without doing anything extra, or? Because I've set it to working out 45 mins, 4 times a day. But should I still add whatever I work out to my exercise log? I did that today, and have already smashed my target for that (485, did 600 mowing the lawn + yard work), but with that it gave me 600 extra calories to eat. So that's where I've gotten confused, because wouldn't it just be the 115 calories that was over the goal?

That makes sense. I think.

lublue

Right.

Yeah, so at 1490 you should lose without doing anything extra. But what did you put as your activity level? I only log actual workouts, and not daily activities, because I figure what I do in normal day to day things is already figured into my activity level settings. Logging all that and then eating back the calories burned would then mean you would probably eat more than you need.

LorinaLynn

Other calorie counting plans include the exercise you plan on doing in your daily calorie goal.

MFP doesn't count those calories unless and until you actually log your exercise. If you change your exercise goal to 8 hours a day, seven days a week, you'll still get the same calorie goal as you would at five minutes of exercise, once a week.

In other words... You're supposed to eat them.

hanneberries

Right.

Yeah, so at 1490 you should lose without doing anything extra. But what did you put as your activity level? I only log actual workouts, and not daily activities, because I figure what I do in normal day to day things is already figured into my activity level settings. Logging all that and then eating back the calories burned would then mean you would probably eat more than you need.

I put it at sedentary, because I'm currently unemployed and spend the day sitting at my computer looking for jobs. I added mowing the lawn today because that's not something I do daily, and it's heavy work. However, I've put 4x45 minutes for workouts, because I nightly do my wii fit between 30-60 minutes. Should I add what I do on the wii to my log, or is that already factored in with those 4x45 workouts?

LorinaLynn

No exercise is included if you're at sedentary. Log all your exercise.

hanneberries

No exercise is included if you're at sedentary. Log all your exercise.

It's not? Even if I have included work outs? Alright, I'll make sure to do that. Thank you for your assistance!

LorinaLynn

It's not? Even if I have included work outs? Alright, I'll make sure to do that. Thank you for your assistance!

MFP doesn't count those calories unless and until you actually log your exercise. If you change your exercise goal to 8 hours a day, seven days a week, you'll still get the same calorie goal as you would at five minutes of exercise, once a week.

Like I said, play around with your settings and you'll see. No matter what exercise you SAY you'll do, it doesn't go toward your calorie goal until it's logged. It's as if MFP is thinking, "Yeah, sure you'll work out 5 days a week. I'll believe it when I see it."

tomhancock

I do not eat back the calories earned with exercise, if I have a super active day, I'll eat a little extra but not eating back everything it appears I burned This is for two reasons, (1) because the exercise numbers on MFP are often grossly inflated compared to real workout calories burned, and (2) if I work out, I want it to help me lose weight, and if you eat them all back, it defeats much of the purpose.

Onesnap

Anyone with a desk job is considered sedentary.