net ?

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stayingpositive100
stayingpositive100 Posts: 35
in Health and Weight Loss
I am new to MFP and I don't think I get what the net number is...last night my net was -32 and tonight it says 487. What should it be at or what is ideal?

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  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    Net calories just means how many calories you ate, minus how many you burned off through exercise. It shows you how many calories your body has left to feed itself with. Whatever your goal calorie amount is - 1200? 1500? - that's what your net should be.

    Now if you go to your food diary, there's a different number - Calories Remaining. That should be around zero.
  • stayingpositive100
    stayingpositive100 Posts: 35
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    Here are my stats for today:

    1283---Calories Remaining


    Goal Food Exercise = Net
    1770 1548 - 1061 487
  • DestroyTheOpposition
    DestroyTheOpposition Posts: 444 Member
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    Your net calories should be close to what your daily goal is by the end of the night. Well thats what worked for me and many others I see.
  • Jd1360
    Jd1360 Posts: 170 Member
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    Here are my stats for today:

    1283---Calories Remaining


    Goal Food Exercise = Net
    1770 1548 - 1061 487

    That means you've eaten 1548, but worked 1061 of that off, so essentially your calorie total is 487 right now. And with your goal being 1770, you can see how low that is. Most people try to eat back the exercise (the 1061) but you don't have to. Ideally, you should try to hit the 1770 in the Net.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    Keep in mind, though, that if you're using MFP's estimates for how much you burned, it might not be totally accurate.
  • stayingpositive100
    stayingpositive100 Posts: 35
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    I hear what ya'll are all saying.... I don't want ya'll to think I am starving myself--- I had breakfast, lunch, and dinner and I wasn't hungry between so I didn't have any snacks. I am a teacher so I am taking advantage of summer break and getting an extra workout in.... I'm not sure what I should do?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    I hear what ya'll are all saying.... I don't want ya'll to think I am starving myself--- I had breakfast, lunch, and dinner and I wasn't hungry between so I didn't have any snacks. I am a teacher so I am taking advantage of summer break and getting an extra workout in.... I'm not sure what I should do?
    Simple, eat higher calorie foods: nuts, avocado, lean meets, cooking in EVOO or eating peanut butter out of the jar. Your body has certain caloric requirements and if you dont' feed it, you will make it harder to lose fat and your body can go catabolic; this is where your body converts the amino acids in your muscles into energy to maintain body functions. Also, how much do you have to lose?
  • stayingpositive100
    stayingpositive100 Posts: 35
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    about 120lbs...I have a long journey a head of me!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    about 120lbs...I have a long journey a head of me!

    Well keep in mind, that higher calorie deficits don't always work and can make weight loss harder. So why don't you find a way to eat more calories. With exercise, you should probably be around 2000-2200 calories.
  • stayingpositive100
    stayingpositive100 Posts: 35
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    Well I got my net to 600.... I will try to have healthy snacks more throughout the day when I work out twice in one day...it's just so odd to me. I didn't feel like I was missing out or starving myself today... I just ate when I was hungry.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    Well I got my net to 600.... I will try to have healthy snacks more throughout the day when I work out twice in one day...it's just so odd to me. I didn't feel like I was missing out or starving myself today... I just ate when I was hungry.

    There is no reason to workout twice in a day (well any more than an hour a day). Too much exercise will cause your body to be prone to injury as your muscles will not repair adequately. Also, the more you workout, the more you have to eat or your body will increase the chances of going catabolic (converting muscle into energy). This will cause you to lose muscle and you will preserve fat. So I ask, would you rather lose fat or muscle?
  • stayingpositive100
    stayingpositive100 Posts: 35
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    Lose fat obviously... I am only working out twice a day because my schedule allows it-- I am a teacher and I am on summer break, so I have a lot of free time. When school starts I will only probably be able to get 1 workout in a day if that. So, I am just taking advantage of my time. I hear you about eating more when I work out-- it's just hard because I wasn't that hungry...but I am working on it.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    Lose fat obviously... I am only working out twice a day because my schedule allows it-- I am a teacher and I am on summer break, so I have a lot of free time. When school starts I will only probably be able to get 1 workout in a day if that. So, I am just taking advantage of my time. I hear you about eating more when I work out-- it's just hard because I wasn't that hungry...but I am working on it.

    Look into a protein shake like muscle milk. It has 300 calories per two scoops and is a great post workout recovery drink.

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