Net weight....calories remaining....? I'm soooo confused!

breakaway27

Okay, I am very new to this website, and I am having trouble understanding the calroie counting/burning mehthods this website uses. If any could explain it, I would greatly appreciate it! If you could also use the numbers it's giving me for today, that'd probably help a bunch more. Thank you!!!!

Goal--1290
Food--1577
Exercise-- -421
Net--1156

I am done eating today(I am mega full!), but it's telling me that I have 134calories remaining.....? Please, please help!

alisiaendris

Your net calories is your food intake-calories burned during exercise. You want this number to be at or below your daily goal (although not below 1200) Looking at your numbers for today, you did fine.

RealWomenLovePitbulls

you don't have to eat all of ur exercise calories back, that's your choice. and if ur "mega full" that probably isn't good for you either

kathyp72

Your goal was to eat 1290 calories today
You actually ate 1577 calories today
You burned 421 calories exercising so they subtract that from what you actually ate leaving you with a "net" of 1156 calories.
You may still eat 134 calories before meeting your goal of 1290.

That is my understanding.
Welcome and good luck!!!!
Kathy

cbevan1229

Imagine it's money.

You deposited $1577 in your calorie bank (by eating.)
You spent $421 (through exercise.)
So currently there is only $1156 in your account (your "net")
Your goal is to have $1290 in your account at the end of the day.
So to meet your goal, you would need to deposit $134.

Many folks will say you should really try not to end up with a "net" under 1200, although there is lots of debate about why that is the magic number.

onyxgirl17

You're doing great! Keep up the good work

seajasna

When I first started I was also confused. You don't have to eat exactly the amount of calories every day as long as you eat the right amount weekly. So if you are under a 130 calories one day you can make it up on other days. It 's kinda scary at first because I didnt want to eat so much. It works though! I was at a plateou and found out I was starving myself ,not eating enough. Now I make myself eat more because I work out quite a bit and have been losing steadily! Best wishes! add me if you like

rextcat

Imagine it's money.

You deposited $1577 in your calorie bank (by eating.)
You spent $421 (through exercise.)
So currently there is only $1156 in your account (your "net")
Your goal is to have $1290 in your account at the end of the day.
So to meet your goal, you would need to deposit $134.

Many folks will say you should really try not to end up with a "net" under 1200, although there is lots of debate about why that is the magic number.

wow way to help us obsesivly budget mined understand this!!:bigsmile: now can you help with spelling?

Alford96

I think of it as "buying" calories back by exercising. You start off with your calories (mine is 1600) that you can eat for the day. When you exercise, you "buy" calories. So today, I exercised and burned approximately 170 calories. That means I have a total of 1770 calories for the day. Had I not exercised, I would have had only the 1600 calories for the day. I love food so I usually just look at the calories remaining. What actually got me off my hiney and exercising was "buying" calories so I could eat more (or if I overate, I worked off the extra calories). At any rate, I hope this helps. It took me a while to really understand it myself.

gpstrucker

It's all about net calories in order to maintain a consistent calorie deficit. For example, if you told MFP you wanted to lose a pound a week, that is a deficit of 500 calories per day (a pound of fat is 3500 calories). When you exercise you burn extra calories so those are added back in in order to maintain that 500 calorie daily deficit.

Your numbers look really good.

Johlawrence

@breakaway --- your post and peoples' comments have finally helped me understand what is going on with me. Thank you SO much! I am "netting" way under 1200 cals with my exercise. So, now I think I understand this correctly, I need to eat more so that my net calories at least meet 1200.

Izzyrb1234

Net should be Close to goal? Help me understand please!
Goal : 1230
Food:1623

Ex: -1435
Net: 188. I thought the goal was to get the net to zero?
Cal remaining 1042. Don't even know what to do with that! Ugh! Frustrating! Thanks!

pastryari

Imagine it's money.

You deposited $1577 in your calorie bank (by eating.)
You spent $421 (through exercise.)
So currently there is only $1156 in your account (your "net")
Your goal is to have $1290 in your account at the end of the day.
So to meet your goal, you would need to deposit $134.

Many folks will say you should really try not to end up with a "net" under 1200, although there is lots of debate about why that is the magic number.

This is actually one of the best explanations of it that I've seen on here.

lindzmt22

Imagine it's money.

You deposited $1577 in your calorie bank (by eating.)
You spent $421 (through exercise.)
So currently there is only $1156 in your account (your "net")
Your goal is to have $1290 in your account at the end of the day.
So to meet your goal, you would need to deposit $134.

Many folks will say you should really try not to end up with a "net" under 1200, although there is lots of debate about why that is the magic number.

This is actually one of the best explanations of it that I've seen on here.

Yeah that was pretty awesome!! *props*

Koldnomore

Net should be Close to goal? Help me understand please!
Goal : 1230
Food:1623

Ex: -1435
Net: 188. I thought the goal was to get the net to zero?
Cal remaining 1042. Don't even know what to do with that! Ugh! Frustrating! Thanks!

This means that MFP has calculated that in order to lose 1-2 lbs a week (whichever you set it up as) you need to eat 1230 calories per day. When you exercise you burn calories and they disappear from your total (1230) like you never ate them in the first place. In your example above it shows that you ate 1623 calories for the day BUT you exercised away 1435 of them (that's a TON).. they disappeared..like you never ate them so what you have left over is 188 calories that your body can use to fuel you and that's all you have. You are 1042 calories SHORT from having enough calories to feed your body. At that rate your body will not be able to sustain you for very long. You may lose a little weight but then it will stop because your body will start to react like you are starving and will fight to hold on to every pound.

The debate is open on if you should eat back exercise calories and/or how many. It seems that many people agree that if you do not eat close to 1200 (after you subtract your exercise) you soon stop losing weight. In your case it would be suggested that if you work out as hard as you did today you will need to eat WAY more. Alternately, you can just work out less and then you don't need to eat so much!

Hopefully that makes it more clear

chunkydunk714

I still get confused with this too. I almost feel like I shouldnt eat back my calories, well...all of them that is. I understand half but I dont understand why they allow you to eat back all of what you burned? Weird.

Izzyrb1234

I think that helps, another month and I won't be able to do so much exercise...it is mind boggling to think I should be eating more...just had two toasted honey and almond butter sandwiches...I am stuffed! But what you say makes sense, so I will try it...thanks so much...

Amber_lee_81

Ok new here myself and am confused with this as well. Maybe someone could help? My goal with this program was 2 lb loss a week since I am over 300 lb and also have over 100+ to lose. NOw that I am back at working out I am in the lightly active stage as a stay at home mom and then the exercise I do at the gym. Anyway so I am confused as to what number to go by lol. Take today for example.
My goal intake: 1940
Food intake: 1736
Exercise: 642
Net: 1094
Remaining: 846

So reading some of what some said it sounds like I need to get the net to 1200 so another 106 cals for the day thus creating a 740 cal deficit. However then I read some that said I need to meet the goal so I would need to eat another 846 calories?? To lose 2 a week thats a 7000 deficit right so that would be about 1000 each day so am I okay with todays number?? Totally confused lol

Izzyrb1234

Hi, I will be very interested in seeing how people answer your post, cuz that's a good question.....

Koldnomore

Ok new here myself and am confused with this as well. Maybe someone could help? My goal with this program was 2 lb loss a week since I am over 300 lb and also have over 100+ to lose. NOw that I am back at working out I am in the lightly active stage as a stay at home mom and then the exercise I do at the gym. Anyway so I am confused as to what number to go by lol. Take today for example.
My goal intake: 1940
Food intake: 1736
Exercise: 642
Net: 1094
Remaining: 846

So reading some of what some said it sounds like I need to get the net to 1200 so another 106 cals for the day thus creating a 740 cal deficit. However then I read some that said I need to meet the goal so I would need to eat another 846 calories?? To lose 2 a week thats a 7000 deficit right so that would be about 1000 each day so am I okay with todays number?? Totally confused lol

Not everyone is 1200 so you have to adjust for what MFP says you should be doing. Based on what you picked your net should be closer to what your goal says.. 1940. You have eaten 1094, you are short 846. If your settings are not right then you need to adjust it but for what you picked 1200 has nothing to do with you.

Your net should be close to your goal, that's all you need to worry about.

Izzyrb1234

" Your net should be close to your goal" ......assuming that you are correct in saying so, thank you! I needed a simple statement of what the point is!