Net calories?

mrook2009

I am really confused on what net calories are... if somebody could explain them to me that would be awesome! Also, are you supposed to eat back the calories that you get from exercise?

geekyjock76

First, recall the page where you were asked to describe your normal daily activity level: sedentary, lightly active, active, or very active. If you do not wish to include exercise in this, most people will choose either sedentary or lightly active. If you wish to include exercise in this, and exercise between 3-5 days a week, you can choose active.

Your net goal is the amount of calories after the deficit is deducted. For instance, if you wish to lose 1 lb per week as a goal, that is 3500/7=500 calorie deficit.

Now, if you chose sedentary you thus did not include exercise in that deficit. So the deficit comes exclusively from eating 500 calories less than what you would need to maintain current weight. If you do exercise, and wanted to adhere to the 1 lb weight loss plan you established, then you would need to eat back those calories from exercise or else you'll expand the deficit.

On the other hand, if you chose active or very active, MFP understands that you are including exercise into the equation as well as eating less. Thus, in this scenario, you would not eat back those exercise calories.

Summary:
If you choose sedentary and did not include exercise, your net, or goal, is the amount of calories left over after subtracting exercise.

If you choose active or very active, then your net, or goal, already anticipates you will do that exercise thus includes those calories as being eaten back.

GauchoMark

The MFP website is essentially based on an energy balance. In order to maintain your weight, the energy in = energy out. In other words, the calories of the food you eat equals the calories you burn during the day.

In order to lose weight, the energy in < energy out. You eat less than you burn.

So, you tell MFP how much weight per week you want to lose and is creates a calorie deficit from your TDEE by subtracting those calories. This is your net.

If you use the site as intended, you eat back your exercise calories, so your calories remaining are zero and your "net" is always TDEE-deficit.