Net Calories?

Fragilebird24

What is a good number for net calories. If I am allowed 1420 calories a day, what is a good net number? Is it supposed to be a negative number?

Katbody10

Net Calories are what's at the end of the day from calories in and calories out :-) The true bottom line .. that's how I understand it.


I.E. .. Net income would be how much you brought home after taxes were deducted ..

Fragilebird24

So, does that mean that mine should be zero to ensure weightloss?

Katbody10

Hmm.. umm .. zero? Lemme go look at my reports. I might have to look that up now ..

NicoleNeverman

It should definatly NOT be a negative number!! If you are told you can eat 1420 calories and your net at the end of the day after food and excerise were logged was still 1420 calories you will lose however many pounds a week you selected that you wanted to lose (i.e 1 pound). If it was zero or a negative number it would mean you are literally starving and will eventually die as your body cannot fuel.

so if you want to lose however many pounds you said per week when you signed up, then make sure the net is 1420. Excerise will make the net decrese, which means you will lose more but I would try to keep net above 1000 calories a day as your body organs need enough fuel to carry out their taks

leelajane

Net calories are what your body has left to work with. For basic functions. It should be close to your daily goal. If you eat 1400 and work off 700, youre only giving yourself 700 calories to work with. Which will basically send your body into starvation mode and your metabolism will slow incredibly. Its not a good thing. Try to eat back at least some of the calories youve burned. Ive learned to keep my net at or around 1200 at least. Your body needs it. Calories are fuel. Not the enemy.

Katbody10

Okay .. I looked it up .. Net Calories is:

Calories eaten MINUS Calories burned = Net calories

I found this on couple different sites .. including MFP:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/676521-what-does-net-calorie-report-mean

http://caloriecount.about.com/forums/new-members/net-calories-63

thisisiamj

If MFP set your goal to be 1420, then your net calories should be 1420. Basically it is eating your allotted amount of calories and your exercise calories. However, not everyone eats back all their exercise calories. But it would be extremely unhealthy to have a net of zero.

megleo818

1420 IS your net calorie allotment, meaning that what you eat minus what you exercise off should equal about 1420. So if you eat 1820 calories and exercise off 400, you're directly on target. If you get somewhere around there, you're fine.

Fragilebird24

Thanks everyone! This helped a lot!