is 600 to 800 NET cals per day too low?

135

Replies

  • MemphisKitten
    MemphisKitten Posts: 878 Member
    You will probably have a hard time losing weight at those calorie amounts if you are active.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member


    ^^^^ Im with ya about not catabolizing lean muscle.. But medical studies have shown that if you are overweight/obese your body will use fat cells as the primary source of energy conversion to keep your body moving, and it will not use lean muscle until other options have been depleted.. Now for someone who is lean, low body fat percentage like yourself.. and hopefully soon me :).. Lean muscle will become a an option for the body much faster as a source of energy.. And def, that will suck...

    The OP is not obese, and she is severely under eating at 600-800 net calories.
  • Elizabethb52
    Elizabethb52 Posts: 4 Member
    Eat more or become anorexic
  • NikkisNewStart
    NikkisNewStart Posts: 1,075 Member
    Yes, that is too low.

    Eat higher calorie, non "bulky" items if you aren't hungry...

    almonds, peanut butter, protein bars, Greek yogurt... just to name a few are a great way to use up those calories when you just don't feel like eating.

    Good luck!
  • JezzD1
    JezzD1 Posts: 431
    I wonder this as well, I eat 1,000 cals a day cuz I want to lose about 2lbs a week. but after exercise sometimes my net is as low as 400. Should I eat back until i am at net 1,000. Or just let it go. BTW most of the time at the end of the day and throughout the day I am not hungry and feel perfectly fine (health and energy wise)
    I have a sedentary job but I do a lot of random calisthenic workouts and videos throughout the day and I also do real workouts like elliptical and weight training
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    I wonder this as well, I eat 1,000 cals a day cuz I want to lose about 2lbs a week. but after exercise sometimes my net is as low as 400. Should I eat back until i am at net 1,000. Or just let it go. BTW sometimes I am not hungry and feel perfectly fine (health and energy wise)

    You can feel fine and not hungry but be creating a very unhealthy environment for your body. Eat at least 1200 net calories.
  • jfrankic
    jfrankic Posts: 747 Member
    I wonder this as well, I eat 1,000 cals a day cuz I want to lose about 2lbs a week. but after exercise sometimes my net is as low as 400. Should I eat back until i am at net 1,000. Or just let it go. BTW sometimes I am not hungry and feel perfectly fine (health and energy wise)

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • JezzD1
    JezzD1 Posts: 431
    I wonder this as well, I eat 1,000 cals a day cuz I want to lose about 2lbs a week. but after exercise sometimes my net is as low as 400. Should I eat back until i am at net 1,000. Or just let it go. BTW sometimes I am not hungry and feel perfectly fine (health and energy wise)

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
    Thanks =) glad it has all the cheats to calculate all that stuff cuz i would be lost lol
  • Cptrob
    Cptrob Posts: 80 Member


    ^^^^ Im with ya about not catabolizing lean muscle.. But medical studies have shown that if you are overweight/obese your body will use fat cells as the primary source of energy conversion to keep your body moving, and it will not use lean muscle until other options have been depleted.. Now for someone who is lean, low body fat percentage like yourself.. and hopefully soon me :).. Lean muscle will become a an option for the body much faster as a source of energy.. And def, that will suck...

    The OP is not obese, and she is severely under eating at 600-800 net calories.
    ^^^^

    Body Mass Index...
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member

    ^^^^

    Body Mass Index...

    BMI is not the best calculation to use, but even with that, her BMI figures out to "slightly overweight", not obese.
  • Cptrob
    Cptrob Posts: 80 Member
    true... true.. actually BMI can be pretty annoying to follow sometimes...

    my 2 cents is still, "slightly overweight' means your body can use the stored fat as energy while on a calorie deficit.
  • JezzD1
    JezzD1 Posts: 431
    When y'all say eat back the calories from working out you mean eat back to what your goal originally was? example my calorie goal is 1000 so should I eat back until i net 1000 or should I eat back ALL the calories I burned?
  • juicy_cat
    juicy_cat Posts: 145 Member
    OK I have to defend the OP. For some people (like me) it's very difficult to lose weight unless you eat about 1,200 calories per day. This is the minimum amount of calories for a healthy weight loss, and the National Institute of Health backs this up. If you're netting a little below 1,200 because of exercise that's OK in my book. Now, 600 does seem really low, and I only do moderate circuit training for about 20 minutes a day, so I usually NET at least 1,000.

    For those of you with significant weight to lose, it makes sense to eat more than 1,200, but if you're on your last 10 or so pounds, good luck losing on more than 1,200!! :wink:

    Same for me...on last 5 pounds....often below 1200 net in week...but eat more at weekend.....
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    true... true.. actually BMI can be pretty annoying to follow sometimes...

    my 2 cents is still, "slightly overweight' means your body can use the stored fat as energy while on a calorie deficit.

    Not an UNHEALTHY deficit, like she has been eating, that is stupid.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    When y'all say eat back the calories from working out you mean eat back to what your goal originally was? example my calorie goal is 1000 so should I eat back until i net 1000 or should I eat back ALL the calories I burned?

    Your calorie goal should be 1200 at least. This website doesn't advocate that you eat any less than that. If you chose 2 pounds per week, it will set you at 1200, not 1000. So where are you getting the 1000 from?

    So, MFP sets you at 1200. Then you exercise 300 calories, now your calorie goal is 1500 for today total. 1200 just to live on plus 300 for fuel for your workout.
  • JezzD1
    JezzD1 Posts: 431
    true... true.. actually BMI can be pretty annoying to follow sometimes...

    my 2 cents is still, "slightly overweight' means your body can use the stored fat as energy while on a calorie deficit.

    Not an UNHEALTHY deficit, like she has been eating, that is stupid.

    What is a healthy deficit?????
    nevermind just saw your reply ;-)
  • JezzD1
    JezzD1 Posts: 431
    Your calorie goal should be 1200 at least. This website doesn't advocate that you eat any less than that. If you chose 2 pounds per week, it will set you at 1200, not 1000. So where are you getting the 1000 from?

    So, MFP sets you at 1200. Then you exercise 300 calories, now your calorie goal is 1500 for today total. 1200 just to live on plus 300 for fuel for your workout.
    [/quote]

    Just going off some advice a friend gave me. So you say eat the 1200 plus the burned cals from the workout.... so where is the deficit needed to lose weight?
  • Cptrob
    Cptrob Posts: 80 Member
    true... true.. actually BMI can be pretty annoying to follow sometimes...

    my 2 cents is still, "slightly overweight' means your body can use the stored fat as energy while on a calorie deficit.

    Not an UNHEALTHY deficit, like she has been eating, that is stupid.

    I'd love to read the science behind your statement.
  • Cptrob
    Cptrob Posts: 80 Member
    what's the point of doing 2 hours of cardio, just to eat the calories back? might as well sit at home watch tv and i guess eat less..
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member


    Just going off some advice a friend gave me. So you say eat the 1200 plus the burned cals from the workout.... so where is the deficit needed to lose weight?

    The deficit you need is already built in with what MFP gave you. It sets you low so that you would lose weight doing no additional exercise. Then when you do exercise, you need to eat fuel for it.

    Here are some numbers to understand:

    BMR - basal metabolic rate. This is the number of calories they would feed you if you were in a coma to fuel your basic bodily functions, heartbeat, breathing, brain function, organs.

    TDEE - this is total daily energy expenditure, all the calories you need that is part of BMR for you to live, and what you need for all of the moving around you do all day. Also called "maintenance calories" because it is the number you would not gain or lose weight, it is the right balance of calories where you would stay the same weight.

    A healthy deficit is anywhere from 10-30% off of TDEE, but above BMR. (if you have a lot of weight to lose, like 100 pounds, you can do a 30% cut. But if you have like 10 pounds to lose a 10% cut is healthy)

    MFP calculates your TDEE when you do the BMR tool thing here and then it asks you how active you are. BUT then when you tell it 2 pounds a week you want to lose, it gives you 1,000 calories a day deficit, regardless of your BMR, to a minimum of 1,200 calories (because it is unhealthy to go lower).

    Unless you have a lot of weight to lose, you shouldn't choose 2 pounds a week because that is not healthy or sustainable for everyone.
  • chocl8girl
    chocl8girl Posts: 1,968 Member
    Just going off some advice a friend gave me. So you say eat the 1200 plus the burned cals from the workout.... so where is the deficit needed to lose weight?

    MFP ALREADY calculates your deficit into your original allotted calories, WITHOUT including any exercise that you enter in. So, if you sit on the couch all day and only eat 1200 calories without exercising, you will STILL lose weight, because you are already eating at a deficit. When you exercise, you are creating an even LARGER deficit, which, if this ends up giving you a NET of <1200, is not healthy for anyone.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    what's the point of doing 2 hours of cardio, just to eat the calories back? might as well sit at home watch tv and i guess eat less..

    You obviously have not read how MFP works. And stop advocating that the OP eat an unhealthy amount.
  • nwachim
    nwachim Posts: 111 Member
    For reference, I am 5'8, 26% bf and eat 2000 calories EVERY day. I lift or do bodyweight exercises at home 3x per week and might throw in 15 mins of HIIT here or there.

    Can you lose fat eating that much a day? I sure did! I put this photo comparison - with the caption, just for funsies. I'm not where I want to be, but why eat 1,200 when I can accomplish more by eating 2,000?

    IPOARM4Months.jpg

    ETA: You should read this and do your own calculations -- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12




    THANKS A LOT(I HOPE I DID THE QUOTE STUFF RIGHT,STILL A BIT NEW)
  • roxierachael
    roxierachael Posts: 81 Member
    Everyone asks this question over and over, and the people who "get it" get irritated at the people who don't get it. To be honest, the information on this website is unclear and I still don't get it.

    So, can someone who understands it make a damn video already?

    images.jpg
  • Cptrob
    Cptrob Posts: 80 Member
    Everyone asks this question over and over, and the people who "get it" get irritated at the people who don't get it. To be honest, the information on this website is unclear and I still don't get it.

    So, can someone who understands it make a damn video already?

    images.jpg

    .. another good thing that i try to remember... if you're hungry, eat.. simple, and effective.
  • JezzD1
    JezzD1 Posts: 431
    @ deksgrl and @chocl8girl.
    Thanks that was very informative and I see that mfp calculates the TDEEE as you said does it also calculate my BMR?
    I have about 40 lbs to lose and my body fat % is about 30% last I checked. So I think it is ok for me to try and lose 2lbs a week
  • Kenzietea2
    Kenzietea2 Posts: 1,132 Member
    yes. too low.
  • SprinklesNSparkles
    SprinklesNSparkles Posts: 11
    Is 600 to 800 NET cals per day too low?

    Not if you are 3.5 feet tall....... otherwise go eat something.
  • nwachim
    nwachim Posts: 111 Member
    Yes, that is too low.

    Eat higher calorie, non "bulky" items if you aren't hungry...

    almonds, peanut butter, protein bars, Greek yogurt... just to name a few are a great way to use up those calories when you just don't feel like eating.

    Good luck!

    THANKS FOR THE GREAT IDEAS
  • ObtainingBalance
    ObtainingBalance Posts: 1,446 Member


    Anyway, why can't we just live and let live? As long as someone isn't starving themselves, which is generally defined as eating less than 1,200 cals / day (for women anyway) why can't we just do what works for us personally?

    Except the OP is talking about netting 600 - 800. Not even close to 1200.

    And "what works" for you personally, could potentially be doing damage that you cannot see to your organs. That is why people are so adamant on this issue.

    ^^^ This.

    Also I like having lean body mass aka muscle. Do you think you'll support lean body mass and get that shapely look you may want? Or go skinny fat because you catabolize muscle? And then because you have less LBM lower your BMR and so require less calories and find if you eat badily you pile weight on easier because you need less calories?

    I know I'd rather have more LBM and be able to eat more calories myself. I know I keep posting this pic but this is my misses:

    abzilla.jpg

    and at around 5' 1-2" she is on 1600 calories a day. WHY eat less and look worse at the end of it and put on fat more readily? It doesn't make sense?

    Question -- she eats 1,600 calories per day NET?? Or what? Is she maintaining her weight now? Because we would want to eat less than she does because some people want to lose weight not maintain... I don't know. I'm just curious.

Categories