is 600 to 800 NET cals per day too low?

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  • chocl8girl
    chocl8girl Posts: 1,968 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    @ 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
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    yes. too low.
  • SprinklesNSparkles
    SprinklesNSparkles Posts: 11
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    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
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    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
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    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.
  • Anastacia1119
    Anastacia1119 Posts: 157 Member
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    You're fine I think
    I lost more weight using another site that was less technical than I have on this site
    I went back to MY way (calculating bmr X activity level - 500 cals = goal calories) and have started losing again.
    I don't do that eating back your exercise calories crap

    Note: I eat more than 1200 cals a day. Do I net 1200? No
    Me too. I think yesterday my net was 713. Big whoop.

    Read what the other posters have been saying. You can do damage to your body and you won't keep the weight off by creating too big of a deficit. It isn't big whoop.
  • justarandomperson
    justarandomperson Posts: 18
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    Ya....its pretty much an eating disorder

    this is ridiculous. an eating disorder is a mental disorder, not eating less than 1200. this has annoyed me so much i cant even
  • Cptrob
    Cptrob Posts: 80 Member
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    You're fine I think
    I lost more weight using another site that was less technical than I have on this site
    I went back to MY way (calculating bmr X activity level - 500 cals = goal calories) and have started losing again.
    I don't do that eating back your exercise calories crap

    Note: I eat more than 1200 cals a day. Do I net 1200? No
    Me too. I think yesterday my net was 713. Big whoop.

    Read what the other posters have been saying. You can do damage to your body and you won't keep the weight off by creating too big of a defecit. It isn't big whoop.

    how so? won't keep the weight off? how so? damage? how so?
  • kristinasyoung
    kristinasyoung Posts: 8
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    eat smaller meals more frequently (4-6 servings a day) to see if you can bring that up. I have a hard time getting to the 1200 sometimes too, but get within 100-200 calories of it. Portion each of your meals to equal approximately 200 calories (or more if you're eating less frequently). Balancing each one equally is sometimes easier (for me anyway.)
  • ObtainingBalance
    ObtainingBalance Posts: 1,446 Member
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    You're fine I think
    I lost more weight using another site that was less technical than I have on this site
    I went back to MY way (calculating bmr X activity level - 500 cals = goal calories) and have started losing again.
    I don't do that eating back your exercise calories crap

    Note: I eat more than 1200 cals a day. Do I net 1200? No
    Me too. I think yesterday my net was 713. Big whoop.

    Read what the other posters have been saying. You can do damage to your body and you won't keep the weight off by creating too big of a defecit. It isn't big whoop.


    how so? won't keep the weight off? how so? damage? how so?


    Agreed.... I don't get why people worry about net (your calories eaten minus burned calories)
    BECAUSE WITH WEIGHT LOSS YOU HAVE TO BURN MORE THAN YOU EAT DURING THE DAY.

    I'm no expert but this topic is thrown around so much and it always confuses me.... that's why I just found out my TDEE and I create my own deficit and not pay so much attention to net calories... I've seen people on here log the most ridiculous exercises like sitting on a mower mowing.... it all depends on what they consider "exercise", their net would be lower than someone not logging that in to activity...
  • kristinasyoung
    kristinasyoung Posts: 8
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    You're fine I think
    I lost more weight using another site that was less technical than I have on this site
    I went back to MY way (calculating bmr X activity level - 500 cals = goal calories) and have started losing again.
    I don't do that eating back your exercise calories crap

    Note: I eat more than 1200 cals a day. Do I net 1200? No
    Me too. I think yesterday my net was 713. Big whoop.

    how do you calculate your activity level? I don't necessarily agree with you, because you can reverse your metabolism by not eating enough, and slow it down. Likewise, women process calories much differently than men, so although it may work for you, may not work for the female body.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    how so? won't keep the weight off? how so? damage? how so?

    Your body needs calories and nutrition, vitamins and minerals. You can't get enough nutrition on a very low calorie diet. It's why anorexic people, you know, their hair falls out and eventually they die.
  • AyaKara
    AyaKara Posts: 220
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    I did that for my first month & was getting much stronger & feeling so great, when one day I got dizzy & felt like I had vertigo for more than 12 hours. I almost fainted in class as the day went on. It was so unexpected because of how good I'd been feeling.

    Please go up to 100 cals greater than BMI for your net & go from there (preferred is 20% minus your TDEE).

    Good luck! You'll see results in no time. And don't forget to do strength training!
  • kristinasyoung
    kristinasyoung Posts: 8
    Options
    You're fine I think
    I lost more weight using another site that was less technical than I have on this site
    I went back to MY way (calculating bmr X activity level - 500 cals = goal calories) and have started losing again.
    I don't do that eating back your exercise calories crap

    Note: I eat more than 1200 cals a day. Do I net 1200? No
    Me too. I think yesterday my net was 713. Big whoop.



    Read what the other posters have been saying. You can do damage to your body and you won't keep the weight off by creating too big of a defecit. It isn't big whoop.


    how so? won't keep the weight off? how so? damage? how so?


    Agreed.... I don't get why people worry about net (your calories eaten minus burned calories)
    BECAUSE WITH WEIGHT LOSS YOU HAVE TO BURN MORE THAN YOU EAT DURING THE DAY.

    I'm no expert but this topic is thrown around so much and it always confuses me.... that's why I just found out my TDEE and I create my own deficit and not pay so much attention to net calories... I've seen people on here log the most ridiculous exercises like sitting on a mower mowing.... it all depends on what they consider "exercise", their net would be lower than someone not logging that in to activity...

    MFP, when it gives you a caloric goal, has already factored in your BMR and potential daily activity calorie burn. So you're already eating less than your body needs (BMR) by eating the goal set by MFP. Eating less can be beneficial for "extreme weight loss," but long term, it may not be a good idea, I wouldn't think. Then you begin depriving your body and your body can begin breakding down the good stuff, ie muscle, rather than fat. Just a thought
  • Anastacia1119
    Anastacia1119 Posts: 157 Member
    Options
    You're fine I think
    I lost more weight using another site that was less technical than I have on this site
    I went back to MY way (calculating bmr X activity level - 500 cals = goal calories) and have started losing again.
    I don't do that eating back your exercise calories crap

    Note: I eat more than 1200 cals a day. Do I net 1200? No
    Me too. I think yesterday my net was 713. Big whoop.

    Read what the other posters have been saying. You can do damage to your body and you won't keep the weight off by creating too big of a deficit. It isn't big whoop.
    I'll thank you to keep your unsolicited advice to yourself. I don't care what the other posters are saying.

    Ok, do damage to yourself then. have fun.

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