NET CALORIES - I DONT UNDERSTAND!
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I aim to eat back most of my exercise calories but leave myself about 100 a day (sometimes more sometimes less) so I can relax a bit at the weekend or if I go out. I'm not losing weight very fast but my shape is changing quite quickly (goodbye back boobs!) so i reckon that's the healthy way to go (only a couple of years off 50 so i don't want lots of saggy/wrinkly skin through losing too much too fast!)0
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Yes that makes sense, Thank you
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Your exercise is great & important - however, you have to get the energy from somewhere. If you are burning all the calories you are eating with exercise then you're living on little or nothing!
Actually, it's living off the stored energy in fat and muscle cells whenever there is a calorie deficit. Sort of the whole idea behind losing weight. Exercise is basically meant to conserve the lean muscle mass that would otherwise be lost when dieting. In any event, the "experts" - both on MFP and IRL - differ on whether to eat back some, all or none of your exercise calories. I've settled somewhere in the middle - i.e., if I'm hungry, I still eat. It's merely the choice of what I put in that has changed dramatically. Good luck to the OP with figuring out what works best for YOU!
This is sort of what I am doing. I am having more than 1200 if I want them but mostly I dont. I feel better than I have done in a long time! I understand the replys on here saying I should eat more and I will try to increase my daily intake. The post above made me feel better about things though so thank you
The problem is that MFP doesn't take into account exercise when setting calorie goals, and deficts.
So, you and I could be the same weight, height, job etc, and MFP would give us both the same calorie goal for 1lb a week loss, by deducting 500 from our estimated daily calorie burn excluding exercise.
Now, If I just went home every night and sat in front of the TV, and you did your 1000 calories of swimming, our daily energy output would be very different, and you wouldl be expending 1000 calories than me.
to still get the same 500 calorie defict for 1lb per week you would need to eat 1000 calories more than me.
This will also help - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf0 -
The problem is that MFP doesn't take into account exercise when setting calorie goals, and deficts.
So, you and I could be the same weight, height, job etc, and MFP would give us both the same calorie goal for 1lb a week loss, by deducting 500 from our estimated daily calorie burn excluding exercise.
Now, If I just went home every night and sat in front of the TV, and you did your 1000 calories of swimming, our daily energy output would be very different, and you wouldl be expending 1000 calories than me.
to still get the same 500 calorie defict for 1lb per week you would need to eat 1000 calories more than me.
This will also help - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf
This was part of where i get so confused as i think id probably rather not exercise than eat more than i want
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Simply, you have to NET 1200 cals a day to be healthy. If you eat 1200 cals, but burn 1000, you are netting 200 cals a day, so you have to eat back the 1000 calories you burned during exercise.
Imagine your body is a car. You fill your car with 1200 fuel and you need 1200 fuel to go from A - B. Now imagine you take a detour that uses 1000 fuel. In order to be able to still make it to B, you're going to have to refuel your car the 1000 fuel so you can still make it to B.
A is the start of the day. B is the end of the day. The detour is any exercise you do.
Hope this helps.2 -
Hi all, Im really struggling to get my head around net calories and what calories I should be eating.
I have a daily target of 1200 calories (Im only 5ft 1/2 inch) in order to loose 1-2lb per week. I make sure I have 3 healthy meals a day and snacks and I never feel hungry. Im normally within 10-20 calories of my target, but do go over if I feel the need (like yesterday for pancake day!!).
Anyway, Im making an effort to get in exercise most days with a good walk and some swimming.....nothing too vigorous!.....and am burning between 500 - 1000 calories a day. Now my mind is telling me that this exercise may help me loose more weight, will help me tone as I loose, and will give me the calories if I feel I want to consume over my 1200 goal.
Yesterday on my diary a friend commented that Id eaten way to few calories, that my net calories was too low and that I should eat back the calories I burn. This upset me a little as I felt I had achieved a really good day with food and exercise.This was yesterdays figures:
Goal - 1200
Food - 1425 (slightly higher than normal)
Exercise - 1163 (slightly higher than normal)
Net - 262
Remaining - 938
Now what is confusing for me is that if I had not done that exercise then I would have in theory overeaten that day! Therefore as I normally stick to around 1200 then surely if I do not want to eat more food then I shouldnt exercise?? Or if I do exercise I need to eat more even if I dont want it and am not hungry?? I really struggle to see the point of just eating for the sake of it.
Sorry if this post is confusing.....but its probably because Im confused while writing it! Basically I want to watch what i eat...hence not watching was what put on the weight in the first place....but I want to keep healthy at the same time!
Can anyone shed some light on what I am doing right/wrong, what your suggestions for me are and mostly what NET calories actually means to my weight loss.
Thank you for reading
Trisha
[/quote first thing, how on earth are you burning 1000 cals per day doing light activity, are you super obese at your height.? I dont mean this in a bad way, but i would have to spend about 4 hours working out to get to that level0 -
That's a really high calorie burn, are you doing that every day?
To answer your question, yes you should eat back your exercise calories. Do you know your BMR?0 -
My mom did the same thing in the 80s. She was netting 200 calories a day and after a couple months, she lost her hair. She has yo-yo diet every since. I set her up on this, she lost about 30 pounds and did great. But I had to talk her into eating.
MFP works because you do not starve yourself. I would suggest researching your BMR and TDEE and it will help you understand. Good luck. Eat more.0 -
That's a really high calorie burn, are you doing that every day?
To answer your question, yes you should eat back your exercise calories. Do you know your BMR?
No not everyday......sometimes only 500. I believe my BMR is 1485 0 -
That's a really high calorie burn, are you doing that every day?
To answer your question, yes you should eat back your exercise calories. Do you know your BMR?
No not everyday......sometimes only 500. I believe my BMR is 1485
Mine is 1460 and I never eat less than my BMR, I feel horrible and hit plateaus. 1485 is what you burn doing nothing. Your body needs fuel. Food is not the enemy.0 -
The problem is that MFP doesn't take into account exercise when setting calorie goals, and deficts.
So, you and I could be the same weight, height, job etc, and MFP would give us both the same calorie goal for 1lb a week loss, by deducting 500 from our estimated daily calorie burn excluding exercise.
Now, If I just went home every night and sat in front of the TV, and you did your 1000 calories of swimming, our daily energy output would be very different, and you wouldl be expending 1000 calories than me.
But it does. If you set it to your normal daily activity (without exercise) when you start, and ADD any exercise that you do in addition every day, it will be far more accurate.0 -
My mom did the same thing in the 80s. She was netting 200 calories a day and after a couple months, she lost her hair. She has yo-yo diet every since. I set her up on this, she lost about 30 pounds and did great. But I had to talk her into eating.
MFP works because you do not starve yourself. I would suggest researching your BMR and TDEE and it will help you understand. Good luck. Eat more.
Well done to your mum for doing so great and losing 30 pounds (hopefully with a full head of hair too as the hair loss sounds scary!).
My BMR is about 1485 and my TDEE was 1778 when i wasnt doing any exercise but is 2297 if i regularly do exercise at a moderate level. I dont really know much about eithewr of these things and what they mean, so I will definately do some research. Thank you 0 -
Haven't read through the thread but I'm sure at least someone has explained the net calorie piece. What I will say is to be extra careful of your estimates for calorie burn. They sound quite high. It's doable, but there's a chance you could be overestimating (this is actually why some folks only eat back half or a quarter of their calories).0
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My mom did the same thing in the 80s. She was netting 200 calories a day and after a couple months, she lost her hair. She has yo-yo diet every since. I set her up on this, she lost about 30 pounds and did great. But I had to talk her into eating.
MFP works because you do not starve yourself. I would suggest researching your BMR and TDEE and it will help you understand. Good luck. Eat more.
Well done to your mum for doing so great and losing 30 pounds (hopefully with a full head of hair too as the hair loss sounds scary!).
My BMR is about 1485 and my TDEE was 1778 when i wasnt doing any exercise but is 2297 if i regularly do exercise at a moderate level. I dont really know much about eithewr of these things and what they mean, so I will definately do some research. Thank you
A good place for you to start your research
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/512956-tdee-what-is-it-and-why-you-should-not-eat-below-your-bmr0 -
Most of this advice is so wrong...
Look at the big loosers diary, people who lost 50, 75, 125lbs. They don't eat the exerciser calories period. I eat some, but try to leave 800 to 1200 on the table.
I'm following this guy .... joncowling1988.... regularly he exceeds his calories with exercise and he lost something like 125lbs.
If your not hungry don't eat!
I feel like I need something after exercise, so I eat it. But don't let anyone tell you you have to.
Listen to your body.0 -
Look at the big loosers diary,
Yeah, we have. Sustainability matters.0 -
[/quote]
A good place for you to start your research
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/512956-tdee-what-is-it-and-why-you-should-not-eat-below-your-bmr
[/quote]
Thank you 0 -
I know there are some different opinions flying around this post, but I just wanted to say thank you to everyone that has taken the time to reply and share their advise. I understand the net calories a little more now so that is great...and I also can see that using MFP has different benefits for each individual. I have taken on board the need to try and eat a little more when I am burning from exercise and will try to do this over the coming days. Ultimately though I do eat and have 3 good meals and do not allow myself to be hungry
Thank you for the support0 -
Most of this advice is so wrong...
Look at the big loosers diary, people who lost 50, 75, 125lbs. They don't eat the exerciser calories period. I eat some, but try to leave 800 to 1200 on the table.
I'm following this guy .... joncowling1988.... regularly he exceeds his calories with exercise and he lost something like 125lbs.
If your not hungry don't eat!
I feel like I need something after exercise, so I eat it. But don't let anyone tell you you have to.
Listen to your body.
With all do respect, I disagree. I have been here forever and never met anyone who did not lose while eating back your calories. When your metabolism is screwed up, it will not give you proper signals.
It is dangerous to advise anyone that netting 286 is fine if you are not hungry.0 -
Most of this advice is so wrong...
Look at the big loosers diary, people who lost 50, 75, 125lbs. They don't eat the exerciser calories period. I eat some, but try to leave 800 to 1200 on the table.
I'm following this guy .... joncowling1988.... regularly he exceeds his calories with exercise and he lost something like 125lbs.
If your not hungry don't eat!
I feel like I need something after exercise, so I eat it. But don't let anyone tell you you have to.
Listen to your body.
With all due respect, I disagree. I have been here forever and never met anyone who did not lose while eating back your calories. When your metabolism is screwed up, it will not give you proper signals.
It is dangerous to advise anyone that netting 286 is fine if you are not hungry.
This.
When you have been eating too little you stop feeling hungry. That doesn't mean you don't need food. Instead of just looking at people who have lost a ton of weight, maybe look at people who have lost weight and kept it off.
OP IMO you should net your BMR. I'm not saying it isn't possible to lose the way you're doing it, but it isn't the healthy way to go about it, and you're a lot more likely to be successful long term if you don't crash diet (which is what netting under 300 calories is).0
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