Net Calories/ how it all works

Macarnes23

I find this all very confusing after reading on some of the message boards I was just hoping to clarify how MFP works.

So i'm given a 1200 calorie goal ( I am 5'4" weight 177) I usually burn 500 cal a night (I use a HRM) so therefore I should really be eating 1700 cal is that correct? So the 1200 they give u is assuming that u do not have exercise activity that day? This week I haven even been under 1200 a day.

I was looking at the reports and saw the net calories and some days i'm at 700 net calories that can't be healthy. (not exactly sure how they calculate net calories (i'm assuming the subtract your exercise from calories consumed for the day)

I have been trying to lose the same 15lb for like two years i'm very active and a super healthy eater I think I must eat to few calories which is why I can't lose.

I think when you join there should be some popup about how calories goals are created and if it is meant to be a deficit with or without exercise. They way the exercise calories are added back it seems like and option to eat them not something you should be doing.

Any advise is appreciated I'm new here and just try9ig to figure it all out ....thanks ahead of time

bradwwood

One of the options you select when using the calculator is your activity level throughout the day. I personally selected sedentary because I sit at a desk all day.

So, the calculator suggests I eat 1700 calories per day based on my age, weight, height, goal, and sedentary setting.

This is my goal without any additional exercise. If I ate exactly 1700 calories for the day, I'd be on track to lose 1.5lbs per week.

If I add exercise above and beyond my basic sedentary lifestyle, say 400 calories burned in a session, that would put me at a net of 1300 calories per day.

This is where a lot of people are different. Some folks will not eat back those calories. Some will eat a little, some will eat it all back.

I personally eat back the calories, at least somewhat. It varies from day to day. Really what the exercise allows you to do is eat more and still lose weight.

The whole "eating to few calories" is possible. This is a huge hot topic around here. Phrases like "starvation mode" really set people off. What I know for sure is that it seems if people eat to their target, or at least close, they tend to lose weight. Going hungry is pointless. Eating healthy foods, exercising, and staying within your caloric goal, seems to work for everyone that sticks to it.

Macarnes23

Thank you for the clarification. That makes since I guess everyone is different I'll have to play around with how many calories to eat back to keep losing.