So confused about net calories

BryKate

Hi everyone
So I'm totally confused about net calories! I've seen a ton of posts saying yor net at the end of the day should be as close to 0 as possible without going into minus numbers. Others say it should be what mfp recommends you eat per day? (So for me 1250cals)
Also you need a calorie deficit to lose weight right? Well according to my research a deficit is burning more than you consume. So to get a deficit I need to be burning at least 1250 cals a day?? Surely that can't be right?

3dogsrunning

First, understand that MFP already has your deficit factored in. 1250 IS at a deficit.

You also have to understand that our bodies burn calories everyday just surviving, for organ functions, etc. That is your BMR, basal metabolic rate, it is what your body would require if you didn't get out of bed.
On top of that, our daily lives require energy, sitting, driving, walking to the car, prepping food, along with things like our job all burn calories. How much depends on what kind of job you have, the others are averaged in. Most formulas also account for exercise that we do, so that gives you your TDEE , total daily energy expenditure. It is this number that we neither gain or lose weight at.
MFP does not factor in exercise so it isn't true TDEE, but your 1250 includes your BMR, plus daily activities (without exercise). MFP then creates a deficit from that, about 500 calories for every pound per week goal. So if you chose 1 lb a week, your BMR plus daily activity would actually be 1750.

SInce MFP doesn't account for exercise, it expects you to factor it in by logging it and eating those calories.

So if your goal is 1250, and you burn 300 in exercise you should eat 1550. Your total calories eaten is 1550 - your exercise (300) = 1250. And you still burn that off in daily life.

tcraw15

Net calories = calories consumed (Food and Drink) - calories burned (exercise). So if you choose to exercise, you can eat more.

Your goal each day is to keep your net calories even with your calorie budget. So lets say you want to have an extra piece of pizza and go over your budget by 200 calories, you can perform a 200 calorie workout and be back on track to meet your goal.

So for you, you say you need an intake of 1250 calories a day to lose weight. That 1250 should include your deficit. So lets say you eat over 1250 calories. Lets say 1400 calories. That would be +150 net calories. You can exercise to burn 150 calories to meet your 1250 calorie goal for the day, to bring it to 0. So you don't want to go under 1250. On the other hand, lets say you eat 1250 calories and burn 200 calories during exercise. You would need to consume 200 calories to bring it back up to 1250.

I hope that makes sense.

Mads1997

Just follow MFP log your exercise and eat until your goal gets close to zero without going in the red.