calories to lose weight. HEEELLLPPPP

VeeOsooPretty

Maybe this has been covered already, but after searching for a while, I still can not find clear answer. So maybe someone can help me.
I understand that 3500 calories = 1 lb. So to lose one lb, you need to have a deficit of 3500 calories.

I read a lot of people saying that if you want to loose one lb per week, you have to burn 500 calories more than you eat a day. ? So does that mean my net calories should be -500?

then other forms say that my net calories should not be in the negative?
I am so confused. What should my net calories be for weight loss?

Lastly, am I supposed to "eat back" my calories. I see some say yes, others say if you eat them back then what is the point of working out.

I am totally lost and would appreciate any help, clarification, and understanding anyone has to offer.

cwolfman13

What it means is that if you have a maintenance calorie level of 2000 calories (average woman, just as an example...your TDEE may be different), in order to lose 1 Lb per week you would need to eat around 1,500 calories per day. Keep in mind that you "burn" calories just by living...breathing...****ting and pissing.

You could also just input your goals into MFP to lose 1 Lb per week based on your NEAT (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). MFP is NEAT method calculator, so you're supposed to eat back your exercise as it is extra activity. When you put your activity level, it's just your NEAT...no exercise...exercise is extra. Essentially, you're using your diet to incorporate a weight loss deficit and you exercise for fitness. There's absolutely no need to kill yourself at the gym burning a gazillion calories...'cuz you're supposed to eat those gazillion calories back.

When I was doing MFP I always ate back 70-80% or my exercise calories to account for estimation error...no less than 50% to make sure I was fueling that activity and not burning too much lean body mass in the process of dieting. Your best bet for estimating calorie burn is a heart rate monitor, but it's still an estimate. Data base numbers are all over the place and often highly inaccurate.

j6o4

500 calories below maintenance everday to burn a pound a week. My maintenance is 2700 calories so i would have to eat 2200 calories to burn off a pound a week. I would recomend a transistion phase where you cut 100 calories a week from maintenance untill you go to a 500 calorie deficit. Eat back your exercise calories or atleast a big part of it back cz it already calculates a deficit for you.

TeaBea

A 500 calorie deficit from your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) would be 1 pound a week. This figure should include exercise. Think of TDEE as "maintenance" calories.

http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

Now, if you had a more agressive goal ..... eat at LEAST this much: Your BMR - basal metabolic rate ..... calories needed if you were in a coma PLUS exercise calories added back in.

http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/bmr-calculator.html

Basically this .... really agressive weight loss goals result in muscle loss. Better to have a moderate goal.

sarahg148

I've been on this site for about a year and STILL don't get what NET means, lol! But I've set my program to burn one pound/wk and I'll eat back about 1/2 of my exercise calories. I'll eat back all of them if I'm going out or PMSing...just the way it is. I've not hit goal yet for various reasons, but really trying to stay at about 1700-1800 cal/day then eating back some of the exercise calories. As long as the scale moves downward, then I'm happy. :happy:

meeper123

don't worry about the math it will give you a headache just do your best don't rush it it will happen if you are persistent

cpalumbo89

Say you are suppose to eat 1200 a day in order to follow the goals mfp set for you. If you set your goals to lose 1 pound a week, this 1200 limit is what you eat. Mfp estimated you eat like 1800 (or don't burn) calories a day. So it built in the deficit for you. If you work out and you burn 200 calories, your net is now 1000. You are not suppose to be at 1000 you are suppose to be at 1200. So you eat some if not all the 200 calories.

VeeOsooPretty

Thank you EVERYONE for your replies. It makes a lot more sense now!!!
:-)