Net calories ? Eat them?

annjohnson85
annjohnson85 Posts: 8
in Fitness and Exercise
I have a question about net calories and how low it's ok to go. I have always heard you need to burn more than you take in to lose. Does that mean your net calories should be 0? Or does that take in to consideration the amount of calories your body burns by doing nothing? I've also heard about not going below 1200 cals a day, and again, does that mean not under 1200 net calories or not under 1200 eaten calories. I'm at 810 net calories (ate 1590, burned 779) for the day and feel I should not eat back what I worked off by exercising. Would you agree?

Replies

  • oOMusicBabii
    oOMusicBabii Posts: 494
    I used to go by net calories but always found myself hungry, tired and burnt out after a couple weeks. Now I try to eat back half of what I burn and I feel much better and the pounds are coming off easier.
  • mhuch110
    mhuch110 Posts: 130 Member
    A net of zero is dangerous!

    People's opinions of whether or not to eat back their exercise calories differ. Personally, I eat mine back...or at least half. I am on 1200 cals/day and I try very hard to make sure that I reach 1200 net.

    Hope this helps!
  • LovingLisa2012
    LovingLisa2012 Posts: 775 Member
    from the help section

    "what are net calories"
    Calories Consumed (Food) - Calories Burned (Exercise) = Net Calories

    What that means is that if you exercise, you will be able to eat more for that day. For example, if your Net Calorie goal is 2000 calories, one way to meet that goal is to eat 2,500 calories of food, but then burn 500 calories through exercise.

    Think of your Net Calories like a daily budget of calories to spend. You spend them by eating, and you earn more calories to eat by exercising.
  • birdieaz
    birdieaz Posts: 448 Member
    You need to NET at least your BMI, a net of zero is so dangerous. It means you are giving your body nothing whatsoever to function on.

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