"Net" Calories and exercise

Rachel_Fontenot
Rachel_Fontenot Posts: 25
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all -

My calorie goal on MFP is 1200 calories. I am currently training for a marathon and earning lots of exercise calories while trying to lose weight. Yesterday, my food intake was 1330 calories while I "earned" nearly 800 exercising causing my "net" to be around 530.

My question is, should I be eating back the exerise calories I earned in order to meet my goal or it is considered good to have my "net" lower than my goal due to exercise?

Thanks!

Replies

  • Reid4life
    Reid4life Posts: 9
    I have wondered this same question too !
  • NavyKnightAh13
    NavyKnightAh13 Posts: 1,394 Member
    Bump
  • Yummamamma
    Yummamamma Posts: 79 Member
    I am not sure you need to eat them ALL back, but training for a marathon means you need to eat like an athlete. I would listen to your body and try and get at least 1200??
  • zaph0d
    zaph0d Posts: 1,172 Member
    net should equal goal
  • fatboypup
    fatboypup Posts: 1,873 Member
    6a00d83462eb8d69e200e5539f37548834-320wi
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Eat them. Your body needs them, especially if you're working hard.
  • jhick76
    jhick76 Posts: 4
    Wondering this too. Im taking in 1200 calories but buring 600-800 a day with cardio. By sunday Im ready to eat the fridge but manage to stay under 1800. What is "bump"?
  • zaph0d
    zaph0d Posts: 1,172 Member
    if i buy a TV that's $1200 and there is a 9% sales tax of $108, do I just pay the $1200 or do I pay $1308? I like to pay half the tax personally because I'm not one to trust the numbers out of a stupid cash register.
  • Rachel_Fontenot
    Rachel_Fontenot Posts: 25
    While I agree that I should be eating some of the calories back, I want to lose weight during this training process so want to create the decifit I need to keep losing while keep my body fueled for the distance.
  • myfitnessval
    myfitnessval Posts: 687 Member
    short answer is yes you need to be eating them back. i learned this one the hard way. eventually all that training and lack of food will catch up to your body. you wanna fuel that body for some mean marathon time right? eat em back. just my 2 cents. prepare to hear varying opinions. lol
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Wondering this too. Im taking in 1200 calories but buring 600-800 a day with cardio. By sunday Im ready to eat the fridge but manage to stay under 1800. What is "bump"?

    BUMP stands for Bring Up My Post. On these boards it serves two purposes: it puts the post back up to the top of the page and adds it to your topics so you can find it easily to read later.
  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    eat them all if you are training for a marathon. You earned them and your body needs them to keep performance decent. Are you already at a calorie deficit anyways? If so, it is a must that you eat them while you are training.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Your example: Net = 350 calories

    This is not enough "fuel" for everyday bodily function (heart, lungs kidneys). If your body needs to build some blood cells (for example) .... where is it going to get what it needs? Your body will break down existing muscle mass.

    Even people in a coma get a feeding tube. MFP as designed expects you to eat back exercise calories. The deficit for weight loss was built in BEFORE exercise.

    Just be careful that your calorie burns are not overstated (this would cause you to eat too much).
  • Yummamamma
    Yummamamma Posts: 79 Member
    if i buy a TV that's $1200 and there is a 9% sales tax of $108, do I just pay the $1200 or do I pay $1308? I like to pay half the tax personally because I'm not one to trust the numbers out of a stupid cash register.



    I like this analogy!! too funny
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,371 Member
    6a00d83462eb8d69e200e5539f37548834-320wi


    LOL, not seen that one before - but was thinking it.

    Please do eat your exercise calories. You are going to need them if you're building yourself up for endurance activities and you'll still lose according to the goal you have set yourself because a deficit is already included in your goal for that. Just make sure you are not over-estimating your burns and eat them in good healthy foods if you can.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    While I agree that I should be eating some of the calories back, I want to lose weight during this training process so want to create the decifit I need to keep losing while keep my body fueled for the distance.

    MFP has already created that deficit for you. What you're doing is making it bigger, possibly much bigger than your body can sustain.
  • zaph0d
    zaph0d Posts: 1,172 Member
    While I agree that I should be eating some of the calories back, I want to lose weight during this training process so want to create the decifit I need to keep losing while keep my body fueled for the distance.

    Your goal already includes a deficit
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,337 Member
    If you took the time to read this post http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6556-the-answers-to-the-questions which is linked in the Newbies read this post in this very section, you would find that yes you are supposed to eat them, all of them, not just part. Just so you know from all the people I know here who have run marathons weight loss will be slow in your training/prep phase for a marathon. If will, however, come off afterward. Part of it is the stress of training making your body retain water. The other part is simply making sure you eat enough. Frankly, I would change your goal to one pound per week during your preparation.
  • rachelleahsmom
    rachelleahsmom Posts: 442 Member
    The general consensus is that your net calories should not go much below 1200. That is the minimum your body needs in order to have appropriate functioning of all your important organs. I would think a day or two below wouldn't hurt - we've all had the flu, for example - but over time, it can hurt your body and end up impeding your progress. Mostly, you need to listen to your body and nourish it with healthy foods.

    Bump means to bump the thread to the top so that more people will see it.

    Best of luck, all!
  • ellie319
    ellie319 Posts: 139 Member
    Yes eat your calories back,i asked my old professors and they said that MFP allots you X amount of calories and thats neccessary to lose weight but maintain the nutrition your body needs.so if im allotted 1300 k/cal and i burn 400k/cals i need to eat my 1300+400 in order to meet my daily caloric needs.I mean c'mon your not going to drive your car past empty & still expect it to perform.
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
    When I first did my settings, I ticked 'I want to maintain my weight' (or however it was phrased). So in order for my body to have enough calories to maintain my weight, I eat back my exercise calories.

    If you set your goal for weight loss, your daily calorie goal is however many calories you need to eat to lose x lbs by x date. Exercise only gives you more calories to play with - you should eat them all back, i.e., enough to support the activity you're doing for that day.
  • jhick76
    jhick76 Posts: 4
    thanks
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    6a00d83462eb8d69e200e5539f37548834-320wi

    You are my hero.
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