I'm confused about the "net" calories

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gingerenderly
gingerenderly Posts: 15
in Introduce Yourself
Hi. I have been on MFP for a little while now and don't quite understand the calorie deficit. Am I suppose to eat my exercise calories? I have alot of weight to lose, and so far have lost 26 pounds in about 6 weeks. Because of my size, I guess I expected to lose more rapidly. I am exercising 5-6 days a week and staying at or below 1400 calories. I would appreciate any help with this and would also appreciate friends to help keep me accountable and encouraged. Thank you.

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  • destro748
    destro748 Posts: 10
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    Caloric deficit just means reduction in calories. If your target for loss is 1400 calories and you've exercised and worked up 400 calories, just means it's equivalent to eating 400 less calories. You lose weight always by caloric deficit, it can either come from exercise or reduction in calories.
  • lmatthes123
    lmatthes123 Posts: 1
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    you can add your exercise calories. I think you are doing a great job. 26 pounds in 6 weeks is amazing.
  • Off10h8ed
    Off10h8ed Posts: 282 Member
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    If you are at 1400 calories and you exercise and burn 300 calories... 1400+300=1700
    You can eat 1700 calories and still lose weight. MFP sets you at a deficit to start with so you can lose weight.
    This equation would still allow you to NET your 1400 calories.

    Now, you may lose slower than what you have been, you may lose quicker. Some people do better when they don't eat those calories back, some do better if they do. It just depends on how your body works.

    On another note... you should generally keep your NET above 1200... that means the total calories you actually keep!

    Your base is 1400... if you exercise 500 calories off... and you only eat the 1400, you are sitting at 900 calories NET.

    1400-500(burned off)=900 left... this is not so good. I have days like that but notice I loose much better of I make sure I get my 1200 or very close to it. Or even 40-50 or so over.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Hi. I have been on MFP for a little while now and don't quite understand the calorie deficit. Am I suppose to eat my exercise calories? I have alot of weight to lose, and so far have lost 26 pounds in about 6 weeks. Because of my size, I guess I expected to lose more rapidly. I am exercising 5-6 days a week and staying at or below 1400 calories. I would appreciate any help with this and would also appreciate friends to help keep me accountable and encouraged. Thank you.

    MFP puts in a deficit based on your selection of weekly goal loss.
    it's always there in your daily goal, that deficit, whether you exercise or not.
    Since it's already there, when you exercise, to keep the same amount of deficit, you get credit and daily goal goes up, you get to eat more.
    Reward and planning system.

    Lost 26 lbs of what? Because that's massive.

    That would imply that you are eating 2167 calories less than you are burning - if that was just fat lost. (26 lbs * 3500 calories in fat / 6 weeks / 7 days)

    So are you really burning 3500-3600 calories each and every day for the last 6 weeks? Doubtful.

    You are sadly losing a whole lot more than fat. Sure some is water weight, but for those stats, there's no way around what else you are losing - muscle. Muscle only provides 600 calories for a lb. Much easier to drop a lb of muscle than a lb of fat.

    Is your 5-6 days of exercise cardio? Yep, muscle for sure.
  • lovinmomma
    lovinmomma Posts: 77
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    deficite is simple really. you need a deficit of 500 cals to lose 1lb a week. so if your body needs 2300 calories a day to maintain current weight then you need to have a deficit of 500, or 1800 calories, MFP brings you to 1800 as a goal and you shoul eat back calories you burn to maintain the 500 calorie deficit a day. So if you burn 300 calories in work outs you only need to cut out 200 calories. so what it means by NET is simply bringing you to the 500 calorie deficit.

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