Is it net calories or total calories?

eileen0809
eileen0809 Posts: 16
edited September 18 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,

Just a questions... I know I shouldn't eat less than 1200 calories a day, but does that refer to net calories after exercise, or total calories? For example, yesterday, I ate 1700 calories but I did 75 minutes on the ellyptical machine at the gym (while watching Dancing with the Stars - didn't want to get off the machine until the show was over!), and I was told that I burned 750 calories - which means I consumed a net of 950 calories yesterday. Is that ok, or should I up my calorie intake to bring me to 1200 net (even if it means consuming 1950 calories in one day...)?


Thanks in advance!!

Replies

  • Hi all,

    Just a questions... I know I shouldn't eat less than 1200 calories a day, but does that refer to net calories after exercise, or total calories? For example, yesterday, I ate 1700 calories but I did 75 minutes on the ellyptical machine at the gym (while watching Dancing with the Stars - didn't want to get off the machine until the show was over!), and I was told that I burned 750 calories - which means I consumed a net of 950 calories yesterday. Is that ok, or should I up my calorie intake to bring me to 1200 net (even if it means consuming 1950 calories in one day...)?


    Thanks in advance!!
  • yenn2
    yenn2 Posts: 25
    It's net calories, and if you log it all, this site does the math for you !! The workouts buy back calories that you should try to eat up if you can. Also I have found those caloriecounts on machines cheat a little high ... at least for me, when I compare my calorie-burning heart rate monitor to them ... so I give myself less credit (like maybe 500 for an hour on an elliptical) to be sure.
  • deanea
    deanea Posts: 1,437
    I believe the net should never go under 1200, so 250 cal snack would have brought you up, when you log out for the day and it says you will weigh______ in five weeks there will be a note in small letters under that will say if you have brought in to little calories for the day.
  • Thanks! It just feels a little counter-intuitive - I'm eating quite a bit and quite frequently (am trying out the every-three-hours plan), and it just feels strange to be shown I'm not eating enough when I'm eating 1700/1800 calories a day!
  • yenn2
    yenn2 Posts: 25
    Don't sweat it !! It's better to eat more and work out more to keep your burners going !!! The net result is the same, 1200, but you're in fat burning mode AND you get to eat more. You don't have to feel woozy and hungry to lose weight, and you're right .. that IS counter-intuitive !!
  • frithir
    frithir Posts: 179 Member
    Hey Eileen, I'm glad to know that someone else enjoys DWTS :wink:
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