Confused about "net" calories

FitnessBree__ · November 2012

So I keep reading different things..some saying your "net" at the end of the day should be close to 0, others saying it should be close to your daily goal i.e 1400 cals. My daily calorie goal has been set at 1200, however I work out 6 days a week (combination of cardio and weights) and burn off anything from 300-800 a day. My "net" is at most around 300..sometimes even in the -numbers. (Apart from my one day off that I do not work out)..so is 300 too much for my "net"?? Should it be closer to 0? If so I'm gonna be so hungry considering I really don't eat that much!!

x4mygirlsx · November 2012

Net calories is food calories you eat minus your exercise calories. u ideally want your net calories to match your goal calories.

Harlequin16 · November 2012

from what i've heard, your net shouldn't be lower than your BMR

TavistockToad · November 2012

if your calorie goal is 1200 then you should NET 1200.

Jen800 · November 2012

Net calories are your BMR calories (for you 1200 is your goal but your BMR is probably higher, you should recalculate. Try fat2fitradio BMR calculator. www.fat2fitradio.com) mixed with your exercise calories.

Lets say you have your goal at 1200. You've worked out, and burned 200. This means that even if you log 1200 calories, you are still 200 calories under your goal. That means you'll have to eat 200 calories in order to match your calorie goal. You should not go below 1200. It is probably too low for you as it is, so it's essential to eat back some or all of your calories when you have a goal that low. Try searching "in place of a roadmap" on the forums.

Your net calories should be 1200 if your goal is 1200. If your goal is 1500, they should be 1500.

FitnessBree__ · November 2012

Thanks for this. Sorry to sound so dumb but I'm pretty new to the "fitness" lifestyle. I'm confused..If I am just eating back everything I burn then whats the point in exercising?? I thought you lost weight if you ate more than you burn off. If say my goal is 1200, I eat 1200 then burn off 500, I will be left with a "net" of 700..although my goal is 1200. Does that mean I can then just go eat back those 500cals?? Whats the point in burning them off if I just eat them back?

FitnessBree__ · November 2012

Thanks for this. Sorry to sound so dumb but I'm pretty new to the "fitness" lifestyle. I'm confused..If I am just eating back everything I burn then whats the point in exercising?? I thought you lost weight if you ate more than you burn off. If say my goal is 1200, I eat 1200 then burn off 500, I will be left with a "net" of 700..although my goal is 1200. Does that mean I can then just go eat back those 500cals?? Whats the point in burning them off if I just eat them back?

Rachielous · November 2012

Thanks for this. Sorry to sound so dumb but I'm pretty new to the "fitness" lifestyle. I'm confused..If I am just eating back everything I burn then whats the point in exercising?? I thought you lost weight if you ate more than you burn off. If say my goal is 1200, I eat 1200 then burn off 500, I will be left with a "net" of 700..although my goal is 1200. Does that mean I can then just go eat back those 500cals?? Whats the point in burning them off if I just eat them back?

Exercising increases your matabolism and your fitness levels so although you are eating back your calories (to put the nutrients that you have lost through exercising back into your body) you will be burning them off far quicker after the exercise.

Exercise also shapes your body and makes you feel good about yourself

I have lost 23lb's so far eating 1200 calories a day, when I exercised I allow myself more - granted, I don't always EAT all of y calories back - If I am hungry I do, if I am not hungry, I don't.

Just listen to your body - be kind to it!

animatorswearbras · November 2012

Thanks for this. Sorry to sound so dumb but I'm pretty new to the "fitness" lifestyle. I'm confused..If I am just eating back everything I burn then whats the point in exercising?? I thought you lost weight if you ate more than you burn off. If say my goal is 1200, I eat 1200 then burn off 500, I will be left with a "net" of 700..although my goal is 1200. Does that mean I can then just go eat back those 500cals?? Whats the point in burning them off if I just eat them back?

Because the 1200 is already set for you to lose weight, even if you sat on your bum all day, if you end up netting significantly under 1200 by exercising aswell, your body will start eating muscle back instead of just fat and we're trying to just lose the fat not the good stuff otherwise you're just throwing out the baby with the bath water if you get my meaning :P

kcoftx · November 2012

This is the point of exercising:

Increased endurance
Better health
More strength
More energy
Smaller size
(may be more advantages but these are the ones I'm listing)

Yes, I said it, smaller size. I weigh 2lbs less than what I did before I gained my moving abroad pounds. This time I added exercise (especially weight lifting) and now I am a whole size smaller than I used to be before I ever gained this weight. It may not translate on the scale, but it can translate in clothing size.

I eat my exercise calories. Having said that, I also deduct some from any MFP values I use (if I'm not using my HRM) to be on the safe side since it is reported to be high.

m0ns00n · November 2012

Your net calorie goal of 1200 is already designed for you to lose wait.

If you were to change your settings on MFP to not lose weight, then you would likely have a much higher goal (say around 2000).

If you do 600 calories worth of exercise, you will need to eat 1800 to net at 1200. This will still result in you losing weight, as per your goals.

If, however, you do 600 calories worth of exercise and only eat 1200, then your net is 600. This is dangerously unhealthy, as your body require a base number of calories to function (your net should never been below 1200 on average).

Having a net of 0 would probably kill you!

m0ns00n · November 2012

Just to add - looking at your profile pic it looks like you don't need to lose any weight at all! You look fantastic :-)

erickirb · November 2012

Having a net of 0 would probably kill you!

Though this would take awhile. netting 0 would be like not eating anything on days you don't workout. How long can you live without eating?

katevarner · November 2012

Does your daily calorie goal include your exercise? Or are you set at sedentary? If your goals are set for sedentary, then you need to eat your exercise calories. If your exercise is included in your goals, then you do not. Since your goal is 1200, I'm guessing it's set for sedentary. If so, eat your exercise calories, please. If you do not, then when you ultimately decide you have reached your goal, you will have a hard time getting to maintenance.

Additionally, you might want to find the Roadmap. MFP can only use the info it's provided, and its calculator is a little off. I am in maintenance, have my goal set in MFP to gain weight, still eat most of my exercise calories, and I'm holding steady. You have to play with the numbers and see what works for you.

Good luck!

lilmisfit · November 2012

I thought you lost weight if you ate more than you burn off.

Actually, the opposite is true. You lose weight when you burn off more than you eat. I'm not sure what your height and weight is, but I doubt that you are burning 800-1400 calories at the gym, based on what I can see from your pics. You are probably grossly overestimating your calorie burn, hence your freak out about being in the negative. Also, it doesn't look ilke you need to lose weight. You look quite fit and trim already. What is your goal exactly?

Confused about "net" calories

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