Confused about Net Calories and TDEE... Please help?

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felicityrhode
felicityrhode Posts: 15 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have to learn how not to "eat back" the calories I burn from exercise. In other words, I have to learn how not to overeat on days that I know that I'm gonna go hard in the gym... Sigh.

So, if it is true that we are no to eat back the calories that we burn from exercise, why does MFP curse me out (tell me that I'm eating too few calories) every time I eat my full amount of allotted calories (1,200), then go to the gym and burn over 100 calories? I'm a bit confused... Any helpful insight that you all can offer would be greatly appreciated!

Replies

  • windyrobotham
    windyrobotham Posts: 19 Member
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    You are allowed to" eat back" those calories. That's why it shows you the adjustment for them.
  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
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    TDEE and what MFP gives you are two completely different numbers. TDEE includes your exercise level so you don't eat those back. If you are using MFP 1200 calories, then I would absolutely eat them back. Try this site to figure out your TDEE. http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • felicityrhode
    felicityrhode Posts: 15 Member
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    Okay, I think I get it. On MFP in my "Diet Profile" under the Goals tab, it says Calories Burned From Normal Daily Activity are 2,110. This is my TDEE, right? As far as my Net Calories, I should try to get that number as close to zero as possible, correct?
  • Kanlassak
    Kanlassak Posts: 101 Member
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    Your calories burned from normal daily activity are an approximation of your TDEE, and don't necessarily count what you burn through exercise. You should look at the link earlier or the "in place of a roadmap" thread to find that.

    Your net calories, as determined by MFP, should end up around where MFP's goal for you is. These are the calories you eat minus specifically your extra exercise, and it is the calories used for things like breathing and your basic daily activity. Unless you are very heavily overweight, and doing a specific doctor assigned diet, this should be nowhere near zero.
  • TurtleRunnerNC
    TurtleRunnerNC Posts: 768 Member
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    If MFP has set you @ 1200 calories (which is probably too low) then your NET should be 1200 calories @ then end of the day. You would NEVER want your NET to be zero.
  • felicityrhode
    felicityrhode Posts: 15 Member
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    Okay, I worded that incorrectly. My remaining calories should be as close to zero as possible, right?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    Okay, I think I get it. On MFP in my "Diet Profile" under the Goals tab, it says Calories Burned From Normal Daily Activity are 2,110. This is my TDEE, right? As far as my Net Calories, I should try to get that number as close to zero as possible, correct?

    No...on MFP, that is your NEAT (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). You are confusing two completely different methods of calculating calorie allowance.

    MFP doesn't take into account exercise as part of your daily routine...thus is using your NEAT...so exercise is extra and you have to fuel that activity.

    The TDEE method is a method of calculating your calorie goals using ALL activity, including your exercise.

    It would appear the you are using the MFP method...in that case, set your activity level to whatever that may be WITHOUT any exercise. When you log exercise, eat those calories (about 70-80% of them to account for estimation error)...that number that says GOAL on your diary...you should be pretty darned close to that given that a goal is something to be achieved.
  • felicityrhode
    felicityrhode Posts: 15 Member
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    Thanks for this comprehensive response. I get it now! :laugh:
  • LaDonnaF
    LaDonnaF Posts: 53 Member
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    If you're using TDEE then you ignore net calories as those exercise calories are already factored in to the daily amount.

    If you're just using MFP then I would eat back some calories.... honestly, 1200 calories a day sounds low but if it's working for you that's good......... wouldn't eat that low forever though. 1200 is the minimum one should eat to be a low functioning person....
  • Kanlassak
    Kanlassak Posts: 101 Member
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    You do want your remaining calories for the day close to zero. It's fine to go over or under by a bit though, especially if it varies which way you go.
  • felicityrhode
    felicityrhode Posts: 15 Member
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    Thanks so much for all the responses! You all rock!

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