Someone explain Net calories for me please

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messy_Missy16
messy_Missy16 Posts: 349 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Is it supposed to be zero, or negative or positive? or what?
What is it's purpose really?

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  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    It is supposed to match your goal. Calories consumed - Exercise calories = net. If it is negative or zero you're basically trying to function on no calories - like trying to drive your car with no gas. It's a terrible idea.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    Example:

    A person needs to eat 2300 calories to maintain their weight, but they want to lose weight. They join MFP, set their settings to lose 1lb a week and get a goal of 1800 calories.

    Maintain: 2300
    Goal : 1800
    Deficit: 500 per day / 3500 per week

    Say said person works out and burns 300 calories, but chooses not to eat their exercise calories. You get something more like this-

    Maintain: 2300
    Goal: 1800
    Exercise: 300
    Net: 1500
    Deficit: 800 per day

    If said person were to eat there exercise calories back -

    Maintain: 2300
    Goal: 1800
    Exercise: 300
    Net: 1800
    Deficit: 500 per day

    In this scenario it wouldn't be to harmful for said person not to eat their exercise calories back. For people on lower calorie limits though it can put you under 1200 calories which can be harmful to your body in the long run.

    So point is your net should be around your goal. It doesn't need to be exactly at it and slightly over isn't a big deal, but it should never be 0 and you should really try to stay around at least 1200.
  • messy_Missy16
    messy_Missy16 Posts: 349 Member
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    my net right now is 171, so that isn't ok?
  • fittiephd
    fittiephd Posts: 608 Member
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    my net right now is 171, so that isn't ok?

    That is extremely far from ok.

    ScreenShot2013-04-16at65641PM_zps3f62bea7.png


    See how your diary says your goal for today is 3,085 calories? That's because your regular goal is 1500 calories and you burned 1585 calories today from exercise. Therefore you need to eat 1500+1585 calores today to meet your goal of 1500 NET CALORIES.

    It is extremely dangerous to have a net under 1200 calories, nevermind in the low hundreds. Your calorie goal of 1500 net calories already includes a deficit from your maintenance, thus you don't need to eat less than that to lose weight. In fact eating so low will prevent you from losing weight and is why you've been struggling (I'm a friend of yours I've seen that you've been struggling with losing weight). It may feel difficult at first to reach 1500 net calories, but I would recommend not exercising at all for a week or so while you work on eating at least 1500 calories per day. Then start doing light exercise and eating back all of your exercise calories. Please message me if you have any questions. xox
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    my net right now is 171, so that isn't ok?

    No starving yourself isn't okay at all. You're not a hamster, you're a human being. You need to eat enough calories to fuel a grown adult.
  • lua_
    lua_ Posts: 258 Member
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    my net right now is 171, so that isn't ok?

    You're not a hamster, you're a human being.

    Who starves hamsters?! :(

    Note: Please eat more than that, netting under 1000 is dangerous let alone what you're doing
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    my net right now is 171, so that isn't ok?

    You're not a hamster, you're a human being.

    Who starves hamsters?! :(

    Note: Please eat more than that, netting under 1000 is dangerous let alone what you're doing

    OMG - no don't starve hamsters! :noway: But I think 171 calories for a hamster would actually be a lot wouldn't it? Not for a human though. I was thinking even my cat might be hungry on 171 calories a day, so it might be about a hamster amount.... I in no way advocate starving poor adorable hamsters. Or humans. :bigsmile:
  • deemartin2
    deemartin2 Posts: 168 Member
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    bump
  • Energizer06
    Energizer06 Posts: 311 Member
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    If that is your profile pic I would be amazed if 3000 is a correct goal. Maybe try to set up MFP again
  • CBell223
    CBell223 Posts: 36 Member
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    I'm a little concerned that you burned 1585 in one day. You may be, not only starving yourself, but also over exercising. I just spent 2 weeks recovering from over exercising. Your body needs time to recover. You need to do something that you can enjoy and maintain, long term (like, for a lifetime). Please don't abuse yourself.
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
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    my net right now is 171, so that isn't ok?

    That is extremely far from ok.

    ScreenShot2013-04-16at65641PM_zps3f62bea7.png


    yes but....

    what was the exercise that yielded 1500+ calorie burn? Unless you spent several hours performing some pretty vigorous activity, this is most likely a large overestimate. (the MFP database is famous for that) So, correct, a net of 171 is not ok.... however, I doubt your net is really that low
  • kenorus
    kenorus Posts: 62 Member
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    i know today i had a bad day due to eating out but can someone please see if i am close to what i am suppose to eat back while exercising. On a normal day i do not eat out so sodium went through the roof. I just want to know if i am doing this correctly with figuring out the net
  • iquiltoo
    iquiltoo Posts: 246 Member
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    what was the exercise that yielded 1500+ calorie burn? Unless you spent several hours performing some pretty vigorous activity, this is most likely a large overestimate. (the MFP database is famous for that) So, correct, a net of 171 is not ok.... however, I doubt your net is really that low

    I am glad to see that MFP is famous for overestimating calorie burn! I thought it was way too high for some excercising I did. I found a site - fitday.com - that give what I feel are far more realistic numbers, plus they base it on weight/height/age (the smaller you are the less you burn) So I would check that site for whatever excercise it is, then add it under your own excercises with the better calorie burn.
  • messy_Missy16
    messy_Missy16 Posts: 349 Member
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    what was the exercise that yielded 1500+ calorie burn? Unless you spent several hours performing some pretty vigorous activity, this is most likely a large overestimate. (the MFP database is famous for that) So, correct, a net of 171 is not ok.... however, I doubt your net is really that low
    [/quote]

    I spend 3 - 3 & 1/2 hrs excercising,
    2 hrs zumba, sometimes aerobics
    circuit training
    walking & yoga

    i workout quitee alot

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