I am new here and need some clarification

RunConquerCelebrate
RunConquerCelebrate Posts: 956 Member
edited September 21 in Introduce Yourself
Hello everyone I am new to the site and I am trying to understand how it works what some of the things mean. Can anyone clarify how these work

Goal + Exercise - Food = Net

Ok the Goal is what I should strive for correct?
Exercise is the calories that I get from exercising meaning the extra calories that the program gives me
-food is minus the calories that I put in
But what is Net?

Replies

  • John8188
    John8188 Posts: 54
    Net is what you have left over for cals. You really dont want a high net. You want to eat some of the cals you burn
  • nehtaeh
    nehtaeh Posts: 2,849 Member
    Net is the difference of those previous numbers.

    Your goal is based on what you input into the system, including how much you want to lose/gain per week.
    Add exercise calories
    Subtract calories consumed in food
    Net is the total over/under per day based on your goal. If you have a net of 0 you 'should' be able to meet your goal weight loss/gain.
  • jmmtaylor
    jmmtaylor Posts: 225
    The amount you have left after adding the exercise calories and subtracting the food calories...
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Net should = close to 0 every day. Lets your goal to lose say 1.5 lbs/week as set up by your goal and MFP gives you 1500 calories. This 1500 cals puts you in a caloric deficit of 750/day. Next say you burn 600 calories in an hour long workout. Now to keep your caloric deficit at your goal of 750 you would have to eat 2100 (1500+600), otherwise your caloric deficit may be too large and you will have trouble finding energy and eventually your metabolism can slow down making it harder to lose weight.

    So in your calculation Goal + Exercise - Food = Net using the above example would look like 1500+600-2100=0

    You should also look at it this way if you need 1500 clas and burn 600 it as if you only ate 900 (1500-600) and you should eat your 600 to get you back to your goal of 1500. Same result as the above calculation but I find this way makes more sense.
  • KimSchnizleinWECHANGED
    KimSchnizleinWECHANGED Posts: 189
    Hello everyone I am new to the site and I am trying to understand how it works what some of the things mean. Can anyone clarify how these work

    Goal + Exercise - Food = Net

    Ok the Goal is what I should strive for correct?
    Exercise is the calories that I get from exercising meaning the extra calories that the program gives me
    -food is minus the calories that I put in
    But what is Net?

    On your home page your ticker at the top will change as you exercise or add food (cals) to your diary ... The net cals is what's left at the end of each food login, or at the end of your day when you close out your diary.
  • RunConquerCelebrate
    RunConquerCelebrate Posts: 956 Member
    Thanks everyone for replying and clarifying this for me, I started using the app this week and both days I had calories left and here I was thinking it was a good thing. So from what I gather from the information provided I need to eat those calories that I have remaining or else my body stores that as fat correct? that is why I need to be close to 0 as possible so I am not storing any calories and have energy to keep exercising.

    Thanks everyone now it all makes sense
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    Thanks everyone for replying and clarifying this for me, I started using the app this week and both days I had calories left and here I was thinking it was a good thing. So from what I gather from the information provided I need to eat those calories that I have remaining or else my body stores that as fat correct? that is why I need to be close to 0 as possible so I am not storing any calories and have energy to keep exercising.

    Thanks everyone now it all makes sense

    If you are using the phone app, then your "net" number may actually be different. What everyone posted above (where net should be close to zero) is for the website. On the websie, the "Net" is equal to "Calories Remaining" in the daily summary. This isn't the case on the phone apps. I mentioned this discrepancy to Mike, and I believe he said that the website will eventually be changed to match how the apps calculate it... but I don't know when that will happen.

    I use the android app, and the net calculation on there shows Goal + Food - Exercse > Net
    How it calculates Net is simply Food - Exercise = Net. You want your net on the phone app to be close to your goal, not to zero.

    Ex. my goal is 1200 cals/day. If I eat 1500 and burned 300 exercising, then 1500 - 300 = 1200, which equals my goal, so I'm okay for today.
  • RunConquerCelebrate
    RunConquerCelebrate Posts: 956 Member
    If you are using the phone app, then your "net" number may actually be different. What everyone posted above (where net should be close to zero) is for the website. On the websie, the "Net" is equal to "Calories Remaining" in the daily summary. This isn't the case on the phone apps. I mentioned this discrepancy to Mike, and I believe he said that the website will eventually be changed to match how the apps calculate it... but I don't know when that will happen.

    I use the android app, and the net calculation on there shows Goal + Food - Exercse > Net
    How it calculates Net is simply Food - Exercise = Net. You want your net on the phone app to be close to your goal, not to zero.

    Ex. my goal is 1200 cals/day. If I eat 1500 and burned 300 exercising, then 1500 - 300 = 1200, which equals my goal, so I'm okay for today.
    [/quote]

    So from what you are saying the way the APP is calculating is the best way since the website is going to be changed to match the way the apps do it?
    I am using the Android App until right now that you mentioned it I thought the App and web where the same but just looked at and is not.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    So from what you are saying the way the APP is calculating is the best way since the website is going to be changed to match the way the apps do it?
    I am using the Android App until right now that you mentioned it I thought the App and web where the same but just looked at and is not.

    It doesn't really matter which way is best - just know that until they change one or the other, they'll be different. If you're looking at the app, you want the "Net" to be close to your goal calories at the end of the day, and on the website, it should be close to zero.

    Personally, I think the app method makes more sense based on the idea of net calories, but people have different opinions on this.
  • RunConquerCelebrate
    RunConquerCelebrate Posts: 956 Member
    It doesn't really matter which way is best - just know that until they change one or the other, they'll be different. If you're looking at the app, you want the "Net" to be close to your goal calories at the end of the day, and on the website, it should be close to zero.

    Personally, I think the app method makes more sense based on the idea of net calories, but people have different opinions on this.

    I see it now I think the App does make more sense, thank you for the information really appreciate it
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