Food calories vs Net calories

_jayciemarie_
_jayciemarie_ Posts: 574 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So, on days when I don't exercise and I eat less than 1200 calories-- MFP gives me a warning that I'm eating too little. However, on days I exercise (I use a HRM so I have a good idea calories burned) If I eat 1300, but only net 500 I don't get the error message. So, is it safe to eat 1200 calories of food in a day and then burn 1200 calories in exercise? I'm confused.

Replies

  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    No, that's neither healthy nor sustainable. If you eat 1200 calories and you burn 500 calories, that means your body only has 700 calories to sustain your basic life functions. You need to eat more so that you bring your NET up to 1200 calories.
  • _jayciemarie_
    _jayciemarie_ Posts: 574 Member
    No, that's neither healthy nor sustainable. If you eat 1200 calories and you burn 500 calories, that means your body only has 700 calories to sustain your basic life functions. You need to eat more so that you bring your NET up to 1200 calories.

    My Net today is about 800. Ive eaten about 1500--and MFP didn't give me the red message of it being unhealthy. I would never eat only 1200 and then do 1200 in cardio to net zero. However, I'm not going to eat 2100 calories to net 1400.
  • supaflyrobby
    supaflyrobby Posts: 42
    Personally, I do not eat back all my calories from exercise. Especially on days like today (I pull "2-a-days" on cardio on Saturdays) when I burned almost 1700.

    I would have to practically stuff myself to accomplish that feat. I ate a larger than normal dinner tonight, but I am not going to gorge just to eat back my calories. When I am full, I am full.
  • _jayciemarie_
    _jayciemarie_ Posts: 574 Member
    Obviously I'm not a nutritionist, but I feel I ate about 1450 calories today. I'm not hungry. So I feel netting 825 is decent. I didn't starve myself. I just moved more. If that makes sense. I just hope I'm not wrong and what I'm doing is hurting me.
  • Pandora_King
    Pandora_King Posts: 153
    On most weekdays I burn about 750 and I eat about 1500. If I ate back the 750 I burned to stay at 1500 net, what was the point of burning 750 in the first place? Why don't I just sit on my butt all day and eat 1500 cals a day? So I eat 1500 and burn 750 and I don't worry about net cals.
  • Sreneesa
    Sreneesa Posts: 1,170 Member
    Personally, I do not eat back all my calories from exercise. Especially on days like today (I pull "2-a-days" on cardio on Saturdays) when I burned almost 1700.

    I would have to practically stuff myself to accomplish that feat. I ate a larger than normal dinner tonight, but I am not going to gorge just to eat back my calories. When I am full, I am full.

    That's how I feel! I mean, I have a hard time eating the 1500 calories a day(still working on it), let alone eating the extra I burn off.

    I do not know how I will achieve eating my daily calories and extra calories that I burn off when I work out..... I might just have to start drinking two-three protein fruit and veggie smoothies instead of the one I usually do a day.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    I suggest you read

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    and

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

    or just do a search on eating exercise calories. Ultimately, it's your decision, but I would still caution you. You're placing your body in a very hard position by netting low calories. Short term, you should be fine, but if continued over the long term, expect to see some unpleasant changes.

    Hunger isn't always the best indication of good nutrition. If you don't want to "stuff your face" you can increase your calories by eating more caloric rich foods. You don't have to go on a binge fest. Heck, just eating some peanut butter or almonds or such can get you in the right zone. You can even eat ice cream at the end of the day (this is what I do). But your body still needs those calories. Your body needs calories just for you to live. I'm not trying to scare you or anything, but do your research.

Categories