Net calories

hekate89
hekate89 Posts: 28 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi everyone!
The last few months I have been watching what I eat and began exercising, and getting results, yay!
My first calorie goal for a day was 1200 (set automaticly by MFP). I have no trouble following that, but I thought it was kinda little when I was working out as well, so I made it to 1500. I have heard that you should eat at least 1200 calories a day, but that this go for the net calories. So does this mean that if you first consume 1200 calories and then do a workout worth 500 calories, you have to eat it all back to get to net 1200? I work out pretty often, and can easily burn between 500-1000 calories a day. So If I have been working out a lot one day and consumed 1500 calories, I'm at net 500. Do I then have to consume 700 more calories that day to do this in a healthy manner?
I don't know if I have misunderstood something here, but maybe you guys know a little more about how this works=)

Replies

  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    yes.

    If you have a target of 1200 cals, or 1500, that's "net calories" or Food intake minus logged exercise.

    MFP is set up so you have the same daily deficit whether you exercise or not, so the extra food cancels out the exercise.
  • hekate89
    hekate89 Posts: 28 Member
    So if my goal is 1200 calories, i basically have to eat back exercise calories so the net calories are 1200? I just think this seems kinda like a paradox:p If I look at it from a weight loss perspective, if you eat only 1200 calories a day, you can't/shouldn't work out at all? Sorry if I am a little slow here or something, just trying to understand it:p
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    So if my goal is 1200 calories, i basically have to eat back exercise calories so the net calories are 1200?
    [/quote]
    Yes
    I just think this seems kinda like a paradox:p If I look at it from a weight loss perspective,
    Fast weight loss isn't good weight loss as a general rule.
    if you eat only 1200 calories a day, you can't/shouldn't work out at all? Sorry if I am a little slow here or something, just trying to understand it:p
    No still exercise but not for extra weight loss - for health, fitness, strength and being able to eat more nice food while still losing weight.
  • hekate89
    hekate89 Posts: 28 Member
    Ok. I'm not really aiming for the fastest loss possible, I know that it's not a good thing. Earlier I have only eaten between 1200-1500 calories a day and exersised a lot, but I'll defenetly start eating more so I don't screw up my body:P Thanks for the replies=)
  • UmmSqueaky
    UmmSqueaky Posts: 715 Member
    If you're using MFP's burn estimates, general consensus on the forums is that they overestimate. Many recommend eating back only half. So:

    1. Eat (at least) 1200 calories
    2. Exercise. Enter into MFP. MFP says you burned 500 calories
    3. Eat an extra 250 calories (half of 500), for a total of (at least) 1450
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    If you're using MFP's burn estimates, general consensus on the forums is that they overestimate. Many recommend eating back only half. So:

    1. Eat (at least) 1200 calories
    2. Exercise. Enter into MFP. MFP says you burned 500 calories
    3. Eat an extra 250 calories (half of 500), for a total of (at least) 1450

    1200 - 500 + 250 = 950

    950 net is too low. Her net calories should never go below 1200, as that is the absolute minimum net intake a woman should take in.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    It's a lab rat approach - do more exercise, get more food. Achieve what you would have achieved in the first place. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense beyond the arithmetic of maintaining the deficit you thought of at the beginning.
  • UmmSqueaky
    UmmSqueaky Posts: 715 Member
    If you're using MFP's burn estimates, general consensus on the forums is that they overestimate. Many recommend eating back only half. So:

    1. Eat (at least) 1200 calories
    2. Exercise. Enter into MFP. MFP says you burned 500 calories
    3. Eat an extra 250 calories (half of 500), for a total of (at least) 1450

    1200 - 500 + 250 = 950

    950 net is too low. Her net calories should never go below 1200, as that is the absolute minimum net intake a woman should take in.

    As I said in my initial post:

    "If you're using MFP's burn estimates, general consensus on the forums is that they overestimate. Many recommend eating back only half."

    MFP calculator says exercise x burns 500 calories. Forum hive mind says no way exercise x burns 500 calories, it probably only burns 250. Thus, don't eat back all 500, or you'll end up eating into the deficit MFP sets up for you.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    If you're using MFP's burn estimates, general consensus on the forums is that they overestimate. Many recommend eating back only half. So:

    1. Eat (at least) 1200 calories
    2. Exercise. Enter into MFP. MFP says you burned 500 calories
    3. Eat an extra 250 calories (half of 500), for a total of (at least) 1450

    1200 - 500 + 250 = 950

    950 net is too low. Her net calories should never go below 1200, as that is the absolute minimum net intake a woman should take in.

    As I said in my initial post:

    "If you're using MFP's burn estimates, general consensus on the forums is that they overestimate. Many recommend eating back only half."

    MFP calculator says exercise x burns 500 calories. Forum hive mind says no way exercise x burns 500 calories, it probably only burns 250. Thus, don't eat back all 500, or you'll end up eating into the deficit MFP sets up for you.

    If the deficit MFP set up for you puts you at 1200 calories, eating into that deficit by 250 calories wouldn't be a bad idea...

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