Net calories positive?

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freakymove
freakymove Posts: 3 Member
in Getting Started
Hello, I'm new here and I have a problem with net calories, if they are positive will I lose weight? And if they are negative? I don't get it .. At the moment these are the statistics: 1200 Goal ... 922 Food - 616 Exercise = 306 Net
Please and thank you!

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  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Net calories should be VERY positive. Like: 1200 or so. MFP already built in a deficit, now you're building in another one with exercise. Aim for your net calories to be whatever your goal is.

    Read this:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf
  • schaffermdj
    schaffermdj Posts: 27 Member
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    I do eat my exercise calories. Maybe not all of them, but otherwise I am hungry. You are burning more so you need more for fuel. I have lost 9 pounds so far. Fell free to add me and you can check out my diary. Good luck
  • spara0038
    spara0038 Posts: 226 Member
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    It should absolutely be positive- if it's negative or low there's a problem!

    Your body needs a certain amount of calories to function- to breathe, digest food, keep your blood circulating, etc. Even if I was in a coma I'd need 1300 calories to survive, so yes, it needs to be positive!
  • freakymove
    freakymove Posts: 3 Member
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    Thank you!!
  • rebeccaisafish
    rebeccaisafish Posts: 87 Member
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    Net calories should meet your goal calories (more or less) depending on how much of your exercise calories you eat back, which is debated a bit on here so mostly personal choice.
  • freakymove
    freakymove Posts: 3 Member
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    thank you! so if my goal is 1200 the net must be 1200 too right?
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    thank you! so if my goal is 1200 the net must be 1200 too right?
    Yes. The next question is: should your goal be 1200. If you say you want to lose 2LBS a week, it pretty much always goes there. Whether that's right for you or not depends on a lot of factors (how much you weigh, how much you have to lose, your age, height, gender...).
    This thread is THE BEST thread to help you understand how best to go about this
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
    follow it, and tweak as needed.

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