HELP please.... Goal cals vs. Net calories.

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AydensMom528
AydensMom528 Posts: 44
in Health and Weight Loss
Ok I'm having issues here. I tried goggling and got an array of answer so I am going to post and ask. I see where people say not to go under 1200 calories a day. My goal calories are 1400. Now, I rarely get a "good" workout in but today I did. So even though I have eaten 1300 calories my "net" calories are at about 980. Do I need to eat more so that my NET is at 1200 or am I ok because I CONSUMED 1300. I hope you get what I'm asking. Basically should I worry about my consumed calories being over 1200 or my actual net being over 1200. Someone help. I'm new at this and don't want to make myself lose momentum from not eating enough or eating too much. Thanks in advance!

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  • hotllamarama
    hotllamarama Posts: 26 Member
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    from my understanding.. your net calories is technically what you've eaten after burning so much. so that's why they give you extra calories to eat. if you burn calories, you have to eat to make up for them.

    example you've eaten 1200 calories, burned 400 in exercise, which leaves you with 800 net calories. you want to eat that 400 to get back up to 1200. :)

    hope i didn't make it confusing. :D

    others are welcome to input.
  • trixieflow
    trixieflow Posts: 31 Member
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    to the best of my knowledge - the answer is yes. i have struggled w/this question over and over until it was put to me like this:
    if you eat 1200 cals - burn 600 cals = net of 600cals that your body is running off of. (not enough)
    if you eat 1800 cals - burn 600 cals = net of 1200 cals (or whatever your goal is) and that is healthy for your chosen weight loss.

    i hope that makes sense. the lightbulb went off for me with this answer.
    best of luck!
  • AydensMom528
    AydensMom528 Posts: 44
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    hrmm that's what i was afraid of lol. It almost discourages me from working out because well I barely get in the 1400 already having to eat even more than that is challenging.
  • AydensMom528
    AydensMom528 Posts: 44
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    well thank you so much ladies. At least now I can look at it as, YAY more food lol. I do love food. That's what got me here in the first place. Maybe that will be a motivator hahahaha.
  • mazomama
    mazomama Posts: 138 Member
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    I think this is one of the things MANY people get wrong in their first round of trying to lose weight.

    the above posts were right about once you take away your calories you want to put them back in. Your food is your fuel...you know that one obviously, but you also should know about your body going into starvation mode. If you don't feed your newly growing muscles your body is going to freak out and hold onto all the fats and sugars you have stored up. So basically the more you exercise the more you need to eat :)
  • AydensMom528
    AydensMom528 Posts: 44
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    that actually makes sense mazomama. Thanks! I'm trying to eat a little snack of popcorn lol to get me up there for tonight because I didn't know. But now I definitely know and I'll be doing better. That's great. I want to keep losing that weight!!
  • ShrinkinMel
    ShrinkinMel Posts: 982 Member
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    I wondered this too but mine is set to 1660 cal when I exercise I earn more even as much as like 2000-2100. I just can't see how eating that much won't slow things. I keep reading eat all your calories burned but that just seems too much since my calories allowed is not 1200 right now.

    Good to see those two examples. I think it will make me feel better that I should always eat all my calories since my net will be higher.
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    1200 is not magical or anything, everyone's body has a different limit but USUALLY it is near or average to 1200.

    If you eat your goal (1400) for a few weeks and see a loss, continue!
    if you don't see anything happening, try 1300, so on.

    This site is designed to earn you more food as you do more exercise. Do NOT be discouraged to exercise. It will help you in the long run, building endurance, strengthening your heart and other important organs, lowering blood pressure and blood sugar levels to normal, giving you more energy through the day, and actually exercise makes me less hungry! (i'm a special case, so i read)

    so continue on with the good fight, make good food choices, drink LOTS of water, get plenty of sleep, and stay active! give it time and you will see results :)

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