Confused on Net Calories

Solomonre0
Solomonre0 Posts: 143 Member
edited September 24 in Food and Nutrition
Hello,

I guess I'm a little confused on the net calories each day. We get 1200 calories a day, which is automatically burned off depending on our individual BMR, and then we get extra calories depending on how much we work out. But, the net calories is the food we eat - the calories we've exercised.... how come the BMR isn't factored into the net?

I'm sure the answer is really simple and I'm just making this all too complicated, but does anyone know the answer?

Replies

  • Barelmy
    Barelmy Posts: 590 Member
    I think because starting in the minus numbers and aiming for zero would confuse people a lot.
  • TiniTurtle
    TiniTurtle Posts: 595 Member
    everyone doesn't get 1200. mfp creates a deficit from our BMR (it does the math for us) depending on our goals, so it is already factored in. :o)
  • Aetarac
    Aetarac Posts: 135 Member
    just did a search on this because confused as well. To my understanding net calories are the (calories consumed)-(calories burned due to exercise)= (net calories) and does not include your BMR. so if you eat 1200 kcal and burn 700 kcal running then the 1200-700= 500 kcal that your body can utilize for normal daily function.

    Here is link i came across http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    Hope i am right and this helps. If anyone can confirm appreciated
  • Aitenev
    Aitenev Posts: 62
    Your BMR is the number of calories you need just to keep your body going - heart beating, breathing, moving, etc. Exercise calories are usually above and beyond that baseline. If you exercised the exact same amount every day, you COULD include that in your BMR. For most of us, however, the amount we exercise every day varies a little so that caloric requirement changes from day to day.
  • teasha43
    teasha43 Posts: 101
    When you first inputted your info based on age, sex, weight, and height...it also asked how much you wanted to lose. It will give you a number for that. The more you want to lose, the lower caloric daily limit it will give you. That said, it doesn't advise that you go under 1200 cpd. The BMR is factored in ...it is used to subtract the caloric deficit to lose without exercise ( it also asked your activity level. Of course, this is an estimate... a HRM will give you a more accurate number for what you usually burn in a day if you wore it for 24 hours on a normal day.
  • worthy16
    worthy16 Posts: 10 Member
    If you go to "Goals" at the top on your homepage, you will find there your fitness profile? I think it's called. It tells you how many calories are burned on a daily basis, just from every day activity (this is based on whether you are a stationary, lightly active, or very active person, as they asked you when you first set your goals) then they add the right amount of calories to take in, in order to have a deficit that will equal your weekly weight loss goal. So for example: Lets say they determine that you are a lightly active person, and you burn 1800 calories from everyday stuff. They will give you a daily goal of 1300 calories to consume in food so that your deficit is 500 calories a day, which equals 1 lbs per week. If you exercise in addition to that, you have to eat those calories that you burn so you don't eat too few calories.

    Hope that makes sense?
  • Solomonre0
    Solomonre0 Posts: 143 Member
    Thanks everyone! It makes a bit more sense now :)
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    a HRM will give you a more accurate number for what you usually burn in a day if you wore it for 24 hours on a normal day.

    This is actually inaccurate. HRMs are designed to only record proper caloric burn when your heart rate is elevated, typically around 120-130 and above. If you want to get a more accurate (though still with a +\- factor of 10%) of what you're really burning in a day you'd need to wear a BodyBugg or BodyMedia Fit device.

    Some people wear pedometers, but those only measure the information for actual steps taken. They don't take into account times you are seated or the intensity of the steps taken.
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