Skip to content
  • Register
    • We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

    My net calories are pretty low is that bad or good?

    Posts: 2
    edited November 2024 in Getting Started
    I am pretty active because i play sports year round. I am supposed to eat around 1800 calories a day to lose weight. Most days i work out way over 1000 calories (just what i can list) and my net calories are only in the hundreds sometimes low hundreds. should i eat more to raise my net calories higher to 1800? I'm usually not even that hungry. any suggestions I'm new to this

    Welcome!

    It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.
    Sign In
    Register

    Replies

    • Posts: 1 Member
      Good question is like to know the answer to that too
    • Posts: 94 Member
      From what I have read previously on here, people tend to advise eating back half of your workout calories.
    • Posts: 4 Member
      This is fine. While taking to account your busy lifestyle check out a calorie calculator and make sure your cal intake is what is recommended. Since you want to lose weight, this is fine. Being a low net means you will lose weight faster, if youre hungry up your intake a little
    • Posts: 3 Member
      If you think your calorie total is low that's fine. If you are feeling supper hungry all the time up that number and slow your wieght lose down.
    • Posts: 2
      okay thanks ill make sure i get to my daily calorie suggestion and eat some of the workout calories back if I'm hungry
    • Posts: 3 Member
      That sounds really low. If you aren't getting enough calories, especially with being active in sports, your body will start to metabolize lean tissue and muscle, not just fat. Ultimately it can hurt more than it helps. Keep an eye on your body fat % if you can. If you are losing body weight faster than body fat, you're probably burning muscle.

      Here are a couple articles that cover what I'm talking about:
      Why Big Caloric Deficits and Lots of Activity Can Hurt Fat Loss
      What Happens to Muscle If You Lose Weight Too Fast?


    • Posts: 17,456 Member
      edited February 2015
      MFP Exercise calories overestimate - cut them in half

      Yes you should aim to reach net calories across the week which is your goal. You need to fuel your body and preserve as much LBM as possible as you lose weight.

      Open your diary if you want specific advice
    This discussion has been closed.

    Welcome!

    It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.
    Sign In
    Register

    Quick Links

    Categories