need help understanding net calories

Options
PinkandBlack87
PinkandBlack87 Posts: 41
in Food and Nutrition
I've read and read and read about net calories, its just not making sense to me. What is the purpose of net calories. Understand that calories consumed - calories burned = net calories. Do you eat net calories, should it be in the negative, positive, or at 0. Which way will be for losing weight? Some help please

Replies

  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Options
    If your calorie goal is 1500 then on days your don't exercise you eat 1500.

    If you exercise and burn 500 calories then you eat 1500 plus the 500 for a total of 2000 calories.
    So it would be calories consumed - calories burned = net calories. So 2000 - 500 = 1500.

    Your net = your daily goal.
  • PinkandBlack87
    PinkandBlack87 Posts: 41
    Options
    So I need the net calories to be closer to 0? So lets say I have a remaining net calories of 300. Is that good or bad?
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    edited March 2015
    Options
    PinkandBlack87 wrote: »
    So I need the net calories to be closer to 0? So lets say I have a remaining net calories of 300. Is that good or bad?

    No.
    Your net food intake should match your goal with 0 remaining calories.
    Netting zero implies that you burned off everything you ate, which is a horrible idea.

    3nlsbfxkjr2k.jpg

    1) Should be close to " 0 ". Slightly over or slightly under is ok. I'm really over today, but have been under all week, so it should balance out.

    2 & 3 ) These should be close to matching. Your goal is to NET the goal MFP gave you. So in my case, I should aim to NET 1490.
  • PinkandBlack87
    PinkandBlack87 Posts: 41
    edited March 2015
    Options
    Thank you I understand now
  • frabeco
    frabeco Posts: 9 Member
    Options
    Food calories eaten - exercise calories burned = net calories. You don't have to eat your exercise calories though..... Having net calories of 300 is good, means that you didn't go over your calories.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    Options
    PinkandBlack87 wrote: »
    I'm sorry I'm having a terrible time understanding. So my net calories should be 0?

    1) Calories Remaining should be "0" or close to it.
    2) Your Goal and NET should be the same number. If MFP says your goal is 1400, then your NET should be 1400. Or at least close to it.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Options
    PinkandBlack87 wrote: »
    I'm sorry I'm having a terrible time understanding. So my net calories should be 0?

    No. See the photo posted above. Your calories remaining should be 0 or as close to possible as you can get it.

    Your Net calories should be equal to your goal.
  • mk2fit
    mk2fit Posts: 730 Member
    Options
    At the risk of setting you all off, I net less than 500 calories/day and am losing approximately 1.5#/week. I, too, do not understand this net stuff, but have been here for 4 months and have lost 31#. Don't go looking for my diary, it is private. I eat 1200ish calories per day and exercise between 400 and 1000. MFP has me at 1200 net to lose .9#/week.
  • Meushichan
    Meushichan Posts: 82 Member
    Options
    @mk2loser Most people can eat 2000 calories a day, net 1500, and STILL lose that amount of weight in that time frame though. personally I'd rather not starve/ deprive myself for no reason.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Options
    mk2loser wrote: »
    At the risk of setting you all off, I net less than 500 calories/day and am losing approximately 1.5#/week. I, too, do not understand this net stuff, but have been here for 4 months and have lost 31#. Don't go looking for my diary, it is private. I eat 1200ish calories per day and exercise between 400 and 1000. MFP has me at 1200 net to lose .9#/week.

    @mk2loser‌ - Chances are you are probably netting more than you think.

Categories