Netting below 1000

Is it the done thing around here? As I'm a bit confused I eat all my calories well at least half taking my net up to my allowance but I've been looking on friends diaries and their netting at 300-500 calories is this unhealthy to you ?

Replies

  • mantium999
    mantium999 Posts: 1,490 Member
    Netting 300-500 is a bad idea.
  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    You're not meant to net 500 calories.

    You're meant to net 1200 calories MINIMUM for females, 1500 for males. It's really not that hard in my eyes, OP. Read the stickies.

    Lets say you eat x amount of calories. X = 1500 here,

    1500 - 600 (exercise calories) = 900 calories net.

    You eat back your exercise calories;

    900 + 600 (exercise calories being eaten) = 1500 net.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    No one with any sense would recommend you net that low.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited July 2015
    Is it the done thing around here? As I'm a bit confused I eat all my calories well at least half taking my net up to my allowance but I've been looking on friends diaries and their netting at 300-500 calories is this unhealthy to you ?

    If people are actually netting 300-500 calories, yes, I think that's unhealthy.

    Lots of people like to see big exercise burns but seem to realize they aren't actually burning that much or are double-counting (as daily activities should be in your activity level) so might have 1000 calories for stuff like cleaning and cooking that they don't eat back.

    You can generally tell if you are at too extreme a deficit by how quickly you are losing.

    I do TDEE method, so sometimes would have a low net if I actually logged exercise calories, but that's off-set by other days when I have a much higher net. I focus on whether I have reasonable overall calories for my weekly activity level.
  • Lisa2117
    Lisa2117 Posts: 17 Member
    Wouldn't eating back all the exercise calories kind of defeat the purpose of exercising and cancel each other out?
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  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    Lisa2117 wrote: »
    Wouldn't eating back all the exercise calories kind of defeat the purpose of exercising and cancel each other out?

    No because you're already eating in a deficit. I strongly you advise you read the stickies.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    edited July 2015
    Lisa2117 wrote: »
    Wouldn't eating back all the exercise calories kind of defeat the purpose of exercising and cancel each other out?

    You can lose weight without exercise. The exercise is to keep your muscles and have a strong heart (or so you have more calories available to eat the foods you enjoy).

  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited July 2015
    Yes - netting 300-500 calories is HORRIBLE for you. The good news is calorie burn estimates provided by MFP are generous so these people may be netting larger numbers.

    Your body is using calories 24/7. The calories your body needs will be pulled from the food you eat, fat stores (yeah) and existing lean muscle mass. Basic bodily function (heart, lungs. kidney) will get fuel before a full head of hair, and fingernails for example.

    The trick is to eat enough and exercise in such a way to maximize fat loss. But some people just want to reduce the number on the scale as fast as possible. Reducing pounds without reducing fat %....not healthy (to me).
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Lisa2117 wrote: »
    Wouldn't eating back all the exercise calories kind of defeat the purpose of exercising and cancel each other out?

    No--you need to understand how MFP works.

    If you use MFP to set your goal it assumes that you do not exercise. If you exercise you eat it back to keep the deficit steady (MFP doesn't give a deficit above 2 lb/week as that is considered too aggressive).

    If you were to work with a dietician to develop a calorie goal they normally consider activity level and exercise in suggesting one, and MFP is simply including the exercise after the fact. The deficit in practice should be about the same.

    Beyond this, the idea that people only would exercise if it gets them extra loss seems messed up to me. You exercise because it's good for your health and fitness, but doing intense exercise without adequate fuel is not.
  • leahcollett1
    leahcollett1 Posts: 807 Member
    edited July 2015
    The reason I'm asking is that I gained half a pound this week and whilst I thought it was all my new body combat exercise classes I've been doing a part of me is now second guessing eating my cals cus them said friends are losing and I'm not
  • divvyh
    divvyh Posts: 32 Member
    Lisa2117 wrote: »
    Wouldn't eating back all the exercise calories kind of defeat the purpose of exercising and cancel each other out?

    No because you're already eating in a deficit. I strongly you advise you read the stickies.

    What are stickies?

  • lemonsnowdrop
    lemonsnowdrop Posts: 1,298 Member
    The reason I'm asking is that I gained half a pound this week and whilst I thought it was all my new body combat exercise classes I've been doing a part of me is now second guessing eating my cals cus them said friends are losing and I'm not

    Are you using a food scale to weigh all of your food?
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    The reason I'm asking is that I gained half a pound this week and whilst I thought it was all my new body combat exercise classes I've been doing a part of me is now second guessing eating my cals cus them said friends are losing and I'm not

    Weight fluctuates......the scale sometimes lies. High sodium = water weight, sore muscles = water weight, time of month = water weight.

    Don't take 1 weigh in as proof. You want to look at trends. A tape measure is a great tool. Sometimes you will record a loss of inches...but not pounds.
  • chrisssiex23x
    chrisssiex23x Posts: 431 Member
    Just go by what works for you id say. I dont eat mines back and ive lost 80.5lbs never ate mines back. But i do wanna point out that what works for one may not work for another. And 11 days isnt giving yourself time to see much of a result.. and depending on your height and how close you are to your goal level you will lose at a slower rate by doing it properly and healthly
  • asyk80
    asyk80 Posts: 2 Member
    edited July 2015
    Sorry didn't know previous post was against protocol. Deleted to keep from getting shut down.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    The reason I'm asking is that I gained half a pound this week and whilst I thought it was all my new body combat exercise classes I've been doing a part of me is now second guessing eating my cals cus them said friends are losing and I'm not

    OP, did you read the threads that were linked into your thread over the weekend? You will likely get the same responses here.

    A half pound gain is well within normal fluctuations. I understand that you want to lose every week, but that is not likely to happen. Accept that 1/2 lb gain is likely water retention caused by increased sodium, change in exercise routine, or TOM. Other factors can cause this as well.
  • lemonsnowdrop
    lemonsnowdrop Posts: 1,298 Member
    asyk80 wrote: »
    I am currently doing 500 calories but I'm doing the HCG diet which calls for very low calories for 21 days then you start adding foods back in.

    21 days sounds like ample time for your hair to start falling out, your nails to become brittle and break, and your energy to plummet so low you can't even raise your arm. Good luck!
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    asyk80 wrote: »
    I am currently doing 500 calories but I'm doing the HCG diet which calls for very low calories for 21 days then you start adding foods back in.

    Ugh....

    Promoting very low calorie diets is against MFP policy (for very good reason). Whenever people start HCG threads....they get shut down.

    But, Op seems interested in healthy weight loss anyway
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    edited July 2015
    Edited by author

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  • Olivia
    Olivia Posts: 10,137 MFP Staff
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