Confused about net calories...

irishwitch
irishwitch Posts: 21
edited September 29 in Food and Nutrition
I was curious if anyone knows this. I generally eat between 1300-1500 calories a day. But after my workout that always goes down 500-800 calories depending on the workout day. Which makes my net calories under 1200. Is this bad? My bf says I am fine because i consumed over 1200 calories before my working out. I just don't know if I should try to add more food, but I have to be careful about full fat items I have gallstones. So have to eat low fat as it is.

Any help is appreciated, and I thank you in advance.

Stephanie

Replies

  • kristelpoole
    kristelpoole Posts: 440 Member
    Eat the difference. A deficit is pre-calculated for you by MFP so try to get your net calories as close to target as possible, with or without a workout. Your body still needs fuel!
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
    Yes. You should be eating back your exercise calories.

    How many of them is up to you. We are not 100% foolproof in our exercise calorie calculations, so I don't suggest all of them, but my personal opinion is you should eat them.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Net is what mattered, look at the scenario if you only ate 1200 but burned 1400, do you think 1200 would be okay then? that would be -200 calories for the day, that would be like eating nothing one day and throwing up 200 calories worth of food before it digested and absorbed. Your BF would say that is okay because you ate 1200, that is wrong, NET is what matters.

    That being said if you are relying on MFP for calories burned I would suggest only eating 50-75% of them as they are usually quite a bit off for most users
  • theresamommyof4
    theresamommyof4 Posts: 206 Member
    Hello!

    Wow... I guess I have the same question! I'm still soooo confused about the net calories! My goal, calorie wise, is about 1380/day, without exercise. But then when I work out, it adds a boatload of calories for me to eat, and I NEVER get them eaten... I don't even try! Is that bad?

    I've just been so busy since I started this plan that I have trouble some days even getting to the 1200 mark, let alone my calorie goal.
  • irishwitch
    irishwitch Posts: 21
    Net is what mattered, look at the scenario if you only ate 1200 but burned 1400, do you think 1200 would be okay then? that would be -200 calories for the day, that would be like eating nothing one day and throwing up 200 calories worth of food before it digested and absorbed. Your BF would say that is okay because you ate 1200, that is wrong, NET is what matters.

    That being said if you are relying on MFP for calories burned I would suggest only eating 50-75% of them as they are usually quite a bit off for most users

    That makes sense I guess. Still morning here so still half asleep. :) But I am relying on my HRM for calories burned. I just don't know what else to put for intake as I am hardly ever hungry. But I try to eat something every 2 1/2 hours to keep my metabolism up as best I can.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Hello!

    Wow... I guess I have the same question! I'm still soooo confused about the net calories! My goal, calorie wise, is about 1380/day, without exercise. But then when I work out, it adds a boatload of calories for me to eat, and I NEVER get them eaten... I don't even try! Is that bad?

    I've just been so busy since I started this plan that I have trouble some days even getting to the 1200 mark, let alone my calorie goal.

    It can be quite bad, you will lose a lot of muscle, and could slow your metabolism down, not to mention on less than 1200 it is difficult to get the required nutrition and you may end up experiencing malnutrition. where you have more that 75lbs to lose you are less likely to go into "starvation mode" but you can still experience malnutrition.

    It is not hard to eat more calories, you don't even have to eat more food, just make different choices. Eat a higher % fat milk products, have a glass of juice in place of 1 glass of water, add olive oil to soups and sauces, add avocado to salads and sandwiches. Have nuts, seeds, and/or dehydrated fruit as a snack. Stay away from lite and diet foods and eat the real thing.
  • irishwitch
    irishwitch Posts: 21
    I can't really drink milk lactose intolerant so I try to stay away from milk and eat very little cheese. I do love my yogurt though. Sadly it makes me sick though. And I have to be careful with full fat versions. At least until I have my gallstones removed.

    Thank you for the advice though Eric. :happy:
  • theresamommyof4
    theresamommyof4 Posts: 206 Member
    Hello!

    Wow... I guess I have the same question! I'm still soooo confused about the net calories! My goal, calorie wise, is about 1380/day, without exercise. But then when I work out, it adds a boatload of calories for me to eat, and I NEVER get them eaten... I don't even try! Is that bad?

    I've just been so busy since I started this plan that I have trouble some days even getting to the 1200 mark, let alone my calorie goal.

    It can be quite bad, you will lose a lot of muscle, and could slow your metabolism down, not to mention on less than 1200 it is difficult to get the required nutrition and you may end up experiencing malnutrition. where you have more that 75lbs to lose you are less likely to go into "starvation mode" but you can still experience malnutrition.

    It is not hard to eat more calories, you don't even have to eat more food, just make different choices. Eat a higher % fat milk products, have a glass of juice in place of 1 glass of water, add olive oil to soups and sauces, add avocado to salads and sandwiches. Have nuts, seeds, and/or dehydrated fruit as a snack. Stay away from lite and diet foods and eat the real thing.


    Okay, so I get that I should eat at least the 1200, and I have all but 1 day (and that's the day that I didn't lose any weight), but are you really saying that I need to eat my exercise calories too? How do you have enough of a calorie deficit to lose weight if you eat up all the calories you burn during exercise?
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Hello!

    Wow... I guess I have the same question! I'm still soooo confused about the net calories! My goal, calorie wise, is about 1380/day, without exercise. But then when I work out, it adds a boatload of calories for me to eat, and I NEVER get them eaten... I don't even try! Is that bad?

    I've just been so busy since I started this plan that I have trouble some days even getting to the 1200 mark, let alone my calorie goal.

    It can be quite bad, you will lose a lot of muscle, and could slow your metabolism down, not to mention on less than 1200 it is difficult to get the required nutrition and you may end up experiencing malnutrition. where you have more that 75lbs to lose you are less likely to go into "starvation mode" but you can still experience malnutrition.

    It is not hard to eat more calories, you don't even have to eat more food, just make different choices. Eat a higher % fat milk products, have a glass of juice in place of 1 glass of water, add olive oil to soups and sauces, add avocado to salads and sandwiches. Have nuts, seeds, and/or dehydrated fruit as a snack. Stay away from lite and diet foods and eat the real thing.


    Okay, so I get that I should eat at least the 1200, and I have all but 1 day (and that's the day that I didn't lose any weight), but are you really saying that I need to eat my exercise calories too? How do you have enough of a calorie deficit to lose weight if you eat up all the calories you burn during exercise?

    When you signed up for MFP you chose your weekly weight loss goal and the program gave you your dialy intake to lose that much weight with no exercise. so if you goal was to lose 1.5 lbs/week and your maintenance calories are 2000, MFP would give you an intake of 1250. Now if you burn 400, your maintenance for the day increases by the 400 to 2400, as you burn 2000 when not working out. So to keep your deficit of 750/day MFP would have you eat 1650 (2400-750, or 1250+400) this way you keep your deficit at a safe and constant level everyday whether you workout or not.
  • hyenagirl
    hyenagirl Posts: 206 Member
    I can't really drink milk lactose intolerant so I try to stay away from milk and eat very little cheese. I do love my yogurt though. Sadly it makes me sick though. And I have to be careful with full fat versions. At least until I have my gallstones removed.

    Thank you for the advice though Eric. :happy:

    Have you tried goat's milk products? I'm very lactose intolerant when it comes to cow's milk. Goat has different shaped proteins that are much smaller and easier to break down. Plus whole goat milk is very creamy, it's like drinking half and half. You can also get some protein powder (hemp based since your lactose intolerant) and drink it up for added protein so you don't lose muscle. I also have trouble eating all this food, so I try to make up for a difference by drinking calories. If you're exercising 1200 calories and have 55 lbs to lose, if you net is 400-600 cals, you'll be a-ok. Once you get closer to your ideal weight, you should eat more protein and fat dense foods. People are too afraid of fat, but it's very good for you actually.
  • theresamommyof4
    theresamommyof4 Posts: 206 Member
    Hello!

    Wow... I guess I have the same question! I'm still soooo confused about the net calories! My goal, calorie wise, is about 1380/day, without exercise. But then when I work out, it adds a boatload of calories for me to eat, and I NEVER get them eaten... I don't even try! Is that bad?

    I've just been so busy since I started this plan that I have trouble some days even getting to the 1200 mark, let alone my calorie goal.

    It can be quite bad, you will lose a lot of muscle, and could slow your metabolism down, not to mention on less than 1200 it is difficult to get the required nutrition and you may end up experiencing malnutrition. where you have more that 75lbs to lose you are less likely to go into "starvation mode" but you can still experience malnutrition.

    It is not hard to eat more calories, you don't even have to eat more food, just make different choices. Eat a higher % fat milk products, have a glass of juice in place of 1 glass of water, add olive oil to soups and sauces, add avocado to salads and sandwiches. Have nuts, seeds, and/or dehydrated fruit as a snack. Stay away from lite and diet foods and eat the real thing.


    Okay, so I get that I should eat at least the 1200, and I have all but 1 day (and that's the day that I didn't lose any weight), but are you really saying that I need to eat my exercise calories too? How do you have enough of a calorie deficit to lose weight if you eat up all the calories you burn during exercise?

    When you signed up for MFP you chose your weekly weight loss goal and the program gave you your dialy intake to lose that much weight with no exercise. so if you goal was to lose 1.5 lbs/week and your maintenance calories are 2000, MFP would give you an intake of 1250. Now if you burn 400, your maintenance for the day increases by the 400 to 2400, as you burn 2000 when not working out. So to keep your deficit of 750/day MFP would have you eat 1650 (2400-750, or 1250+400) this way you keep your deficit at a safe and constant level everyday whether you workout or not.

    Okay! I'm slow, but I think I get it now :) Thanks for the help! I
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