Negative Net Calories

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  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    Phrick wrote: »
    NO!!!!!! Your net needs to be positive, and a minimum of 1200.

    Minimum 1200 net? I thought it was minimum 1200 gross. Myfitnesspal gives you a stern talking to if your gross goes under 1200, but I don't think it does the same with the net. (pretty sure I've had net calories under 1200 after very heavy exercise).

    However, even if your net intake might dip after an all day hike or something like that, your aim should be to keep it above 1200, averaging as close to the goal you've set as possible. And definitely not negative!

    Negative net calories is crazy. That would be over 2 hours fast cycling on barely enough fuel to cover basic ticking over. Why would you want to do that to your body? You're trying to make it healthier, not punish it!
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Phrick wrote: »
    In the most basic scenario, yes. HOWEVER. I would question your burn, there's almost no one who can achieve a 1200+ calorie burn from exercise in a day.

    Nonsense.

    Here are some examples, the burns here are measured not estimated, and if you look at the time and distance you can't reasonably doubt them:

    https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1128891476
    https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1109318412
    https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1116892278
    https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1116892023

    That's just some of the stuff I've done this year that I have accurate calorie measurements for. A typical day hike is 7 to 12 miles and involves lots of elevation gain and a backpack, but you can only estimate those from HR or general principals, you can't measure calories from a hike in real time yourself.

    Anyway, the point is regular people can absolutely burn 1,200 calories in a day from exercise and it isn't very hard. A few hours on a bike at a moderate pace will do it, and it's hard to think what could be more pleasant than that. :smile:
  • kcrw79
    kcrw79 Posts: 5 Member
    Still, for those of us that don't have multiple hours a day to devote to exercise, 1200 is a daunting number. I doubted that I was actually burning 700 calories day when I first started. The thing is the calorie math works in reverse too. I was able to confirm the calorie burn using this method. Divide your pounds lost over a few weeks by the number of days and then multiply by 3500, this is your average daily calorie deficit. Look up your basal metabolic rate on any of the calculators out there. Use sedentary activity level. Subtract your BMR from the calorie deficit your calculated. Then subtract your average daily calorie intake. The remainder is the portion of your calorie deficit attributable to exercise.

    I disagree about eating all of your exercise calories back. It's really not necessary. I've been doing it this way for 6 months and am almost to goal (73 lost / 14 to go). I eat 1500 minimum (for a guy) but try to stay under 1700. I typically burn 600 or more per day. The key is to try to eat to goal (including exercise calories) on protein and fat, but ditch all the extra carbs. I'm not talking about keto, just try not to go too far over 100 grams. I plan to increase my calorie intake gradually as I approach goal. If I ate all of my exercise calories back, I would still be 25-30 pounds heavier. Progress is really important to keep yourself motivated.

    The most effective diet is the one you can stick to long term. To that end, cutting back on carbs helps with appetite suppression.
  • kcrw79
    kcrw79 Posts: 5 Member
    OK, I skipped a step in the exercise burn calculation. You have to subtract your daily calorie intake from your BMR and then subtract that from your daily calorie burn.

    pounds lost / days = weight loss per day
    weight loss per day X 3500 = calorie deficit per day
    BMR - average daily intake = diet attributable calorie deficit
    calorie deficit per day - diet attributable calorie deficit = exercise attributable deficit.

  • sarabushby
    sarabushby Posts: 784 Member
    aflies wrote: »

    I am looking at the far right number with the word Net below it. It currently is at -356, but my day is almost over since I work nights.

    It sounds very much like OP has gone OVER their daily calories, mine doesn't say 'net' it says 'remaining' but a minus number will mean you have eaten more than you should have done, not that you've burnt more than you've eaten.... Or am I mistaken? Maybe different on different platforms?
  • DebSozo
    DebSozo Posts: 2,578 Member
    sarabushby wrote: »
    aflies wrote: »

    I am looking at the far right number with the word Net below it. It currently is at -356, but my day is almost over since I work nights.

    It sounds very much like OP has gone OVER their daily calories, mine doesn't say 'net' it says 'remaining' but a minus number will mean you have eaten more than you should have done, not that you've burnt more than you've eaten.... Or am I mistaken? Maybe different on different platforms?

    That's how mine is on my Samsung phone which is why I was confused.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    DebSozo wrote: »
    sarabushby wrote: »
    aflies wrote: »

    I am looking at the far right number with the word Net below it. It currently is at -356, but my day is almost over since I work nights.

    It sounds very much like OP has gone OVER their daily calories, mine doesn't say 'net' it says 'remaining' but a minus number will mean you have eaten more than you should have done, not that you've burnt more than you've eaten.... Or am I mistaken? Maybe different on different platforms?

    That's how mine is on my Samsung phone which is why I was confused.

    Yeah, mine too. I have to click on the nutrition tab to see my net calories.
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