NET calories help - im not clever today!

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ingeh
ingeh Posts: 513 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
This is today
Goal Food Exercise = Net
1200 1418 - 399 1019

Should I try to get up to 1,200 or be ok with the 181cal defiency? Iv just realised that Iv been working it out wrong and I need to keep the NET cals up - DOH! I know if I dont exercise I need to keep it to 1,200cals. Does it really matter if I go a little over or under (1,000-1,300cals a day?) Iv been looking throught threads but Im not that clever and havent really understood as one person says dont eat back exercise cals and another says you have too so Im confused! Any help would be appreciated and if you could explain it so a 5 year old could understand, I should be able to follow :laugh:

Replies

  • brvanover
    brvanover Posts: 52
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    When I'm that close I don't worry about it. I know some days I'm a little over 1200 and some days a little under. I feel like it evens itself out so I don't stress about it.
  • smrtcar
    smrtcar Posts: 104 Member
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    You like you're doing ok. I like to be a little under day after day to make up for when I'm a little over some days.
  • lifeinpink09
    lifeinpink09 Posts: 87 Member
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    I think it's all a matter of personal preference. You have to do what works for you, not someone else. I personally don't eat them back.
  • ingeh
    ingeh Posts: 513 Member
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    thanks for the replys! I just needed to be sure I had the right idea.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    Only if you are consistently under 1200 would I even start to worry about it. The whole eating back exercise calories really depends on where you are in your weight loss journey. If your goal is 1200 calories per day, you really want to eat most of them back to keep your net at 1200.
  • camille97
    camille97 Posts: 91
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    I think it depends how much you have to lose; if you are within 20 or less pounds away from your goal weight, you do not have that much extra fat on your body that your body could feed itself with, so it is hard to lose the weight. Eating back some or most of your exercise calories is best, I think, in these cases, so your body does not think it needs to hold onto that weight. That being said, you will not be exactly at your net calories each day. If you are no longer hungry, don't eat! And remember, your body knows what is best for it.
  • solpwr
    solpwr Posts: 1,039 Member
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    Ya try and focus on the weekly number being pretty close. If you are satisfied with what you've eaten and are a couple hundred short on a given day, just save it for another day during the week.

    The thing about this strategy is if you are quite a bit negative or positive going in to the weekend it may effect how you spend your weekend. i.e. you may need to go for a long run or bike ride Saturday morning, the other extreme would be you drink an extra glass of wine Saturday night.
  • CaptainMFP
    CaptainMFP Posts: 440 Member
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    I allow myself about 150 calorie cushion. If I'm more than 150 calories from my net goal, I eat something extra; if I'm within 150 calories of my net goal, I don't. I plan each day out in advance as much as possible to minimize my need for adding "last minute calories."
  • ingeh
    ingeh Posts: 513 Member
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    well I need to lose 40-50lbs. scschenk - I think Il follow your example. Someelse has said that to me about if its 100-150 less then not to worry about it.

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