So if im netting 1200, I will lose weight?
trustinwhatworks
Posts: 9 Member
I ate 2200 calories today and burned 1200, so my net is under 1200...this means I'm on the right path to weight loss? Using kitchen scale and Garmin 235 to track.
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Replies
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Is there any reason you're in such a big deficit? A 1000 calorie deficit is really only suitable for the very obese.
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I'm just very nervous about taking this approach0
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If MFP is giving you a calorie goal of 1200, you may need to assess whether you are trying to lose weight too quickly. Generally only women who are short and sedentary will need a calorie goal of 1200. Weight loss is more sustainable and healthier when done at a slow, steady pace. When you lose weight too quickly, you end up losing a lot of muscle along with the fat you want to lose.
Consider if your pounds per week loss rate is appropriate for you.
Pound per week goals for number of pounds until normal weight range is reached:
75+ lbs set to lose 2 lbs
Between 40-75 lbs set to lose 1.5 lbs
Between 25-40 lbs set to lose 1 lbs
Between 15-25 lbs set to lose .5-1 lbs
Less than 15 lbs set to lose .5 lbs
Also, many fitness trackers will overestimate the amount of calories burned for an activity, which is why many people only eat 50% of their calories earned through exercise. This may not be the case for yours, but if you find yourself losing weight not losing weight as expected, that could easily be the cause.
However, to answer your question, yes, MFP is set up so that you eat back your calories earned through exercise so that you can fuel your workouts. For example, I have a calorie goal of 1500. If I run for a couple miles, I can earn an extra 200 calories. MFP would expect me to eat the extra 200 calories, so I net 1500. Otherwise, I will net 1300 and possibly be losing weight too quickly.6 -
What are your goals? Starting weight current weight? It seems like a huge deficit to have and what are you doing to burn 1000 calories a day?2
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I run doubles, I'm a runner. I'm 5'6 and 140 as of right now and I want to lose weight. I'm just having trouble wrapping my head around net calories...0
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If MFP is giving you a calorie goal of 1200, you may need to assess whether you are trying lose weight too quickly. Generally only women who are short and sedentary will need a calorie goal of 1200. Weight loss is more sustainable and healthier when done at a slow, steady pace. When you lose weight too quickly, you end up losing a lot of muscle along with the fat you want to lose.
Consider if your pounds per week loss rate is appropriate for you.
Pound per week goals for number of pounds until normal weight range is reached:
75+ lbs set to lose 2 lbs
Between 40-75 lbs set to lose 1.5 lbs
Between 25-40 lbs set to lose 1 lbs
Between 15-25 lbs set to lose .5-1 lbs
Less than 15 lbs set to lose .5 lbs
Also, many fitness trackers will overestimate the amount of calories burned for an activity, which is why many people only eat 50% of their calories earned through exercise. This may not be the case for yours, but if you find yourself losing weight not losing weight as expected, that could easily be the cause.
When you say calorie goal are you referring to net calorie goal or just the calorie goal? Why is Mfp so confusing0 -
trustinwhatworks wrote: »If MFP is giving you a calorie goal of 1200, you may need to assess whether you are trying lose weight too quickly. Generally only women who are short and sedentary will need a calorie goal of 1200. Weight loss is more sustainable and healthier when done at a slow, steady pace. When you lose weight too quickly, you end up losing a lot of muscle along with the fat you want to lose.
Consider if your pounds per week loss rate is appropriate for you.
Pound per week goals for number of pounds until normal weight range is reached:
75+ lbs set to lose 2 lbs
Between 40-75 lbs set to lose 1.5 lbs
Between 25-40 lbs set to lose 1 lbs
Between 15-25 lbs set to lose .5-1 lbs
Less than 15 lbs set to lose .5 lbs
Also, many fitness trackers will overestimate the amount of calories burned for an activity, which is why many people only eat 50% of their calories earned through exercise. This may not be the case for yours, but if you find yourself losing weight not losing weight as expected, that could easily be the cause.
When you say calorie goal are you referring to net calorie goal or just the calorie goal? Why is Mfp so confusing
Net4 -
trustinwhatworks wrote: »If MFP is giving you a calorie goal of 1200, you may need to assess whether you are trying lose weight too quickly. Generally only women who are short and sedentary will need a calorie goal of 1200. Weight loss is more sustainable and healthier when done at a slow, steady pace. When you lose weight too quickly, you end up losing a lot of muscle along with the fat you want to lose.
Consider if your pounds per week loss rate is appropriate for you.
Pound per week goals for number of pounds until normal weight range is reached:
75+ lbs set to lose 2 lbs
Between 40-75 lbs set to lose 1.5 lbs
Between 25-40 lbs set to lose 1 lbs
Between 15-25 lbs set to lose .5-1 lbs
Less than 15 lbs set to lose .5 lbs
Also, many fitness trackers will overestimate the amount of calories burned for an activity, which is why many people only eat 50% of their calories earned through exercise. This may not be the case for yours, but if you find yourself losing weight not losing weight as expected, that could easily be the cause.
When you say calorie goal are you referring to net calorie goal or just the calorie goal? Why is Mfp so confusing
Net calorie goal. If 1200 is your net calorie goal, it's likely you set MFP to lose 2 lbs per week.trustinwhatworks wrote: »I run doubles, I'm a runner. I'm 5'6 and 140 as of right now and I want to lose weight. I'm just having trouble wrapping my head around net calories...
You are already at a normal weight for your height. Losing weight at your size is going to be very slow. If you set your weight loss goal to 2 lbs per week, that is not an appropriate level for you. 0.5 lbs per week is a better loss rate and will allow you to fuel those runs and keep you from losing too much muscle in the process.8 -
trustinwhatworks wrote: »If MFP is giving you a calorie goal of 1200, you may need to assess whether you are trying lose weight too quickly. Generally only women who are short and sedentary will need a calorie goal of 1200. Weight loss is more sustainable and healthier when done at a slow, steady pace. When you lose weight too quickly, you end up losing a lot of muscle along with the fat you want to lose.
Consider if your pounds per week loss rate is appropriate for you.
Pound per week goals for number of pounds until normal weight range is reached:
75+ lbs set to lose 2 lbs
Between 40-75 lbs set to lose 1.5 lbs
Between 25-40 lbs set to lose 1 lbs
Between 15-25 lbs set to lose .5-1 lbs
Less than 15 lbs set to lose .5 lbs
Also, many fitness trackers will overestimate the amount of calories burned for an activity, which is why many people only eat 50% of their calories earned through exercise. This may not be the case for yours, but if you find yourself losing weight not losing weight as expected, that could easily be the cause.
When you say calorie goal are you referring to net calorie goal or just the calorie goal? Why is Mfp so confusing
Hopefully this infographic, courtesy of @tinkerbellang83, will simplify it for you:
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trustinwhatworks wrote: »If MFP is giving you a calorie goal of 1200, you may need to assess whether you are trying lose weight too quickly. Generally only women who are short and sedentary will need a calorie goal of 1200. Weight loss is more sustainable and healthier when done at a slow, steady pace. When you lose weight too quickly, you end up losing a lot of muscle along with the fat you want to lose.
Consider if your pounds per week loss rate is appropriate for you.
Pound per week goals for number of pounds until normal weight range is reached:
75+ lbs set to lose 2 lbs
Between 40-75 lbs set to lose 1.5 lbs
Between 25-40 lbs set to lose 1 lbs
Between 15-25 lbs set to lose .5-1 lbs
Less than 15 lbs set to lose .5 lbs
Also, many fitness trackers will overestimate the amount of calories burned for an activity, which is why many people only eat 50% of their calories earned through exercise. This may not be the case for yours, but if you find yourself losing weight not losing weight as expected, that could easily be the cause.
When you say calorie goal are you referring to net calorie goal or just the calorie goal? Why is Mfp so confusing
Yes that is what they meant.
MFP calculates your goals based on Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. This allows you to lose weight without exercise. When you exercise, you increase your calorie burn past your NEAT. To maintain the same deficit you have without exercise, you have to eat more (NET your goal).
At your height and weight, you probably should be set to 0.5 lb per week to 1 lb per week at most.3 -
The Garmin (or any like device, even the good ones) isn't magic, so it still matters whether the exercise calorie estimate turns out to be accurate (likely to be close for some activities, more questionable for others). And you didn't tell us anything about your age, size, current weight, daily life activity, etc.
But at age 59, 5'5" and a weight in the mid-150s when I started MFP, I lost way. too. fast. on 1200 net calories. (Not at all typical for my age, but still.)
In general, the net calories approach works fine, though (50+ pounds worth, in my case), once the intake/output estimates are dialed in.1 -
You have under 20lbs to lose. Losing more would put you at an unhealthy weight.
Put your deficit at 0.5 lbs a week.
If running is your sport, compare your Garmin cal burn adjustment to this equation.
(Weight in lbs x 0.63) x distance in miles =cals burnt.
Choose a consistent method of eating back your running cals.
Use the data you collect over time (4-6weeks) to adjust your calorie balance.
Under eating will have a negative effect on your running performance, amongst other things, over eating will stall weight loss.
Cheers, h.4 -
Use a trending weight app to evaluate progress over 4 to 6 week time period and consider water weight fluctuation caused by time of month, sodium, exercise, stomach and bowel contents, floor condition/flex where scale is located....
As a normal weight person I would consider the creation of a deficit > 20% of TDEE to be too aggressive.
If your expected daily burn including exercise is 2000 to 2500 Cal, this means that anything above 1lb a week is definitely out in terms of "suitable" goals.2 -
Another vote for changing your weekly weight loss goal to a half pound per week.3
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Think of it like finances.
If you save more than you spend, your bank account will grow.
If you spend more than you save, your account will shrink.
Your body is no different...
If you eat more than you burn, you'll gain weight.
If you burn more than you eat, you'll lose weight.
It really is that simple. The only difference is that money is very easy to count and track and measure. Calories are much more of an approximation. That's why most people go through a bit of a learning curve when they are getting started... some trial and error as they figure out how to estimate and what works for them.
Now, onto the net calories thing...
When you setup your MFP profile, you entered a bunch of information, including your weight loss goal. MFP took that information and calculated a calorie goal that would help you achieve that weight loss goal. It did not factor exercise into that calculation. It basically said that based on your age, gender, and activity/lifestyle... 1200 calories per day will help you achieve your goal of 2lbs per week. Again, there is no mention of intentional/deliberate exercise in there.
So, when you exercise, you're changing the numbers, and more importantly, you're changing the calorie and nutritional needs of your body. Just like a car can't go 50 miles on 20 miles worth of gas... your body can't think and breathe and digest and vacuum and do laundry and run and recover and everything else it needs to do on too few calories. So when you ask your body to do more, MFP wants you to fuel it more, and adjusts your calories accordingly. MFP is smart enough that even after that adjustment, you're still on track for your weight loss.
This philosophy does kind of fly in the face of many magazine headlines, lose-weight-fast scams, and TV doctors claiming to have the next great thing. But in reality, it's really just getting back to basics. It just works. You just have to trust it to work.
Hope that helps.6 -
kshama2001 wrote: »Another vote for changing your weekly weight loss goal to a half pound per week.
I tried that and it went from 1200 to 1210?0 -
trustinwhatworks wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »Another vote for changing your weekly weight loss goal to a half pound per week.
I tried that and it went from 1200 to 1210?
Is that using "sedentary?" If you're a younger woman with a job, kids or school you're not likely sedentary.
I find it hard to believe you still got 1200.
I'm taller (5'8"), the same weight, and in my sixties. I don't run. I'm retired. Tiny condo, not a lot of daily activity. When I want to lose I set it at 1700 PLUS exercise calories.
I am sure you could easily lose on the same - 1700 - possibly more, PLUS exercise calories.
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trustinwhatworks wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »Another vote for changing your weekly weight loss goal to a half pound per week.
I tried that and it went from 1200 to 1210?
You input something wrong. When I put your stats into the MFP calculator: 5'6", 140 lbs, sedentary and losing .5 lb/week, I get a calorie goal of 1450.1 -
trustinwhatworks wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »Another vote for changing your weekly weight loss goal to a half pound per week.
I tried that and it went from 1200 to 1210?
Yeah, no. Sounds like you accidentally selected 1lb rather than half a pound.
Your maintenance at sedentary is somewhere around 1700 kcal. To lose half a pound a week you’d subtract 250 to get 1450 calories a day.
Since you’re not actually sedentary, you’re also ‘spending’ calories to fuel your exercise and need to eat at least some of those back. You shuld never let your net calories go below 1200.0 -
trustinwhatworks wrote: »If MFP is giving you a calorie goal of 1200, you may need to assess whether you are trying lose weight too quickly. Generally only women who are short and sedentary will need a calorie goal of 1200. Weight loss is more sustainable and healthier when done at a slow, steady pace. When you lose weight too quickly, you end up losing a lot of muscle along with the fat you want to lose.
Consider if your pounds per week loss rate is appropriate for you.
Pound per week goals for number of pounds until normal weight range is reached:
75+ lbs set to lose 2 lbs
Between 40-75 lbs set to lose 1.5 lbs
Between 25-40 lbs set to lose 1 lbs
Between 15-25 lbs set to lose .5-1 lbs
Less than 15 lbs set to lose .5 lbs
Also, many fitness trackers will overestimate the amount of calories burned for an activity, which is why many people only eat 50% of their calories earned through exercise. This may not be the case for yours, but if you find yourself losing weight not losing weight as expected, that could easily be the cause.
When you say calorie goal are you referring to net calorie goal or just the calorie goal? Why is Mfp so confusing
MFP gives you a calorie goal before exercise. If you do zero exercise and eat 1200 calories (your goal) .......you lose weight.
If you do added exercise, you log it and earn extra calories. Keep in mind exercise calorie burns are estimates. Many people eat back a portion for awhile and see how weight loss progresses.
5'8"......no way is 1200 appropriate for you. Moderate paced weight loss helps you lose weight while minimizing lean muscle loss. For more fat loss, slow your weekly goal down.0 -
My net goal is now 145011
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I’ll try to use my mind for a second and explain it clearly so listen up
You body burns a set amount of calories even if you didn’t lift a finger that whole day it’s it’s just to keep you alive
Let’s say it’s “X”
You need to be under “X” to lose weight
So if your “X” is 2000 and you ate 2000 but burnt 800 with exercising your at an 800 calorie deficit
Try to aim for a 500 calorie deficit so that you don’t mess up your metabolism and your body
You can figure the “X” out on the Internet just search calorie calculator and it’s easy from there
Hope i helped cuz I used my brain a lot 😅6 -
The number that you’ll find is for maintaining your weight so go above by 500 to gain weight and go below that by 500 to lose6
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I’ll try to use my mind for a second and explain it clearly so listen up
You body burns a set amount of calories even if you didn’t lift a finger that whole day it’s it’s just to keep you alive
Let’s say it’s “X”
You need to be under “X” to lose weight
So if your “X” is 2000 and you ate 2000 but burnt 800 with exercising your at an 800 calorie deficit
Try to aim for a 500 calorie deficit so that you don’t mess up your metabolism and your body
You can figure the “X” out on the Internet just search calorie calculator and it’s easy from there
Hope i helped cuz I used my brain a lot 😅
That's actually not how it works.
Your body burns a certain amount of calories even if you're at rest, as you described above and called "X". That is referred to as BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) - or more technically, RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate).
Above and beyond that, you burn a certain amount of calories in your daily activities - showering, preparing meals, cleaning house, gardening, whatever you do at work, etc. That is referred to as NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis).
There are also calories expended during purposeful exercise, which are referred to as EAT (Exercise Activity Thermogenesis).
When you put BMR+NEAT+EAT together, you get your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure).
Using the MFP method, you would combine BMR + NEAT, calculate your caloric deficit from there, then eat back all or part of your exercise (EAT) calories.
Using the TDEE method (assuming that your day to day activity and exercise is reasonably consistent and similar), you would calculate your deficit from TDEE and not eat your exercise calories back.
BMR has nothing to do with calculating your deficit, other than the fact that it's the most substantial portion of your calorie expenditure every day. You do not set your deficit from BMR - if you do, you will be significantly undereating.9 -
I'll repost the infographic, courtesy of @tinkerbellang83, which explains it well and provides an actual example:
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trustinwhatworks wrote: »My net goal is now 1450
That's great. Stick to that limit. Don't go over and don't go under your weekly net calorie goal.
Check your weekly net calories on the app:
Diary>Nutrition>Calories>Week View>Net
You can go over on a day, or under on a day, and it won't matter, so long as your weekly goal is even.0 -
I’ll try to use my mind for a second and explain it clearly so listen up
You body burns a set amount of calories even if you didn’t lift a finger that whole day it’s it’s just to keep you alive
Let’s say it’s “X”
You need to be under “X” to lose weight
So if your “X” is 2000 and you ate 2000 but burnt 800 with exercising your at an 800 calorie deficit
Try to aim for a 500 calorie deficit so that you don’t mess up your metabolism and your body
You can figure the “X” out on the Internet just search calorie calculator and it’s easy from there
Hope i helped cuz I used my brain a lot 😅
That's actually not how it works.
Your body burns a certain amount of calories even if you're at rest, as you described above and called "X". That is referred to as BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) - or more technically, RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate).
Above and beyond that, you burn a certain amount of calories in your daily activities - showering, preparing meals, cleaning house, gardening, whatever you do at work, etc. That is referred to as NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis).
There are also calories expended during purposeful exercise, which are referred to as EAT (Exercise Activity Thermogenesis).
When you put BMR+NEAT+EAT together, you get your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure).
Using the MFP method, you would combine BMR + NEAT, calculate your caloric deficit from there, then eat back all or part of your exercise (EAT) calories.
Using the TDEE method (assuming that your day to day activity and exercise is reasonably consistent and similar), you would calculate your deficit from TDEE and not eat your exercise calories back.
BMR has nothing to do with calculating your deficit, other than the fact that it's the most substantial portion of your calorie expenditure every day. You do not set your deficit from BMR - if you do, you will be significantly undereating.
Thanks for the correction mate it was late at night so I guess I’m a a dumb mofo too 😅
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