Net Calorie Goal

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drczr
drczr Posts: 18 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello guys. I stumbled upon the app yesterday and now I'm hooked to it. I have a question on how to use the Net Calorie Goal. For example, mine is 1700 calories if I want to lose 1.5 calories a week.

Should I try to eat 1700 calories per day? But what if I know that I will burn 500 calories when I run on the elliptical, should I eat 2200 on the days that I exercise on the elliptical? I'm afraid deliberately increasing my caloric intake by that much on certain days will confuse my body.

Or should I spread out the caloric intake so that on some days, I'll have positive remaining calories and on some days, I'll have negative remaining calories but my weekly remaining calories will be zero? For example, if I burn 500 calories, 4 times a week, then I have 2000 per week or 285 per day. Which means that I can add 285 to 1700 for a total of 1985 calories I can eat each day if I exercise 4 times a week.

Thanks for your help.

Replies

  • liftingbro
    liftingbro Posts: 2,029 Member
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    You should eat your exercise calories.

    So, if you're base intake is 1700 and you burn 500 in a workout, then that day you should eat 2200.

    Generally this should be pretty close. Some weeks you lose a little more than 1.5 pounds, some weeks a little less, but your average should be close.

    Also, it's just an estimate. If after 3 weeks of sticking to what it tells you, you have not lost weight then you may have to adjust.
  • rockeraxXx
    rockeraxXx Posts: 126
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    Hello, I was previously om Weight Watchers and lost all my weight and our trainer would advise us not to eat extra calories gained by working out. I feel thats what helped me reach my goal. Hope it helps! :) -rosalie- :bigsmile:
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    yes, in theory you'd eat the 1700 + 500 from working out BUT because machines are notorious for overestimating I would take only 75% of my estimated burn and add that to 1700 calorie for my new target.
  • sal0118
    sal0118 Posts: 84
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    So what if you only exercise 6 days a week. Do you only add it when you exercise or do you take the average so the calories are about the same daily?
  • PantalaNagaPampa
    PantalaNagaPampa Posts: 1,031 Member
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    This question gets asked all the time, and it is a great question for sure. You will get plenty of people telling you not to eat them back or only eat back half... Everyone is different and everyone has to do what is right for them, I get that.

    Feel free to search the question on the forums and you will find an overwhelming consensus that YES you need to eat those calories back. MFP already puts you into a deficit to loose weight, wehn you burn extra calories, your deficit will become too great and that is bad for so many reason that I won't list.

    again search the threads and here is a good place to start.. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
  • mslh84
    mslh84 Posts: 180
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    yes, in theory you'd eat the 1700 + 500 from working out BUT because machines are notorious for overestimating I would take only 75% of my estimated burn and add that to 1700 calorie for my new target.

    WOW!!! DID NOT know that! So roughly if I burn 306 calories on the eleptical for example, and 75% of that is 229.50...thats all I should be eating, not the extra 1/4% holy cow!
  • Megan2Project
    Megan2Project Posts: 351 Member
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    In my opinion, it depends on how much you have to lose. If its lots, then I would say you don't need to eat your exercise calories. I don't bother with them except the days when I want to have an extra treat or something...

    They are there to help with the program so that it becomes a lifestyle, it teaches you that you can eat more when you exercise. That way you can have treats and not feel deprived while still losing weight. It also helps you learn the value of a calorie and make you aware of your food choices.

    The closer you are to your goal, the more exercise calories you make need to consume to help your metabolism.

    Play with it and see what works for you. Try eating them back and see if you like the results, or try not eating them back, and if you ever plateau, then play with it again and find what works for you :)
  • Megan2Project
    Megan2Project Posts: 351 Member
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    yes, in theory you'd eat the 1700 + 500 from working out BUT because machines are notorious for overestimating I would take only 75% of my estimated burn and add that to 1700 calorie for my new target.

    This is why I always underestimate my calorie burns, and when calorie consumption is questionable I overestimate.
  • drczr
    drczr Posts: 18 Member
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    Wow! This is a very active community!

    So it seems like the consensus is to eat my exercise calories because the deficit is already built in the net calorie calculations.

    But I'd like to hear people's opinion on eating the exercise calories on the day of the exercise vs spreading it out throughout the week.

    I'm exited to hear your replies.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    yes, in theory you'd eat the 1700 + 500 from working out BUT because machines are notorious for overestimating I would take only 75% of my estimated burn and add that to 1700 calorie for my new target.

    WOW!!! DID NOT know that! So roughly if I burn 306 calories on the eleptical for example, and 75% of that is 229.50...thats all I should be eating, not the extra 1/4% holy cow!
    It's not that cut and dry...for some people it might be more accurate than for others but 75% gives you a nice buffer. So you'd eat 230 in addition to your daily goal without exercise.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    Wow! This is a very active community!

    So it seems like the consensus is to eat my exercise calories because the deficit is already built in the net calorie calculations.

    But I'd like to hear people's opinion on eating the exercise calories on the day of the exercise vs spreading it out throughout the week.

    I'm exited to hear your replies.


    I always eat my earned exercise calories and this has worked well for me!!!

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