Net Calories

danrhodes
danrhodes Posts: 25 Member
edited November 9 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi All,

I have noticed recently that my Net Calories are really low, today for example I have hit my 1500 calorie goal but have burned of nearly 900 of these running for an hour at the gym. I currently weight 13st 8lb and want to get down to about 12st. I aim to complete a marathon next year so it would be great to shed the extra pounds.

However, I am concerned that I am not eating enough calories and may be putting myself into starvation mode thus retaining fat.

A regular day for me consists of the following.

Breakfast - 8AM
Quaker Oats with Semi Skimmed Milk
Cup of tea with 2 sweeteners

Snack - 10AM
Banana
Oat cereal bar (Sometimes a cadburys crunchy instead)
Cup of tea with 2 sweeteners

Dinner - 12PM
Chicken Breast with salad and a light dressing
Cup of tea with 2 sweeteners

Snack - 2PM
Granny Smith Apple

Dinner - 6:30PM ( This meal does very daily, this is just for an example)
2 x Chicken Leg With Skin
Golden Vegetable Savory Rice
Small Jacket Potato With Butter
Cup of tea with 2 sweeteners

I normally hit my 1500 calorie goal I have been given by MFP (loose 2lb a week), However I do exercise most nights, burning on average around 800 calories per session which leaves my Net Calories very low. See my run keeper profile here http://runkeeper.com/user/DanRhodes/profile

My question is to whether this is OK or whether I should be eating some or all of the exercise calories back to stop myself from entering "starvation mode".

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks :-)

Replies

  • danrhodes
    danrhodes Posts: 25 Member
    Here are todays results

    Total Cals 1534
    Total Carbs 180
    Total Fat 44
    Total Protein 98

    Goal- 1500 / Food - 1534 / Exercise - 861 / Net - 673

    *You've earned 861 extra calories from exercise today
  • busyPK
    busyPK Posts: 3,788 Member
    You sound eat most, if not all, of your exercise calories back. You want to NET at least 1200 calories everyday though.
  • busyPK
    busyPK Posts: 3,788 Member
    Here are todays results

    Total Cals 1534
    Total Carbs 180
    Total Fat 44
    Total Protein 98

    Goal- 1500 / Food - 1534 / Exercise - 861 / Net - 673

    *You've earned 861 extra calories from exercise today

    Man, eat! :laugh: Seriously, you should NET no lower than 1200 calories!
  • brandyk77
    brandyk77 Posts: 605 Member
    1) never eat below 1200 net calories

    2) Not sure how you are burning almost 900 calories running on a treadmill for an hour. That doesn't jive. Did you run 8 miles?
  • Lisa2374
    Lisa2374 Posts: 28 Member
    Looking forward to reading more replies as I'm in the exact same position! My daily eat is 1200... today i'm less than that and did a workout this morning, therefore netted out would be about 800! I'm on a detox otherwise i'd be running for a bit of shortbread after working that out!!! lol..
  • danrhodes
    danrhodes Posts: 25 Member
    1) never eat below 1200 net calories

    2) Not sure how you are burning almost 900 calories running on a treadmill for an hour. That doesn't jive. Did you run 8 miles?

    I didn't run 9 miles but I did run 9KM.
  • clarinh0
    clarinh0 Posts: 28
    1) never eat below 1200 net calories

    2) Not sure how you are burning almost 900 calories running on a treadmill for an hour. That doesn't jive. Did you run 8 miles?

    I didn't run 9 miles but I did run 9KM.

    Do you use a HRM? Because the calories burned stated on the machines are not very accurate.. I would get a HRM if I was you. I have a Polar FT7 and love it!
  • brandyk77
    brandyk77 Posts: 605 Member
    1) never eat below 1200 net calories

    2) Not sure how you are burning almost 900 calories running on a treadmill for an hour. That doesn't jive. Did you run 8 miles?

    I didn't run 9 miles but I did run 9KM.

    Now, I don't know your weight, but that calorie is way high. I ran 8 miles this morning at a 920/mile pace and i burned about 900. I weigh about 150 lbs. Make sure you are accurately entering in your exercises else you might start to eat back calories you never burned.
  • danrhodes
    danrhodes Posts: 25 Member
    Hi,

    I weight 13st 8lb. I use a Garmin 110 GPS Watch Plus HRM so the calories are accurate @ 831 calories.

    Watch - https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=63511&pvID=67693
  • marquesajen
    marquesajen Posts: 641
    Eat your exercise calories!
  • runner_girl_120
    runner_girl_120 Posts: 47
    Eat back your exercise calories. If you're netting 800, that's what you're leaving for your body to perform it's basic functions, which is probably almost half of what it should be. I'm a runner also, and have found the most success if I net around/just below my BMR.
  • Shweedog
    Shweedog Posts: 883 Member
    Eat more! You're a grown man. Chicken and a salad with light dressing for lunch is bird food! Especially since you are netting well below the recommended amount of calories just to sustain life.
  • RoanneRed
    RoanneRed Posts: 429 Member
    Hi All,

    I have noticed recently that my Net Calories are really low, today for example I have hit my 1500 calorie goal but have burned of nearly 900 of these running for an hour at the gym. I currently weight 13st 8lb and want to get down to about 12st. I aim to complete a marathon next year so it would be great to shed the extra pounds.

    However, I am concerned that I am not eating enough calories and may be putting myself into starvation mode thus retaining fat.

    A regular day for me consists of the following.

    Breakfast - 8AM
    Quaker Oats with Semi Skimmed Milk
    Cup of tea with 2 sweeteners

    Snack - 10AM
    Banana
    Oat cereal bar (Sometimes a cadburys crunchy instead)
    Cup of tea with 2 sweeteners

    Dinner - 12PM
    Chicken Breast with salad and a light dressing
    Cup of tea with 2 sweeteners

    Snack - 2PM
    Granny Smith Apple

    Dinner - 6:30PM ( This meal does very daily, this is just for an example)
    2 x Chicken Leg With Skin
    Golden Vegetable Savory Rice
    Small Jacket Potato With Butter
    Cup of tea with 2 sweeteners

    I normally hit my 1500 calorie goal I have been given by MFP (loose 2lb a week), However I do exercise most nights, burning on average around 800 calories per session which leaves my Net Calories very low. See my run keeper profile here http://runkeeper.com/user/DanRhodes/profile

    My question is to whether this is OK or whether I should be eating some or all of the exercise calories back to stop myself from entering "starvation mode".

    Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks :-)

    Can you add some protein powder to your oats for breakfast? Some people also combine eggs with oats but I've not tried it myself.

    Perhaps some nuts for snacks to increase calories easily and boost your healthy fats. Similarly, don't be afraid of adding maybe 1/4 and avocado to your salads and using olive oil and vinegar to dress your salads.

    As you've mentioned the dinner is just an example, I trust you're varying it with red meat and fish on other days.
  • danrhodes
    danrhodes Posts: 25 Member
    Hi Roanne

    Yes I eat a good varied diet every day. I think it shows I have been under eating calorie wise though as show by my Net Calories.

    I am from now on going to add 1 scoop of Whey Protein to my Porridge and also a scoop after the gym in my shaker. Plus add nuts and avocado into my diet too, hopefully I should sustain a net of at least 1200 that way!

    Thank you all for the help and advice.
  • danrhodes
    danrhodes Posts: 25 Member
    P.S - I have had a few scoops of protein powder and some porridge, my net for today now stands at 1259. Much better than what it was. Ill keep it around 1200 and see how it goes!
This discussion has been closed.

Categories