New to MFP- Can anyone help me understand the "NET"

hi there, i'll do my best to explain. mfp has set you a 'goal calories' this will be set to either lose 1 or 2lb. lets say 1 lb as an example. if your maintenance calories (to keep your weight at what it is at start of diet) was say 2000 cals then by reducing it by 500 cals a day should send you in the direction of losing 1 lb a week, and if you also burn 500 cals a day exercising thats a total of a 1000 cals a day leading to a two pound loss a week. if u want to lose 1lb a week and do no exercise your daily goal will be 1500 cals(reduced from 2000) and you will lose weight but your metabolism will adjust itself slowly to accomodate for the loss of cals and possibly stop losing weight. if you exercise youll obviously burn extra cals like you said but it keeps the metabolism boosted, the body toned and calories are still being burnt after the exercise has finish. some people only want to loose 1 lb a week(slow and steady 1500cals) but fancy extra food in the day to keep them from being hungry so they can eat an extra 300 cal (1800) reduced back to 1500 by burning 300 cals running therefore still maintaining 1500 cals, or 1 lb a week. so basically if youve told mfp you want to lose 2lb a week then they have set you your calorie goal without exercise if you exercise then you are going lose more than 2 lb a week not recommended as it will likely be muscle protein you are losing so slowing your metabolism. so eat the extra cals burnt its more beneficial than not having the cals and starving than to exercise the extra food you consume. net should be very close to goal CALS IN - EXERCISE= NET. your body needs that daily goal amount to lose what ever you have set. i tend to have a snack before exercise and with in a hr after to replace energy to my starved muscles. therefore you tone or build muscle which will boost your metabolism there fore youll burn fat much easier. hope this helps.......my finger hurts now