Net calories vs. calories consumed

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xokristiiinxo
xokristiiinxo Posts: 6
in Health and Weight Loss
I know this has been posted several times but I'm still VERY confused.

I consume roughly 1250 per day, but after calculating my bmr I've increased it to 1350, however I'm still confused about net calories vs. total calories consumed.

Should my net calories be over 1200 regardless of the calories that I burn through exercise?

So if I eat 1350 calories, then burn 800 at the gym, should I eat back those 800 and then have consumed a total of 2150?

Sorry if my question isn't clear. I'm just very confused!!
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Replies

  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    net calories is what you eat minus your exercise

    so eat 1350 burn 800 (really ?) and you have a net of 550. If you are trying to net your BMR of 1350 then you need to eat another 800 ie 2150 total, So the answer is "yes".
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
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    When you're doing those 800 calorie gym workouts, are you hoping it'll speed your weight loss? If so, don't eat all those calories back.
  • gchutson
    gchutson Posts: 657
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    I know this has been posted several times but I'm still VERY confused.

    I consume roughly 1250 per day, but after calculating my bmr I've increased it to 1350, however I'm still confused about net calories vs. total calories consumed.

    Should my net calories be over 1200 regardless of the calories that I burn through exercise?

    So if I eat 1350 calories, then burn 800 at the gym, should I eat back those 800 and then have consumed a total of 2150?

    Sorry if my question isn't clear. I'm just very confused!!

    Net calories are bad, and somewhat confusing. Stick to your gross caloric intake for the day. And allow the "exercise calories" to simply get you to your goal faster.
  • cranberrycat
    cranberrycat Posts: 233 Member
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    Calories burned tend to be inaccurate, and so I don't recommend eating back your exercise calories.
  • vklebanova
    vklebanova Posts: 152 Member
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    MFP works on the net calorie idea - meaning you eat back the calories you exercise. Also, doctor's recommend this too, as long as you aren't eating them back late at night and as long as the calories you eat back are HEALTHY calories.
  • shesquats
    shesquats Posts: 91 Member
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    You should never eat less than your BMR. So if your BMR is 1350 and you burn 800, your daily calories consumed for the day would be far too low (550). In the case that you set your goal to your BMR is the issue. You should also calculate your TDEE and if you want to lose weight be under that number but over the 1350. Here's a link that will help. scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • HannahDiaz25
    HannahDiaz25 Posts: 104
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    I know this has been posted several times but I'm still VERY confused.

    I consume roughly 1250 per day, but after calculating my bmr I've increased it to 1350, however I'm still confused about net calories vs. total calories consumed.

    Should my net calories be over 1200 regardless of the calories that I burn through exercise?

    So if I eat 1350 calories, then burn 800 at the gym, should I eat back those 800 and then have consumed a total of 2150?

    Sorry if my question isn't clear. I'm just very confused!!

    Net calories are bad, and somewhat confusing. Stick to your gross caloric intake for the day. And allow the "exercise calories" to simply get you to your goal faster.

    I dont know... I see a ton of people who have calories intake goal of about 1300 and then ALSO eat back at least half of worked out calories and they lose weight. I Think if you have that low of a calorie goal you shoul eat back some of the calories you burn working out because you probably also want to build muscle. There is a danger of loosing muscle mass if you don't eat enough calories. Also wear a HRM or something to caculate how much calories you burn. Just my 2 cents:laugh:
  • icemaiden17_uk
    icemaiden17_uk Posts: 463 Member
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    It all depends on what you want to do! I eat back most, sometimes all, of my excersise calories back because it is net calories I care about and I wan't to lose weight without feeling awful and putting it all right back on again! I know that this works for me.

    Your net calories are the calories you have consumed - calories burned. I try to keep mine at my calorie goal so that my net is above my BMR because if my body needs that number to survive then my burning extra will take away from that!

    I'm not sure that that makes sense to you but it does to me! :)
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    I know this has been posted several times but I'm still VERY confused.

    I consume roughly 1250 per day, but after calculating my bmr I've increased it to 1350, however I'm still confused about net calories vs. total calories consumed.

    Should my net calories be over 1200 regardless of the calories that I burn through exercise?

    So if I eat 1350 calories, then burn 800 at the gym, should I eat back those 800 and then have consumed a total of 2150?

    Sorry if my question isn't clear. I'm just very confused!!

    Net calories are bad, and somewhat confusing. Stick to your gross caloric intake for the day. And allow the "exercise calories" to simply get you to your goal faster.

    With all respect, this is poor advice. This would have this person netting 550 calories for the day. That is below what is generally recognized as a healthy daily intake. This should not be done.
  • emancipateurself
    emancipateurself Posts: 174 Member
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    with all respect people don't tell people not to eat their calories....I own an HRM which is the best ACCURATE way to tell exactly how many calories you burn as yes some machines lie.....and I ALWAYS eat my excercise calories....do I stop loosing weight? NO.
    Eat your calories.
    Enough said.
  • aliciar876
    aliciar876 Posts: 32
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    I know this has been posted several times but I'm still VERY confused.

    I consume roughly 1250 per day, but after calculating my bmr I've increased it to 1350, however I'm still confused about net calories vs. total calories consumed.

    Should my net calories be over 1200 regardless of the calories that I burn through exercise?

    So if I eat 1350 calories, then burn 800 at the gym, should I eat back those 800 and then have consumed a total of 2150?

    Sorry if my question isn't clear. I'm just very confused!!

    Net calories are bad, and somewhat confusing. Stick to your gross caloric intake for the day. And allow the "exercise calories" to simply get you to your goal faster.

    I agree
  • kuger4119
    kuger4119 Posts: 213 Member
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    In theory, you should eat whatever calories it takes so that your total daily calorie intake minus your exercise calories = the net calories that MFP recommends. So, if MFP recommends 1250 per day and you are going to burn 800 calories working out, you should take in 2050 calories. As long as you are taking in more calories than your BMR, you should be fine.

    I will say that burning 800 calories at the gym requires a serious amount of cardio and effort, particularly if your BMR is only 1350. You may want to reconsider the exercise calories and how they are calculated.
  • SairahRose
    SairahRose Posts: 412 Member
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    I've noticed that when I eat back my calories, I don't lose as much weight as when I don't.. sometimes I don't lose at all, because I'm just eating my way through the exercises I'm doing - which is rather silly.
    Sometimes though, I want a treat, or I don't want to be consuming all healthy foods. I use my net calories to allow myself those guilty pleasures without feeling bad for it.
  • meghanner
    meghanner Posts: 180 Member
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    I'd eat back half your calories or just eat to hunger. It may also help to increase veggie intake. I noticed you don't eat a lot of whole foods. If you cut out the wine and replace it with whole fresh food it will help you feel full and keep your energy up. Good luck!
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    Are you using MFP to calulate your daily calorie intake?
    If so, then YES, you need to eat more when you exercise in order to get to the recommended healthy daily intake of calories.
    If you choose a realistic weight loss goal and eat extra when you exercise, you are bound to be eating at least your BMR.

    Are you using a different method to calculate your calories (ie. something like fit2fatradio) which already includes exercise calories?
    If so, then the answer is NO.

    Every calculator I've seen suggests that you eat more if you are more active. MFP just adds the cals on after you've done the exercise instead of making an estimate for the week and spreading it evenly out over each day. It isn't a radical MFP plot to make you gain weight, they are just using a different method to get to the same conclusion.
  • gaia3rd
    gaia3rd Posts: 151
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    I strongly recommend you eat at least your BMR NET - you want to lose weight, yes, but you want it to be sustainable and healthy. Eating 500-800 a day net is just not healthy and it is not sustainable for the vast majority of folks. I've been eating my exercise calories back since day one and I have been steadily losing my goal of one pound a week.
  • komcv
    komcv Posts: 1
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    I have been trying to make sense of net calories for the past six months. Your advice is smartest thing I have come across! Thank you!!!
  • SairahRose
    SairahRose Posts: 412 Member
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    @gaia - That just made my point. My goal is 2-3lb a week, which I've been keeping to, sometimes 4 if I'm lucky.
    When I eat back my cals, I only lose 1 - and when you've got lots to lose, sometimes you want to make sure the weight has truly gone.
  • amyliz0226
    amyliz0226 Posts: 37
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    bump
  • SairahRose
    SairahRose Posts: 412 Member
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    I watched Supersize vs Superskinny, and she took a group of larger people out doing all these exercises. She was all "you've burned x calories, and that's enough for a slice of pizza". She asked them if they wanted to eat this, or bank the calories as a loss so they lose more weight - which means you don't have to.

    http://livingwellthebestrevenge.wordpress.com/2012/04/15/why-i-dont-eat-back-exercise-calories-and-why-you-shouldnt-either/
    That's a link to a blog post about the same topic ...

    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/2012/03/fat-2-fit-141-eating-your-exercise-calories/
    Podcast - about 12mins in-20. It's kinda useful I think, although for the most part this indicates that if you want safe and healthy 1-2lb loss then you should.

    Basically - I guess it's all about what works for you :P

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