Is it OK to have a net calorie goal of 1000 cals or less?

eatandexercise1
eatandexercise1 Posts: 67 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I know they say don't eat less than 1200 calories a day, but is that net calories or gross calories?
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Replies

  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    1200 net. You can probably get away with less if you are under 5ft tall.
  • DalexD
    DalexD Posts: 236 Member
    Net. And even then, it's quite low. You have to make sure you're eating back most of your excercise calories too.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Net.

    The question I want to ask is why you would even consider 1000 a day when you don't have a particularly large amount to lose, judging by your photos?
  • littlehokie
    littlehokie Posts: 79
    Net. And even then, it's quite low. You have to make sure you're eating back most of your excercise calories too.

    It depends on the person, if I ate back most of mine I'd gain weight. I'm usually burning 600 calories a day.
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    I vaguely recall one study where they put people on a 550 cal/per day diet and found that even a year later, the subjects still had messed up hunger hormones.
  • TheAncientMariner
    TheAncientMariner Posts: 444 Member
    Food is fuel for your body. If you put in trash you get trash, but if you put in premium, it will treat itself in a good manner and you will get premium results. Eschew the mindset that eating less is automatically better for you. There is a ying and yang. You can be on both sides of the spectrum (too many calories or too few calories). Eat well and exercise and NET at least 1200 calories. Good luck.
  • thekacers
    thekacers Posts: 68
    I am so confused by this, too. I have friends who eat less than 1500 calories a day but also burn over 1200 calories doing hours of aerobics. Net calorie wise, they're not eating much, but they're dropping the weight. Is this healthy?
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    It's net. Unless you are very petite, it's probably not a good idea to net that little every day. But just like having a "spike day" (a day very high in calories) isn't bad once in a while, neither is having a day very low in calories once in a while.
  • Shweedog
    Shweedog Posts: 883 Member
    Typically, no. If recommended and supervised by a physician- sure. I would consult your doctor first, as that is a very low amount and your body may lose proper functionaing ability and slow your metabolism. And that would make you weak, sick, and give you issues losing/maintaining weight in the long run.
  • jmeddows87
    jmeddows87 Posts: 23 Member
    Net. And even then, it's quite low. You have to make sure you're eating back most of your excercise calories too.

    It depends on the person, if I ate back most of mine I'd gain weight. I'm usually burning 600 calories a day.

    Me too x
  • chachita7
    chachita7 Posts: 996 Member
    Net!!! <---- my opinion and it has worked well for me (google was of no assistance when I searched Net vs Calories consumed, lol)
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I am so confused by this, too. I have friends who eat less than 1500 calories a day but also burn over 1200 calories doing hours of aerobics. Net calorie wise, they're not eating much, but they're dropping the weight. Is this healthy?

    It's unlikely that it's healthy, and it's also unlikely that is sustainable. This is the type of behavior that usually leads dieters to burnout and gain weight back. The thrill of losing weight quickly is a powerful force, but our bodies need fuel. A slow steady weigth loss is usually the healthiest and most sustainable way to lose.
  • soontobesam
    soontobesam Posts: 714 Member
    Great question OP.

    I was confused about this for a while also.
  • Establishedn1986
    Establishedn1986 Posts: 306 Member
    I am so confused by this, too. I have friends who eat less than 1500 calories a day but also burn over 1200 calories doing hours of aerobics. Net calorie wise, they're not eating much, but they're dropping the weight. Is this healthy?
    No it is not healthy. Sure they are dropping the weight. But they are keeping the fat. You want to lose fat not muscle and water. NET over 1200 a day.
  • alejandraking
    alejandraking Posts: 3 Member
    Thank you for your responses. I am 4 11" and excersice regularly, however, I am having a hard time keeping up with a 1200 calorie consumption. Just started tracking my food intake and am learning about food, servings and nutrition information. Any suggestions for this beginner will be appreciated
  • fatgirlslove
    fatgirlslove Posts: 614 Member
    I never eat back all of my exercise cals, so my net is always a little under 1000. I feel full and satisfied at the end of the day so I'm good...
  • beckylawrence70
    beckylawrence70 Posts: 752 Member
    I'd say 1200 is the lowest your net should be, although I've had 1000 or less some days........but if you're super short and tiny, I see no problem with it........
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Net. And even then, it's quite low. You have to make sure you're eating back most of your excercise calories too.

    It depends on the person, if I ate back most of mine I'd gain weight. I'm usually burning 600 calories a day.
    These are temporary gains as glycogen stores are refilled and each gram of glycogen can hold about 2.2g of water as well.

    Whatever floats your boat.
  • stephvaile
    stephvaile Posts: 298
    when you joined this site i presume it was to lose weight the healthy way starvation is no good you just end up right bck were you started if you put the correct info into mfp when you joined then the cals it gives you for your goals are the cals you should be eating , and when you exercise it adds even more to your day because it as already deducted your cals for your goal so u can eat part or all of these this is for a reason healthy slow weightloss wins all the time . silly low cal diets don,t work .
  • Shweedog
    Shweedog Posts: 883 Member
    Thank you for your responses. I am 4 11" and excersice regularly, however, I am having a hard time keeping up with a 1200 calorie consumption. Just started tracking my food intake and am learning about food, servings and nutrition information. Any suggestions for this beginner will be appreciated

    If you are having trouble hitting the 1200 mark try eating non-diet food. Of course eat healthy. But buy regular milk, not fat free. Eat the whole egg, as opposed to just the whites. If you can't enough calories then there is little reason to be cutting them in the first place. Good luck!
  • DefyGravity1977
    DefyGravity1977 Posts: 300 Member
    Thank you for posing this question. I recently got somewhat into this discussion on Facebook with my Niece's husband. Doing it the way fitnesspal has it set and eating back my calories has absolutely worked for me. Not doing that would throw the body into starvation mode and I am not up for that. I have lost 50 pounds in the last six months doing it this way.
  • invisibubble
    invisibubble Posts: 662 Member
    Do what you want. Most people will tell you not to. Some advocate it. You know which answer you want to hear, now you have both to choose from. Congratulations.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    Net. And even then, it's quite low. You have to make sure you're eating back most of your excercise calories too.
    It depends on the person, if I ate back most of mine I'd gain weight. I'm usually burning 600 calories a day.
    If eating back your exercise calories makes you gain, it just means you've miscalculated. It's physically impossible to gain weight while eating less than you burn.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Thank you for your responses. I am 4 11" and excersice regularly, however, I am having a hard time keeping up with a 1200 calorie consumption. Just started tracking my food intake and am learning about food, servings and nutrition information. Any suggestions for this beginner will be appreciated

    If you are eating healthy food, are not often hungry and don't lack energy, it's possible that 1000 net is enough for you. 4'11" is petite and you may not need the same calories as a taller person. 1200 is a population based number, and 4'11" is smaller than the average person. Just listen to your body.

    The link below is to a good source for nutrition information. It is not a diet site, just information on eating right.

    http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Net. And even then, it's quite low. You have to make sure you're eating back most of your excercise calories too.
    It depends on the person, if I ate back most of mine I'd gain weight. I'm usually burning 600 calories a day.
    If eating back your exercise calories makes you gain, it just means you've miscalculated. It's physically impossible to gain weight while eating less than you burn.

    No it's not. I think you mean physically impossible to gain fat while consuming less calories than you burn. The problem is that it's nearly impossible to know exactly what you burn, or exactly what you consume. Every morsel that passes your lips is not necessarily absorbed by your body and can vary from person to person. Likewise, the amount of calories burned will vary from person to person. Even a HRM will only give you an estimate and depending on many variable can be off by quite a bit.
  • Exquizyt
    Exquizyt Posts: 33
    That's a great question....

    I'm really confused, and maybe I'm over thinking this...

    I'm 5' 8" and weigh 147lbs. I consumed 1,527 calories yesterday (my goal is 1,500) I biked in the morning and burned 522 calories, and I went rollerblading last night with my boyfriend and burned 378 calories. So, in total, I burned 900 calories (no I didn't plan an even number, but I'll take it.)

    1,527 consumed - 900 burned = 627 calories net.

    Essentially, you guys are saying that I should have consumed 573 more calories to have a net amount of at least 1,200?
  • Shweedog
    Shweedog Posts: 883 Member
    That's a great question....

    I'm really confused, and maybe I'm over thinking this...

    I'm 5' 8" and weigh 147lbs. I consumed 1,527 calories yesterday (my goal is 1,500) I biked in the morning and burned 522 calories, and I went rollerblading last night with my boyfriend and burned 378 calories. So, in total, I burned 900 calories (no I didn't plan an even number, but I'll take it.)

    1,527 consumed - 900 burned = 627 calories net.

    Essentially, you guys are saying that I should have consumed 573 more calories to have a net amount of at least 1,200?

    Yep
  • mzkezh
    mzkezh Posts: 74
    I'm 4'11 and eat (on most days) 1200 calories and others its hard to consume that many, and when I exercise I dont eat back my calories (most of time) so my net on some days is low. I currently weight 186 and my goal weight is 130.

    my diary is open, and I log everything I put in mouth

    open for ideas and suggestions
  • Exquizyt
    Exquizyt Posts: 33
    Thanks Shweedog! I was definitely over thinking it

    Here is my opinion then:

    I have always been concerned about eating between 1,200 - 1,500 calories, I assumed the calories I burned were bonus calories that I didn't necessarily have to use. Kind of like finding a $10 bill on the ground. I can use it if I want to, but if I don't need anything, I won't use it. So, if I'm not hungry, my net would be under 1,000. If I am hungry, I don't have to feel guilty if I treat myself :).

    Essentially, I wouldn't make my goal net amount to be under 1,000 calories. But if it happens, it happens.
  • stephvaile
    stephvaile Posts: 298
    what we are saying is that when mfp calculate your daily cals to eat it gives you a goal cal this reduces as you eat .
    this amount as already taken off the amount of cals daily for you to lose weight SAFELY. SO THEN WHEN YOU EXERCISE YOU CAN AND SHOULD EAT AS MUCH OF THEM YOU CAN this is so you do not become tired and under nourished . when you mix diet and exercise to lose weight your metabolism works more effeciantly enabling you to eat more and still lose without starving it isn,t complicated .

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