How much of a calorie deficit is too much?

18JessieS
18JessieS Posts: 10 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Basically I have a huge deficit today and I want to know if it is too big? When does your body go into starvation mode?

Replies

  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    18JessieS wrote: »
    Basically I have a huge deficit today and I want to know if it is too big? When does your body go into starvation mode?

    Just today? Make up for it another day...

    There is no such thing as starvation mode.
  • futuremanda
    futuremanda Posts: 816 Member
    Starvation mode, insofar as people mean that your body will start hoarding fat somehow because it's scared, is a myth.

    Eating too little will not stop your weight loss.

    It can cause plenty of health problems though. However, one day of undereating is fine if it is not a habit. (As is one day of overeating if it is not a habit.)

    Otherwise, you haven't given your deficit or your stats, so no one can advise you more specifically on what sort of deficit would be too big for you.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    There is no starvation mode. How much of a deficit are you talking here?
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    :) Welcome to the forums! Good luck with your calorie-counting!
    18JessieS wrote: »
    When does your body go into starvation mode?

    Uh oh.

    CanoWorms2_zps38189670.gif
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    18JessieS wrote: »
    Basically I have a huge deficit today and I want to know if it is too big? When does your body go into starvation mode?

    One or two days aren't going to matter much. You can't go into "starvation mode" until you're already quite lean.
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
    18JessieS wrote: »
    Basically I have a huge deficit today and I want to know if it is too big? When does your body go into starvation mode?

    Starvation mode, not a thing.

    Of course we could answer questions about your deficit, but since you didn't give any numbers we can only speculate.

    Generally, your MFP calorie allotment includes your deficit. Eat to that number.
    If you log exercise and you're given more calories by MFP, eat about 1/2. Exercise burns are considered overestimated.

    Having a large deficit on one given day is not a problem, but you do not want it to be a common thing, since you can be getting too few nutrients overall, and be losing muscle mass.

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