Spreading the deficit over the week

dollydiva2

I'm aiming for a 5250 deficit a week to get around a 1.5lb loss a week. I'm thinking I'd like to try two really low calorie days (around 800), two normal 1200 days then spread the rest of the deficit over fri-sun so I can have around 1600 on those days. Find it really hard to stick to 1200 on those days.
My average calorie burn is 2150 a day so there will be a bit of leeway.
Is this unhealthy to do? Am I allowed to ask this because of the 2 low cal days?!
I've done 5:2 before but find the 500 cals tough, I think around 800 will be more manageable.

janejellyroll

How much do you have to lose? Is 1.5 pounds a week a realistic goal for you?

dollydiva2

Yes, for now. I'm aiming for a holiday in April. Then I want to slow to 1lb a week and lose the holiday weight (thailand = amazing food so I'm bound to put on) plus another 7lbs

dollydiva2

I'm not thinking of this long term. Just to balance out the weekends a bit and give me more calories on those days.

janejellyroll

dollydiva2 wrote: »

Yes, for now. I'm aiming for a holiday in April. Then I want to slow to 1lb a week and lose the holiday weight (thailand = amazing food so I'm bound to put on) plus another 7lbs

I get that you want to lose the weight quickly, but if you don't have much to lose 1.5 pounds may not be the best goal regardless of your desire to have a certain amount lost by your holiday.

dollydiva2

Even at 3500 deficit a week then is it OK to spread it out?

dollydiva2

To be fair 6lbs will be fine

extra_medium

dollydiva2 wrote: »

I'm aiming for a 5250 deficit a week to get around a 1.5lb loss a week. I'm thinking I'd like to try two really low calorie days (around 800), two normal 1200 days then spread the rest of the deficit over fri-sun so I can have around 1600 on those days. Find it really hard to stick to 1200 on those days.
My average calorie burn is 2150 a day so there will be a bit of leeway.
Is this unhealthy to do? Am I allowed to ask this because of the 2 low cal days?!
I've done 5:2 before but find the 500 cals tough, I think around 800 will be more manageable.

As long as you don't notice any problems those two low days I don't think it would be an issue. I think most of the big health concerns come up when people are eating really low calories every day for an extended period of time.

janejellyroll

dollydiva2 wrote: »

Even at 3500 deficit a week then is it OK to spread it out?

If you're truly burning 2,150 and your gross calories are about 1,250 on an average day, then you're netting a very low amount. This is probably why you're hungry and it's hard for you to stick to your plan. You aren't saying how much you want to lose, but I think your goal is too aggressive.

RoxieDawn

dollydiva2 wrote: »

Even at 3500 deficit a week then is it OK to spread it out?

Yes...

How do you know that your TDEE each day is 2150? Just curious as to where the calculation is coming from?

But with that in mind, cycling around your calories so you can eat more on the weekends is not a big deal.

My husband shed 55 pounds last year doing both 500 calorie 5:2 and also tried the 24 fast in order to move his calories around (not at the same time, only to try what would work for him). It is not the most ideal thing to do depending on how active you are and what type of fuel you need on a day to day basis to carry out your day and/or exercise..

Keep in mind that my husband did this safely and made sure he met calorie NET goals and this was only for a short period of time due to weight loss stalls..

dollydiva2

I have a fitbit charge HR...I don't log any extra workout calories and that has my average daily burn as 2139 for the past 30 days. My burn on a non exercise day is around 1900 and between 2200 and 2300 on a gym day.
It's not that I'm hungry on a 1200 day, it's definitely manageable but I want to have more to play with at weekends by reducing a couple of the week days.

dollydiva2

Thanks for all the helpful replies by the way :-)
I think I'll go with the 3500 a week deficit as I only need to lose another 6-7lb to be at a happy weight for my holiday.
Now to make a spreadsheet to plan it and track it (I'm a bookkeeper - I love a spreadsheet! )

Asher_Ethan

If you can handle those extremely low calorie days without a binge I see nothing wrong with what you want to do.

RoxieDawn

Why not just bank a couple of hundred to an "indulge meal or day" and not an all weekend affair? 1200 calories with those numbers you gave is really low to me.

Not trying to rain on the parade, but if I burned that many calories especially on my exercise days, I would need the extra food I am not getting from 1200 to not have brain fog personally. With this said if you are not having any issues with the 1200 calories, are you sure fitbit is right?

dollydiva2

Yes...I've checked my calories burned vs my calories eaten over the last 30 days and the deficit when divided by 3500 works out to almost exactly what I've lost in lbs.
It also tallies quite closely with the TDEE calculator at scoobys workshop which gives me 1844 (if i put my exercise level as sedentary or 2382 with moderate excercise) I do normally burn 2200 to 2300 ish on an exercise day and around 1900 on those I don't according to my fitbit.
1200 is what MFP gave me to lose 1lb a week but I realise it's not one size fits all.

dollydiva2

I'll put it all on my spreadsheet and work out how many I can actually play with a day have a deficit of 3500 and work out the days from there. The figures at the beginning were using 2000 calories a day as a starting point and having a deficit of 5250 so I will have more of an idea then.