Anybody create a deficit mostly through exercise?

Sailor_Moon86

endlessfall16 wrote: »

Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »

I'm 5'3.5 135-138 female looking to get down to 125. I run 35-40 miles per week and according to Scoobys calculator, I maintain at 1670. So because I run so much, I usually hit 1670 since I get hungry. Sometimes 1600. Sometimes, last week, I hit 1700-1800 twice. You can see my diary.

Anyway I've been losing about .75 a week on average when I do the math since 11 months ago. But I feel like these past 3 weeks have been kinda slow. I feel like I should be in lower 130s by now. Should I eat less calories?

Oh I also strength train for 40 min 3 X a week so that's about another 300 cals burned, plus about 3500 or so with running

Sure, if you have a *consistent* workout schedule. That's the key.

In hindsight I think that's what I've been doing. I didn't expect to lose more than 2 lbs/week which every calories website told me. But as soon as I strictly followed the cal number given, the loss got into hyper drive. My sport sessions have been consistent for years. If I had eaten the maintenance cal number, I still would have enough deficit to lose 1.25/lbs per week.

For curiosity I pondered about your running vs my tennis. I can't handle 4-mile running (on treadmill) every other weekday and that's only a fraction of what you do.

Yup. Super consistent. Will increase weekly mileage to 50 by August. Otherwise I'd have no choice but to eat less. And really, I'm running to get better, so weighing less helps. For marathon goals.

shrcpr

daniwilford wrote: »

Because I am a short, 5'2", older, mid 50"s, female. It is difficult for me to be in a calorie deficit without exercise. Without exercise, I maintain at about 1500 calories. On my one rest day a week, I try to eat only 1200 calories, I would hate having to do that everyday to lose.

+1

I carry a 250 calorie deficit at 1300. I can't eat that low every day so exercise about that much most days. On non exercise days I just am hungry or break out the tuna and berries.

sanfromny

2fat4knees wrote: »

muscle weighs more than fat...are you measuring hips, waist, etc?? The scale is not the only measurement of fat loss. I always have a deficit from exercise but, if I "eat" it, I don't lose any weight....

Oh boy...not this^^^^ So a pound of bricks weigh more than a pound of feathers? NO...never will. Will they take up the same amount of space..no because what is different is the shape and make up, Fat is a big funky blob and muscle is lean and smooth so although it in appearance one appears smaller than the other they are in fact the same weight.

intangiblemango

It sounds like you have a good plan to me. You have to fuel your body if you are running a lot of miles per week or you're going to be miserable! I think a lot of people who are not active really underestimate how many calories you can murder as an athlete. Eating like you are sedentary is just not appropriate for someone who is running 30-50 miles a week. Fueling your body means eating more calories (so 'creating the deficit primarily through exercise', although I probably wouldn't use that wording for mindset reasons), but as long as you are below your TDEE, you'll keep losing.

Sailor_Moon86

intangiblemango wrote: »

It sounds like you have a good plan to me. You have to fuel your body if you are running a lot of miles per week or you're going to be miserable! I think a lot of people who are not active really underestimate how many calories you can murder as an athlete. Eating like you are sedentary is just not appropriate for someone who is running 30-50 miles a week. Fueling your body means eating more calories (so 'creating the deficit primarily through exercise', although I probably wouldn't use that wording for mindset reasons), but as long as you are below your TDEE, you'll keep losing.

I know- the math never fails and weight loss isn't linear (especially when I average it out- haven't updated my weight here) and it does really come out to .75. Just so close and it's frustrating. Like today I'm at 1500 because I've been grazing and haven't had time to sit and eat a meal. No way I'll be satisfied with 100 calories lol. I wil eat at least 300, so it's like...should I just subtract from tomorrow? I'm kind of banking calories because this weekend I know I'm going to go drinking. Want to have at least a 3500 cal deficit.

Livgetfit

HorrorGeekLiz wrote: »

2fat4knees wrote: »

muscle weighs more than fat...are you measuring hips, waist, etc?? The scale is not the only measurement of fat loss. I always have a deficit from exercise but, if I "eat" it, I don't lose any weight....

This is a huge pet peeve of mine and I wish this phrase would die already. Muscle does not weigh more than fat. One pound is one pound whether it is muscle, fat, bricks, or feathers.

Muscle is less dense than fat. It takes up less room. It still weighs the same.

THANK YOU!

whmscll

HorrorGeekLiz wrote: »

2fat4knees wrote: »

muscle weighs more than fat...are you measuring hips, waist, etc?? The scale is not the only measurement of fat loss. I always have a deficit from exercise but, if I "eat" it, I don't lose any weight....

This is a huge pet peeve of mine and I wish this phrase would die already. Muscle does not weigh more than fat. One pound is one pound whether it is muscle, fat, bricks, or feathers.

Muscle is less dense than fat. It takes up less room. It still weighs the same.

Thank you!! This drives me nuts also.

whmscll

My deficit used to be largely created through exercise. I lost weight consistently and got within 3 pounds of my goal weight. But I couldn't keep all of it off. I've gained about 10 pounds back. Partly because I did not keep tracking calories, but also because a couple of back injuries impacted my ability to work out. I was so used to my deficit coming from exercise that I had trouble adjusting to a deficit created by diet alone.

Christine_72

I would very much struggle staying in a deficit without exercise. I rely on it to keep me within my appropriate weight loss calories.

Karstey050

I have to exercise to have enough of a deficit to lose weight. I'm at the minimum calorie limit (1200). If I don't exercise, I only burn about 1500 calories/day. So I briskly walk 2 miles 6 days per week. That gives me another 240 calories/day burned.

Karstey050

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