How many deficit days in a row to be detrimental?

endlessfall16
endlessfall16 Posts: 932 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi All,

Do you know how many days the body goes on deficit, example 2/3 of maintenance calories before it becomes detrimental?

I don't think one or two days matter, but I just don't know. Thanks.

Replies

  • erinc5
    erinc5 Posts: 329 Member
    What do you mean? Most of us here for weight loss are eating below maintenance every day. That is how you lose weight. You may experience some bad symptoms while at a deficit - being tired, irritable, hungry, moody etc.. But those symptoms should be very minimal if you have a reasonable deficit.

  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,643 Member
    edited April 2016
    Many people eat in deficit for months or even years on end with no detrimental effect. The real concern would be how deep of a deficit?

    A moderate deficit won't be detrimental provided you are hitting macro and micro nutrient goals pretty regularly.

    Two thirds of maintenance, depending on your TDEE might be a steep deficit and likely unsustainable in the long run.

    Some better questions would be, why rush? Why not do this in a moderate, healthy, sustainable way, learn all the right lessons, and improve your health for the long haul?

    *Edited for errant punctuation.
  • Afura
    Afura Posts: 2,054 Member
    You would be correct, 2 or 3 days shouldn't matter, but see @BecomingBane for some good questions to answer.
  • endlessfall16
    endlessfall16 Posts: 932 Member
    erinc5,
    Sorry, let me try to clarify. I understand we're eating at a deficit, but I am talking about 2/3 deficit. Say, if your maintenance is 1500, and there are days that you meet 1000. How long can you do that before it becomes harmful?

    The way I anticipate my maintenance days ahead is that I won't be logging 100% and I'll be trying to shoot for ball park figures. No worry about surplus. It's the low calorie days that I worry about. I can go on days with eating very less!
  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
    Your body will probably tell you, you'll get tired, grumpy and just feel out of sorts. That's how it works for me.
  • endlessfall16
    endlessfall16 Posts: 932 Member
    BecomingBane wrote: »

    Some better questions would be, why rush? Why not do this in a moderate, healthy, sustainable way, learn all the right lessons, and improve your health for the long haul?

    *Edited for errant punctuation.

    Thanks, I'll be thinking about your point for a while. There's math involved.

    I'm not rushing. It's just that I don't want to log all the time thus a big margin of surplus/deficit is almost inevitable. I have no problem eating much less for days in row to cancel out a gain, but I haven't understood how the body deals with severe deficit yet.

  • ilex70
    ilex70 Posts: 727 Member
    endlessfall16 wrote: »
    erinc5,
    Sorry, let me try to clarify. I understand we're eating at a deficit, but I am talking about 2/3 deficit. Say, if your maintenance is 1500, and there are days that you meet 1000. How long can you do that before it becomes harmful?

    The way I anticipate my maintenance days ahead is that I won't be logging 100% and I'll be trying to shoot for ball park figures. No worry about surplus. It's the low calorie days that I worry about. I can go on days with eating very less!

    Um, not to be nit picky, but if you aren't logging how will knowing a set number of days help? Seems like you wouldn't have the data to make a determination.

    And, agree, if you feel bad that is a clue...or if you are unusually cold, tired, hair falling out, etc.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited April 2016
    endlessfall16 wrote: »
    BecomingBane wrote: »

    Some better questions would be, why rush? Why not do this in a moderate, healthy, sustainable way, learn all the right lessons, and improve your health for the long haul?

    *Edited for errant punctuation.

    Thanks, I'll be thinking about your point for a while. There's math involved.

    I'm not rushing. It's just that I don't want to log all the time thus a big margin of surplus/deficit is almost inevitable. I have no problem eating much less for days in row to cancel out a gain, but I haven't understood how the body deals with severe deficit yet.

    If you are at maintenance and maintaining, you don't have to worry about a deficit. Flexing calories so you are under and over day to day isn't harmful (think of something like IF, which does this intentionally). If you were binging and restricting to an extreme level, sure, but you'd clearly know that.

    Before any damage from over-restricting, you'd notice you were losing weight and could correct it.

    I ate at a 2/3 deficit for months when I was heavier and losing 2 lb/week. I don't think I could do that without noticing and wanting to eat more (on a subsequent day, not necessarily every day) now that I'm around my goal weight, without actively trying to. I don't think it's likely to just happen accidently, but if it does you will see you are losing.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    ilex70 wrote: »
    endlessfall16 wrote: »
    erinc5,
    Sorry, let me try to clarify. I understand we're eating at a deficit, but I am talking about 2/3 deficit. Say, if your maintenance is 1500, and there are days that you meet 1000. How long can you do that before it becomes harmful?

    The way I anticipate my maintenance days ahead is that I won't be logging 100% and I'll be trying to shoot for ball park figures. No worry about surplus. It's the low calorie days that I worry about. I can go on days with eating very less!

    Um, not to be nit picky, but if you aren't logging how will knowing a set number of days help? Seems like you wouldn't have the data to make a determination.

    And, agree, if you feel bad that is a clue...or if you are unusually cold, tired, hair falling out, etc.

    Well, the hair loss will kick in 2-3 months after the malnourishment event, so one should not look at current lack of hair loss as a gauge to how well one is eating presently.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    endlessfall16 wrote: »
    erinc5,
    Sorry, let me try to clarify. I understand we're eating at a deficit, but I am talking about 2/3 deficit. Say, if your maintenance is 1500, and there are days that you meet 1000. How long can you do that before it becomes harmful?

    I think it is a good question, but the answer depends on individual health factors.

    I have read that a deficit of 500kcals per day leads to a weight loss of 1lb per week, which is generally accepted as safe indefinitely, presuming you are otherwise healthy (but overweight), and you eat all the required nutrients, taking vitamins, if necessary.

    Presuming you need to lose weight, there is no reason you have to lose it that fast, however. A doctor or nutritionalist can advise you in your case.

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