Calorie Deficits & Calories Burned

robynswmo
robynswmo Posts: 13 Member
edited December 2 in Health and Weight Loss
Can someone please explain 'Calorie Deficits' regarding Daily Calories Intake AND how Daily Calorie Burns affect Calorie Deficits?

Replies

  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    calorie deficit is the difference between the calories your body uses in a day (calories out, or CO) and the calories you consume (calories in, or CI), when CO > CI. (When CI > CO, the difference is your calorie surplus.)

    I don't know where you're finding the term daily calorie burns and how it is being used -- it could be the same as CO, or it could be limited to CO from intentional/logged exercise. In any case, it would affect CO, and thus your calorie deficit. If CI is constant, a larger CO would create a larger calorie deficit (or smaller calorie surplus, if your CI > CO).
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,187 Member
    Your body needs XXXX number of calories per day to function. This is based on your height and weight. Your daily calorie intake is the calories you get from your food. Your daily calorie burn is the calories that your body uses to function (breathing, digesting, walking around, sleeping,) plus the calories that your body uses when you exercise. If you want to remain at your current weight then you should eat the same number of calories that you burn. If you want to lose weight you need to eat less. This is your deficit. To lose 1 pound per week you need a weekly deficit of 3500 calories or 500 calories per day. My daily calorie burn is 1580 before I exercise. If I want to stay the same weight then that is what I should eat. If I exercise and burn 400 calories then I should eat more. If I want to lose .5 pound per week then I need a 250 calorie per day deficit and my goal is 1330 before I exercise. If I don't do any exercise then I can eat 1330 per day and I will lose a half pound per week. If I exercise then I should eat back my exercise calories. Those are my actual goal numbers and I eat around 1400-1700 calories per day depending on how active I am. Sometimes the calories burned can be overestimated so most people will start out eating 50% of the exercise calories. After a few weeks you can reevaluate and if you are losing too fast eat back more and if you are not losing as expected then eat back less.
  • cwang125
    cwang125 Posts: 76 Member
    For any given body there is a certain amount of calories per day it needs to maintain. This is your maintenance. A deficit would be eating under your maintenance or exercising more.

    There is an energy equation very simplified is calories in - calories out.

    But it's a littler more complex, energy equation looks more like this.

    cba7ofwmn4us.png
  • robynswmo
    robynswmo Posts: 13 Member
    Thank you All.

    MFP gives me a 1200 Calorie/ day based off my Height/Weight and Sedentary Activity Level.

    I work out 6-7 times per week 1- 1:30hrs/ HIIT, Strength Training, Core and Stretch sessions.

    The Sessions range between 1000- 1280 Calorie Burn.

    My Fat % is 53% ... FIFTY THREE.

    EVERY calculator says 1200 calories. A lot of times I come in under about 200+ on days I do not workout or I eat past my 1200 marker.

    However, MOST days I have a surplus ranging between 800+ -1100.

    I was told to eat back the calories I worked off through exercise...?

    Or I will not lose weight.

    This has confused me and now I keep losing and gaining the same 2~4lbs per week.

    Please advise.

    I will be starting the ketogenic or SKD tomorrow.

    Prepared menus:

    60% Fats (Healthy Fats)
    25% Proteins
    15% Carbs

    Or Carbs 40 grams or less... Moderate Protein and Mostly Fats.

    Please advise.


  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    How are you calculating your calorie burns? Those are extremely high for only an hour. I would eat some back since you have your calorie goal set as low as possible, but I wouldn't eat the full amount back since it is so very high.
  • robynswmo
    robynswmo Posts: 13 Member
    How are you calculating your calorie burns? Those are extremely high for only an hour. I would eat some back since you have your calorie goal set as low as possible, but I wouldn't eat the full amount back since it is so very high.

    I use FB online and Young? someone... Their Sessions.

    Should I change the Activity Level?

    This is soo confusing.

    I thought that I should be eating below my daily MFP calorie intake as well as exercising to burn more...?

    But I think I am hearing:

    1. Eat BELOW 1200
    2. Exercise To BURN MORE caloriesto LOSE weight
    3. Eat BACK some of your Exercise Calories (50+ %)
  • robynswmo
    robynswmo Posts: 13 Member
    Eat BACK exercise calories TO LOSE WEIGHT or your body will plateau (starvation mode).
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,187 Member
    The activity level does not include exercise. I would eat back 50% of the exercise calories. Those burns do seem kind of high. Don't worry about starvation mode. That is a myth. You shouldn't eat below 1200 because you won't get the proper nutrition that way. Use a food scale so you know how much you are actually eating. Eat back 50% of your exercise calories. After a few weeks reevaluate. If you are losing faster than expected you can eat more. If you aren't losing as expected eat less.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    robynswmo wrote: »
    How are you calculating your calorie burns? Those are extremely high for only an hour. I would eat some back since you have your calorie goal set as low as possible, but I wouldn't eat the full amount back since it is so very high.

    I use FB online and Young? someone... Their Sessions.

    Should I change the Activity Level?

    This is soo confusing.

    I thought that I should be eating below my daily MFP calorie intake as well as exercising to burn more...?

    But I think I am hearing:

    1. DO NOT Eat BELOW 1200
    2. Exercise To BURN MORE caloriesto LOSE weight
    3. Eat BACK some of your Exercise Calories (50+ %)

    1. Seriously Don't. You want to get adequate nutrition. Eating below 1200 is a recipe for malnutrition and binge eating.
    2. Exercise is good for health. It allows you to eat more while maintaining a deficit of 250-1000 calories per day.
    3. Yep. Start with 50 % and then adjust up or down based on what actually happens. Losing more than you want or more than 2 lbs per week, eat more. Losing less than you want, eat less.

    MFP's base calorie goal is based on:

    Your stats to determine your BMR (calories burnt at complete rest) + calories for daily activity WITHOUT exercise based on activity level you picked = Estimated Calorie Burn before Exercise

    Estimated Calorie Burn Before Exercise - selected deficit (250-1000) = Calorie goal (you will get 1200 if you pick a rate of loss that is too fast for your current weight/activity level)

    When you exercise those calories get added to your estimated calorie burn and to maintain whatever deficit you picked your calories have to increase or your deficit would get to large (which could lead to burn out, fatigue, muscle loss, a case of hangry, etc. ).
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