750-1000 calorie deficit?

xxzenabxx
xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
edited November 21 in Health and Weight Loss
Has anyone tried to lose weight on a larger deficit than 500 calories? I'm thinking of creating a larger deficit but not sure how. Is it safe and sustainable. I'm currently 160lbs and I just came back from my holiday ans want to lose the post holiday weight quickly.
«1

Replies

  • jasummers76
    jasummers76 Posts: 225 Member
    How many calories are you planning on eating?
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    You *might* be able to do 750 calories for a couple weeks, since it's about 1% of your total weight. But as you get closer to goal, it's going to be harder to sustain. I started at 248 pounds and was fine with a 750-calorie deficit.
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    How many calories are you planning on eating?

    Around 1400 net calories
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    It's hard to have that large a deficit at your size. When I weighed 245 lbs it wasn't hard to lose almost 3 lbs a week, now that I'm 180, 1.5 lbs is more like it. The larger you are, the more calories you need just to maintain your current size and the more fat you have to live off of.

    If you wanted to try it, I would add some exercise to create a larger deficit, rather than trying to cut more calories. Listen to your body and go to a smaller deficit if you need to.

    Yes I was thinking of exercising more. I do love food tbh.
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    You *might* be able to do 750 calories for a couple weeks, since it's about 1% of your total weight. But as you get closer to goal, it's going to be harder to sustain. I started at 248 pounds and was fine with a 750-calorie deficit.

    I like the idea of doing it for a couple of weeks. Probably about 4 weeks? Feeling pretty determined right now.
  • 92joann
    92joann Posts: 67 Member
    I think you're probably just too small to be doing a higher deficit, I'm 217 currently, with a 600 calorie deficit for my bmr, about a 1000 deficit from what I was eating before. I think unless you're bigger, it's just not going to happen, unless you burn an awful lot of calories daily
  • taziarj
    taziarj Posts: 243 Member
    A 1000 calorie deficit is a 2lb per week loss. At only 160, that is pretty aggressive and the reason why many fail. Don't deprive yourself? What is the hurry. Go for a sustainable loss and try to retain muscle mass. With such a heavy deficit, you stand a good chance of losing more muscle than fat.
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    taziarj wrote: »
    A 1000 calorie deficit is a 2lb per week loss. At only 160, that is pretty aggressive and the reason why many fail. Don't deprive yourself? What is the hurry. Go for a sustainable loss and try to retain muscle mass. With such a heavy deficit, you stand a good chance of losing more muscle than fat.

    Okay fine 1000 calorie deficit is too much but I don't see the harm in doing 750 calorie deficit for a few weeks.
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    Generally considered to be safe levels of deficit are 20% of TDEE (25% of TDEE while obese).
    Determination and will-power is not relevant.
    People can and do sustain un-healthy deficits all the time.

    My TDEE is between 2100-2300 depending on how much I workout (normally 5 times a week). If I eat 1600-1700 calories and burn additional 300 calories through exercise it shouldn't be too aggressive. I don't think I'm starving myself by eating 1700 calories. Going to keep the protein high to maintain muscle mass.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,943 Member
    Have you considered that much of the weight gain is likely water weight? Especially flying, but extended times in other forms of transport do lead to more water weight. For me it usually takes about 7-9 days to get rid of it.

    I came back from a vacation involving three fairly short flights the week before last. I found that I was baout 2kg (4.4lbs?) heavier. Part of it was from eating mostly meat which is something I'm not used to and results in less frequent visits to the loo. The rest was all of a sudden gone tomorrow morning.
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    Have you considered that much of the weight gain is likely water weight? Especially flying, but extended times in other forms of transport do lead to more water weight. For me it usually takes about 7-9 days to get rid of it.

    I came back from a vacation involving three fairly short flights the week before last. I found that I was baout 2kg (4.4lbs?) heavier. Part of it was from eating mostly meat which is something I'm not used to and results in less frequent visits to the loo. The rest was all of a sudden gone tomorrow morning.

    Well I have gained 8lbs and I'm sure it's a mixture of fat and water weight. Either way it needs to be gone asap. I haven't been this heavy in a long time.

  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    8lbs is easily water/travel weight - before you do anything drastic - eat at maintenance for a week, get good sleep, watch your sodium intake - if after a week, if doesn't go down, then reevaluate - but that will allow time for your body to recover from travel etc
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,225 Member
    8lbs is easily water/travel weight - before you do anything drastic - eat at maintenance for a week, get good sleep, watch your sodium intake - if after a week, if doesn't go down, then reevaluate - but that will allow time for your body to recover from travel etc

    100% that. ^^^

    Don't stress your body over nothing.
  • DamieBird
    DamieBird Posts: 651 Member
    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    Have you considered that much of the weight gain is likely water weight? Especially flying, but extended times in other forms of transport do lead to more water weight. For me it usually takes about 7-9 days to get rid of it.

    I came back from a vacation involving three fairly short flights the week before last. I found that I was baout 2kg (4.4lbs?) heavier. Part of it was from eating mostly meat which is something I'm not used to and results in less frequent visits to the loo. The rest was all of a sudden gone tomorrow morning.

    Well I have gained 8lbs and I'm sure it's a mixture of fat and water weight. Either way it needs to be gone asap. I haven't been this heavy in a long time.

    If you ate 28,000 calories over and on top of your maintenance, then, yeah, it might be fat.

    The MOST LIKELY scenario, though, is that it's mostly water weight and you're concerned over nothing. Isn't it easier (and better for your sanity) just wait a week, eat and work out normally, and see where you are than to set yourself up for 4 weeks of a steep deficit? If you really went all out, you might have gained a pound or two of fat, but that'll come off in a reasonable deficit over time. No need to set yourself up to binge.
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    Generally considered to be safe levels of deficit are 20% of TDEE (25% of TDEE while obese).
    Determination and will-power is not relevant.
    People can and do sustain un-healthy deficits all the time.

    My TDEE is between 2100-2300 depending on how much I workout (normally 5 times a week). If I eat 1600-1700 calories and burn additional 300 calories through exercise it shouldn't be too aggressive. I don't think I'm starving myself by eating 1700 calories. Going to keep the protein high to maintain muscle mass.

    If your TDEE WAS 2100-2300, eating 1600-1700 would create a deficit somewhere between 19% and 30%

    If you exercise an additional 300 Calories, your TDEE becomes 2400 to 2600. eating 1600-1700 would create a deficit somewhere between 29% to 38.5%.

    I am having some trouble viewing the second option as being anywhere near "no more than 20% deficit" (25% when obese)

    No my TDEE is around 2100-2300 with exercise so that's inaccurate.
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    DamieBird wrote: »
    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    Have you considered that much of the weight gain is likely water weight? Especially flying, but extended times in other forms of transport do lead to more water weight. For me it usually takes about 7-9 days to get rid of it.

    I came back from a vacation involving three fairly short flights the week before last. I found that I was baout 2kg (4.4lbs?) heavier. Part of it was from eating mostly meat which is something I'm not used to and results in less frequent visits to the loo. The rest was all of a sudden gone tomorrow morning.

    Well I have gained 8lbs and I'm sure it's a mixture of fat and water weight. Either way it needs to be gone asap. I haven't been this heavy in a long time.

    If you ate 28,000 calories over and on top of your maintenance, then, yeah, it might be fat.

    The MOST LIKELY scenario, though, is that it's mostly water weight and you're concerned over nothing. Isn't it easier (and better for your sanity) just wait a week, eat and work out normally, and see where you are than to set yourself up for 4 weeks of a steep deficit? If you really went all out, you might have gained a pound or two of fat, but that'll come off in a reasonable deficit over time. No need to set yourself up to binge.

    Hmm...i would try this but I've just encountered another problem though...found out that we will be gone for the weekend to see some relatives so another dilemma! I just feel like quitting now. My family just wants to socialise and I can't eat right and workout. I'm probably going to end up gaining 10lbs in total.
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    jgnatca wrote: »
    See how easy it is to go from "totally determined" to "quitting"? This is called "all or nothing thinking" and it is a common theme with people who chronically diet.

    http://cogbtherapy.com/cbt-blog/cognitive-distortions-all-or-nothing-thinking

    If you quit, you will be worse off. If you try and bull through a tough deficit with family watching, it's going to be nigh near impossible.

    If you factor in a modest deficit, knowing ahead of time you will be taking a break over family weekend, you will still end up ahead.

    I wish the "woo" button hadn't been turned into a "boo" button, because that deserves a WOO HOO!
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    jgnatca wrote: »
    See how easy it is to go from "totally determined" to "quitting"? This is called "all or nothing thinking" and it is a common theme with people who chronically diet.

    http://cogbtherapy.com/cbt-blog/cognitive-distortions-all-or-nothing-thinking

    If you quit, you will be worse off. If you try and bull through a tough deficit with family watching, it's going to be nigh near impossible.

    If you factor in a modest deficit, knowing ahead of time you will be taking a break over family weekend, you will still end up ahead.

    Of course I'm not going to quit. I was just upset. I wrote I 'feel like quitting' not 'I am quitting'. Well try to lose weight when dinner parties after dinner parties keep piling up with all this food and I'm only 5' 4" so I can gain weight quickly. I'm just sick and tired of losing and gaining the same 10lbs for the past few months because of holidays, events and parties.
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    jgnatca wrote: »
    See how easy it is to go from "totally determined" to "quitting"? This is called "all or nothing thinking" and it is a common theme with people who chronically diet.

    http://cogbtherapy.com/cbt-blog/cognitive-distortions-all-or-nothing-thinking

    If you quit, you will be worse off. If you try and bull through a tough deficit with family watching, it's going to be nigh near impossible.

    If you factor in a modest deficit, knowing ahead of time you will be taking a break over family weekend, you will still end up ahead.

    Of course I'm not going to quit. I was just upset. I wrote I 'feel like quitting' not 'I am quitting'. Well try to lose weight when dinner parties after dinner parties keep piling up with all this food and I'm only 5' 4" so I can gain weight quickly. I'm just sick and tired of losing and gaining the same 10lbs for the past few months because of holidays, events and parties.

    I'm 5'2" so I hear you there. My spouse and I love going out to eat, which was a big contributor to my weight gain in the first place. For a long time I felt like I couldn't lose weight because it would mean becoming a stay-at-home boring person and my husband would divorce me (mostly hyperbole...). It took a lot of trial and error to get to a point where I'm losing weight and still going out regularly - this is the first month since I started that I've lost a full pound a week, as a matter of fact, and I'm still going out to eat about twice a week. But it IS possible. Holidays, events and parties aren't things that happen to you, they're just part of life. It is possible to enjoy those things and lose weight, just not necessarily as fast as you want.
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    jgnatca wrote: »
    See how easy it is to go from "totally determined" to "quitting"? This is called "all or nothing thinking" and it is a common theme with people who chronically diet.

    http://cogbtherapy.com/cbt-blog/cognitive-distortions-all-or-nothing-thinking

    If you quit, you will be worse off. If you try and bull through a tough deficit with family watching, it's going to be nigh near impossible.

    If you factor in a modest deficit, knowing ahead of time you will be taking a break over family weekend, you will still end up ahead.

    Of course I'm not going to quit. I was just upset. I wrote I 'feel like quitting' not 'I am quitting'. Well try to lose weight when dinner parties after dinner parties keep piling up with all this food and I'm only 5' 4" so I can gain weight quickly. I'm just sick and tired of losing and gaining the same 10lbs for the past few months because of holidays, events and parties.

    I'm 5'2" so I hear you there. My spouse and I love going out to eat, which was a big contributor to my weight gain in the first place. For a long time I felt like I couldn't lose weight because it would mean becoming a stay-at-home boring person and my husband would divorce me (mostly hyperbole...). It took a lot of trial and error to get to a point where I'm losing weight and still going out regularly - this is the first month since I started that I've lost a full pound a week, as a matter of fact, and I'm still going out to eat about twice a week. But it IS possible. Holidays, events and parties aren't things that happen to you, they're just part of life. It is possible to enjoy those things and lose weight, just not necessarily as fast as you want.

    So is it possible to lose weight whilst still eating at all these events and parties? I would love to know how!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    jgnatca wrote: »
    See how easy it is to go from "totally determined" to "quitting"? This is called "all or nothing thinking" and it is a common theme with people who chronically diet.

    http://cogbtherapy.com/cbt-blog/cognitive-distortions-all-or-nothing-thinking

    If you quit, you will be worse off. If you try and bull through a tough deficit with family watching, it's going to be nigh near impossible.

    If you factor in a modest deficit, knowing ahead of time you will be taking a break over family weekend, you will still end up ahead.

    Of course I'm not going to quit. I was just upset. I wrote I 'feel like quitting' not 'I am quitting'. Well try to lose weight when dinner parties after dinner parties keep piling up with all this food and I'm only 5' 4" so I can gain weight quickly. I'm just sick and tired of losing and gaining the same 10lbs for the past few months because of holidays, events and parties.

    I'm 5'2" so I hear you there. My spouse and I love going out to eat, which was a big contributor to my weight gain in the first place. For a long time I felt like I couldn't lose weight because it would mean becoming a stay-at-home boring person and my husband would divorce me (mostly hyperbole...). It took a lot of trial and error to get to a point where I'm losing weight and still going out regularly - this is the first month since I started that I've lost a full pound a week, as a matter of fact, and I'm still going out to eat about twice a week. But it IS possible. Holidays, events and parties aren't things that happen to you, they're just part of life. It is possible to enjoy those things and lose weight, just not necessarily as fast as you want.

    So is it possible to lose weight whilst still eating at all these events and parties? I would love to know how!

    Not to be a downer, but I'd find it very difficult. We go out to eat maybe once every 4-5mths at friends houses or restaurants (I'm a total homebody). Other than that, breakfast, lunch and dinner is at home.
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    jgnatca wrote: »
    See how easy it is to go from "totally determined" to "quitting"? This is called "all or nothing thinking" and it is a common theme with people who chronically diet.

    http://cogbtherapy.com/cbt-blog/cognitive-distortions-all-or-nothing-thinking

    If you quit, you will be worse off. If you try and bull through a tough deficit with family watching, it's going to be nigh near impossible.

    If you factor in a modest deficit, knowing ahead of time you will be taking a break over family weekend, you will still end up ahead.

    Of course I'm not going to quit. I was just upset. I wrote I 'feel like quitting' not 'I am quitting'. Well try to lose weight when dinner parties after dinner parties keep piling up with all this food and I'm only 5' 4" so I can gain weight quickly. I'm just sick and tired of losing and gaining the same 10lbs for the past few months because of holidays, events and parties.

    I'm 5'2" so I hear you there. My spouse and I love going out to eat, which was a big contributor to my weight gain in the first place. For a long time I felt like I couldn't lose weight because it would mean becoming a stay-at-home boring person and my husband would divorce me (mostly hyperbole...). It took a lot of trial and error to get to a point where I'm losing weight and still going out regularly - this is the first month since I started that I've lost a full pound a week, as a matter of fact, and I'm still going out to eat about twice a week. But it IS possible. Holidays, events and parties aren't things that happen to you, they're just part of life. It is possible to enjoy those things and lose weight, just not necessarily as fast as you want.

    So is it possible to lose weight whilst still eating at all these events and parties? I would love to know how!

    It's really just numbers. I average by week - some people call it "banking calories" - my diary's open if you want to take a look. I average 3000 calories on nights I go out, 1500 on nights I don't, and over the course of the month it averages out to 1900, which is currently losing me about a pound and a half a week. I set my average to reduce each month as my weight goes down so that I don't catch up to myself, but it keeps the cuts gradual and easy to live with. Plenty of people would have a hard time going between numbers that different, so you've got to figure out what works for you, but it IS possible.

    Okay so I should eat less on the days I'm not being social, so around 1500 calories and then it would give me more room to eat at the parties? Hmm gonna give this a go.
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    jgnatca wrote: »
    See how easy it is to go from "totally determined" to "quitting"? This is called "all or nothing thinking" and it is a common theme with people who chronically diet.

    http://cogbtherapy.com/cbt-blog/cognitive-distortions-all-or-nothing-thinking

    If you quit, you will be worse off. If you try and bull through a tough deficit with family watching, it's going to be nigh near impossible.

    If you factor in a modest deficit, knowing ahead of time you will be taking a break over family weekend, you will still end up ahead.

    Of course I'm not going to quit. I was just upset. I wrote I 'feel like quitting' not 'I am quitting'. Well try to lose weight when dinner parties after dinner parties keep piling up with all this food and I'm only 5' 4" so I can gain weight quickly. I'm just sick and tired of losing and gaining the same 10lbs for the past few months because of holidays, events and parties.

    I'm 5'2" so I hear you there. My spouse and I love going out to eat, which was a big contributor to my weight gain in the first place. For a long time I felt like I couldn't lose weight because it would mean becoming a stay-at-home boring person and my husband would divorce me (mostly hyperbole...). It took a lot of trial and error to get to a point where I'm losing weight and still going out regularly - this is the first month since I started that I've lost a full pound a week, as a matter of fact, and I'm still going out to eat about twice a week. But it IS possible. Holidays, events and parties aren't things that happen to you, they're just part of life. It is possible to enjoy those things and lose weight, just not necessarily as fast as you want.

    So is it possible to lose weight whilst still eating at all these events and parties? I would love to know how!

    Not to be a downer, but I'd find it very difficult. We go out to eat maybe once every 4-5mths at friends houses or restaurants (I'm a total homebody). Other than that, breakfast, lunch and dinner is at home.

    Yepp I'm a homebody too but not my family. I also have three events/parties going on in September. Still trying to get rid of this extra 8lbs that I've gained over the past few weeks.
This discussion has been closed.