How big a deficit can I have?

leesey147
leesey147 Posts: 9 Member
edited December 2024 in Getting Started
I’m 5ft3” and currently 154lb. Have managed to lose 10lb fairly quickly over the last 3 weeks by eating between 1000-1200kcal a day. But I’m reading that this will not be effective going forward.
I believe my maintenance calories are around 1600 so my deficit really isn’t huge. I don’t particularly want to eat more as I need bigger losses than 0.5-1lb a week to stay motivated. If I stay at my current intake will my weight loss just stall?
I really am not a keen exerciser and have 2 young children at home that makes it difficult to even get steps in because we go at a snails pace.
I want to lose another 20lbs and I want to do it fairly quickly. I already know the answer... exercise. But any other helpful advice will be welcome!

Replies

  • Grace_spaceship
    Grace_spaceship Posts: 80 Member
    It's great that you are trying to lose weight/get healthy! A 600 calorie deficit is quite big and might be difficult to keep up long term because you might end up having low energy from not eating enough. If you aren't really increasing your exercise then as you lose weight your matinience calories will decrease so your weight loss rate will slow down. If working out isn't really a viable option you can try to increase other activity in your life in other small ways, for example if you use a dishwasher then doing the dishes by hand can burn extra calories. Try not to get discouraged if you feel like you aren't losing weight fast enough, all progress is good no matter how slow!
  • shirazumdraws
    shirazumdraws Posts: 63 Member
    leesey147 wrote: »
    I’m 5ft3” and currently 154lb. Have managed to lose 10lb fairly quickly over the last 3 weeks by eating between 1000-1200kcal a day. But I’m reading that this will not be effective going forward.
    I believe my maintenance calories are around 1600 so my deficit really isn’t huge. I don’t particularly want to eat more as I need bigger losses than 0.5-1lb a week to stay motivated. If I stay at my current intake will my weight loss just stall?
    I really am not a keen exerciser and have 2 young children at home that makes it difficult to even get steps in because we go at a snails pace.
    I want to lose another 20lbs and I want to do it fairly quickly. I already know the answer... exercise. But any other helpful advice will be welcome!

    There's a fare chance you won't like my answer but I will write it anyway. I wish someone said this to me when I was losing weight. Things would have been much different and easier.

    So, this 1000-1200 calories, will you be able to maintain eating this much for the rest of your life? What would happen/how would it affect you, if you are 20 pounds lighter in 10 weeks instead of the 20-40 weeks time frame, in fairly regular pace?

    Now to answer your question, our mechanism is quite smart. Regular low calorie consumption sets our metabolism slightly lower since we are consuming less food, hence less food to process, and body adapts/becomes efficient using lesser fuel. I would still argue 1000-1200 calories should still help you lose weight. The question is if it is still healthy or not. Also, if you are still lowering your calories under 1000/1200, probably be also prepared for mental breakdown, hair loss (because your body needs to survive, hair is a lesser business for it then), mood swing and god forbid binge and many other things people really don't talk about when it comes to losing weight.
  • leesey147
    leesey147 Posts: 9 Member
    Yeah I know those numbers don’t make sense in that 3 week period but I definitely didn’t eat less than 1000kcal per day. Maybe my maintenance is slightly higher.
    Definitely my motivation is the biggest problem. When progress is slow I just lose interest.
    I have to do it slow and steady then I guess.
  • leesey147
    leesey147 Posts: 9 Member
    I think I’m probably finding it hard to accept that I’ve let myself get to this place that I really hate and feel embarrassed about and I’m looking for a quick fix to feel better.
    But obviously it’s not going to work out long term, or at all, trying to cheat my way to a goal.
  • harper16
    harper16 Posts: 2,564 Member
    The minimum a sedentary female should be eating is 1200 calories. If you only have 20 lbs to lose then .5 lbs a week is healthy weight loss. Slow and steady is the best approach.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    leesey147 wrote: »
    I think I’m probably finding it hard to accept that I’ve let myself get to this place that I really hate and feel embarrassed about and I’m looking for a quick fix to feel better.
    But obviously it’s not going to work out long term, or at all, trying to cheat my way to a goal.

    I absolutely can relate to this feeling.

    I was actually shocked with my weight when I finally saw it at the doctor's office.

    Anger can be a good motivator, though. I also used a carrot on a stick. I planned a big vacation in a hot tropical location 10 months from the time I started to lose weight. I got to a healthy BMI two weeks before I left. Bathing suits and shorts and tank tops can be highly motivating!
  • hipari
    hipari Posts: 1,367 Member
    cmriverside wrote: »
    leesey147 wrote: »
    I think I’m probably finding it hard to accept that I’ve let myself get to this place that I really hate and feel embarrassed about and I’m looking for a quick fix to feel better.
    But obviously it’s not going to work out long term, or at all, trying to cheat my way to a goal.

    I absolutely can relate to this feeling.

    I was actually shocked with my weight when I finally saw it at the doctor's office.

    Anger can be a good motivator, though. I also used a carrot on a stick. I planned a big vacation in a hot tropical location 10 months from the time I started to lose weight. I got to a healthy BMI two weeks before I left. Bathing suits and shorts and tank tops can be highly motivating!

    Oh yes. I went shopping today, getting some basics and loose-cut tops to tide me over until I can get a real new wardrobe. After shopping, I went to the gym, and the motivation was definitely there.
  • leesey147
    leesey147 Posts: 9 Member
    Thank you all for the advice/feedback.
    Facing up to a few home truths can be painful. I do need to make a change and commit to it.
    We should be going on big family holiday next summer so if I can feel confident in a bikini that would be amazing.
  • leesey147
    leesey147 Posts: 9 Member
    Another question..
    On the app I adjusted my goal from 2lb a week loss which gives me 1200kcal to 1lb a week which gives me 1230kcal.
    How would I calculate a more accurate figure for the one pound loss because 30kcal a day can’t be the difference between a 1lb loss and a 2lb loss surely?

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    leesey147 wrote: »
    Another question..
    On the app I adjusted my goal from 2lb a week loss which gives me 1200kcal to 1lb a week which gives me 1230kcal.
    How would I calculate a more accurate figure for the one pound loss because 30kcal a day can’t be the difference between a 1lb loss and a 2lb loss surely?

    It's because you are hitting the minimum that MFP won't get let you go below, if there was an option to lose 3lbs a week (I'm glad there isn't that option!!) it would still show 1200.
    Remember in reality 1200 + exercise calories is what that goal means.

    Give 1230 + exercise calories an extended trial and then you will know how to adjust for a sensible and sustainable weight loss.


  • harper16
    harper16 Posts: 2,564 Member
    edited June 2020
    The minimum calories MFP will give is 1200. For me to lose 2 lbs a week I'd have to be in a 1000 calorie a day deficit, or only eat 1067 calories a day. (That's never going to happen.) So mfp as to give me 1200 calories since it can't give me lower.

    For me to lose a .5 lb a week it puts my calories closer to 1800.

    What are your calories at .5 lbs a week?
  • leesey147
    leesey147 Posts: 9 Member
    1480 for a 0.5lb loss
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,672 Member
    Also, underscoring: You set up for 2 pounds a week, at first, and actually lost more than 3 pounds a week. Now, since that wasn't a full menstrual cycle (betting you're premenopausal age), and it included your first weeks of calorie restriction (the first couple can be an unusually big drop, though not universally), 3+ pounds per week may be somewhat overstated.

    However, your actual experience in real life is more important than what any so called calculator says. (In reality, they don't "calculate", they estimate . . . and that goes for fitness trackers, too).

    If you're actually losing 3+ pounds a week (we're not sure, looking forward), then you can eat around 1000 calories daily more than you've been eating, and still lose a pound a week. Even though you don't have long-enough of reality-based data to be certain, I think you'd be perfectly safe adding 500 to what you're currently eating daily. I think you'll still lose at a good rate, possibly still a too-fast rate.

    I started here at literally your current weight (in 2015), truly sedentary outside of exercise, though I'm a little taller (5'5"), but much older (59 then, 64 now). MFP estimated 1200 for me, too. (That's not a terrible estimate for many of my demographics, BTW - including age.) I ate back all exercise calories, on top of that (probably 300 or so daily, most days). I lost faster than estimated, lots faster. I corrected quickly. Still, I got weak and fatigued, and it took multiple weeks to recover. With small children to keep up with, you don't want that to happen. (With small children, it's very unlikely you're truly sedentary, too.)

    (As an aside: I lost most of my weight, down to my current 130-ish, at 1400-1600 net calories and up, in practice more like 1700-1900 gross calories and up, after the exercise. RIght now, I'm losing super slowly - intentionally - at 1850 plus exercise.)

    I'd suggest you eat at least 500 more calories daily, and monitor for another several weeks. Staying strong and healthy is a good and useful thing. Losing weight "too slowly" is a mildly frustrating thing. Between health/energy risk and frustration, I know - from experience - which one I'd personally choose.

    Best wishes: You can do this!
  • leesey147
    leesey147 Posts: 9 Member
    edited June 2020
    Thank you that’s interesting.
    Yes I’m 32. I’ve recently gone on the mini pill and my periods are all over the place as well. I don’t know how much this is going to affect my weight.
    I see what you’re saying that potentially I could be eating a lot more but I think the 3lb per week loss has to be a fluke. If I added on 500 cals I’d pretty much be eating what I need just to maintain my weight.
    I will be going back to my part time work soon which is a fairly active job. But running round after the kids is literally the only ‘exercise’ I do.
    I have been pretty snappy and irritable lately. I‘ve put this down to feeling frustrated and fed up with being stuck at home (covid-19). And potentially mood changes because of the aforementioned pill.
  • leesey147
    leesey147 Posts: 9 Member
    tdeecalculator.net estimates 1659 for maintenance so I’m using that as a starting point.
    I am listening and really appreciate your advice. I want to do it right and be successful.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,040 Member
    Your deficit is created by calories burned versus calories consumed. You CAN'T just keep lowering your calories because it WILL impact your nutritional RDA's and minerals needed. So the factor here is exercise. Now if you can't or won't do exercise, then increase your NEAT. NEAT stands for "nonexercise activity thermogenesis". For example when you do laundry and are putting it away, put it away one article at a time. All the walking back an forth will knock your steps up obviously. If you go out, park further away, use stairs instead of escalators/elevators, and even fidget when you sit.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • leesey147
    leesey147 Posts: 9 Member
    Ok I will up the calories and see what affect that has.
    I will think of the last 3 weeks a a big kick start and now can go more sensibly.
  • mousergeorge
    mousergeorge Posts: 2 Member
    When my kiddos were smaller, I would put them in a double walking stroller and go for a long walk. You will be able to get more movement in each day. Be creative and try to find ways for you to be active while at home with them. Walking laps around the backyard while they play? See what you can come up with! :-)
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