Learning about caloric deficit

irahoremore
irahoremore Posts: 10 Member
edited June 2020 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, I am a 23 year old female, 5'2 124lbs with a fat percentage of 23%, I've been hearing about caloric deficit a lot to help with weight loss and I am not really educated to understand and I'm confused about it, I eat about 1400 cal a day and burn about 700 cal daily, should I consume 1400 cal still or 2100 cal?...and if possible what would be the caloroc deficit for it? Thank you in advance!

Replies

  • harper16
    harper16 Posts: 2,564 Member
    Use mfp and let that help calculate your calories. Log any exercise separate and eat back those calories. Healthy weight loss is .5 lbs a week.
  • irahoremore
    irahoremore Posts: 10 Member
    Hanibanani2020 wrote: »
    Your bmi is tight in the middle of normal weight range. I would focus on building muscle rather than losing weight. So focus on recomp.

    Thank you look into it! But it's hard to recomp if you are limited or no weights...
  • irahoremore
    irahoremore Posts: 10 Member
    harper16 wrote: »
    Use mfp and let that help calculate your calories. Log any exercise separate and eat back those calories. Healthy weight loss is .5 lbs a week.

    Thank you! I'm still experimenting, and learning about nutrition, this helps a lot!
  • Hanibanani2020
    Hanibanani2020 Posts: 523 Member
    irahoremore wrote: »
    Hanibanani2020 wrote: »
    Your bmi is tight in the middle of normal weight range. I would focus on building muscle rather than losing weight. So focus on recomp.

    Thank you look into it! But it's hard to recomp if you are limited or no weights...

    Not really. Use body weight resistance. Get creative or buy weights to use at home if you can splurge. It’s fun working out at home
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    This is a very good read and also explains the acronyms you will see thrown around as well as explaining different ways to estimate your overall calorie needs (MyFitnessPal is unusual in how it accounts for your exercise).....
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets/p1

    Start with having a think about whether losing weight is the the right option for you - as you are a good weight for your height and 23% body fat (if accurate) is also in the "fitness" range for women.

    If it is the right option then it's probably best to do it slowly. (Meaning if 2100cals is accurate as an estimate of your daily needs to maintain weight you wouldn't cut many calories from that number to lose weight slowly.)

    What are your goals because goals determine choices?

    Remember body weight exercises by the way if your access to weights / resistance equipment is limited.

  • Mithridites
    Mithridites Posts: 600 Member
    edited June 2020
    irahoremore wrote: »
    Hanibanani2020 wrote: »
    Your bmi is tight in the middle of normal weight range. I would focus on building muscle rather than losing weight. So focus on recomp.

    Thank you look into it! But it's hard to recomp if you are limited or no weights...

    Bodyweight exercises and yoga come to mind. Also items around the house can give a beginner a jumpstart on weight training. Think gallon jugs of water, etc, or bigger ones of liquid washing detergent. And for my next trick... I will bench-press my dog :D
    Seriously though, you are at an optimal weight for your height and age. I checked. So I vote ‘recomp’ too. I think you will be pleased with the results.
  • irahoremore
    irahoremore Posts: 10 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    This is a very good read and also explains the acronyms you will see thrown around as well as explaining different ways to estimate your overall calorie needs (MyFitnessPal is unusual in how it accounts for your exercise).....
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets/p1

    Start with having a think about whether losing weight is the the right option for you - as you are a good weight for your height and 23% body fat (if accurate) is also in the "fitness" range for women.

    If it is the right option then it's probably best to do it slowly. (Meaning if 2100cals is accurate as an estimate of your daily needs to maintain weight you wouldn't cut many calories from that number to lose weight slowly.)

    What are your goals because goals determine choices?

    Remember body weight exercises by the way if your access to weights / resistance equipment is limited.

    Hi! Thank you! I read the post just now and it does explained a lot, I do a lot of cardio such as jogging for 20 to an hour and jumping rope for 30mins at max my only problem is the nutrition part mostly... And my goals mainly is to look leaner and lose a good amount of fat, since I'm an emergency responder...
  • irahoremore
    irahoremore Posts: 10 Member
    Mithridites wrote: »
    irahoremore wrote: »
    Hanibanani2020 wrote: »
    Your bmi is tight in the middle of normal weight range. I would focus on building muscle rather than losing weight. So focus on recomp.

    Thank you look into it! But it's hard to recomp if you are limited or no weights...

    Bodyweight exercises and yoga come to mind. Also items around the house can give a beginner a jumpstart on weight training. Think gallon jugs of water, etc, or bigger ones of liquid washing detergent. And for my next trick... I will bench-press my dog :D
    Seriously though, you are at an optimal weight for your height and age. I checked. So I vote ‘recomp’ too. I think you will be pleased with the results.

    Copy that and thank you! I'll research more into recomp, since I am fairly new to the term, and just heard it today, and the bench pressing your dog seems kinda fun, but I think my cat will do it for now 😅...
  • Hanibanani2020
    Hanibanani2020 Posts: 523 Member
    I legit used to bench press my dog 😂. Guinea pigs are good for hand weights too
  • missysippy930
    missysippy930 Posts: 2,577 Member
    Hanibanani2020 wrote: »
    I legit used to bench press my dog 😂. Guinea pigs are good for hand weights too

    Cans of food too.
  • Hanibanani2020
    Hanibanani2020 Posts: 523 Member
    missysippy930 wrote: »
    Hanibanani2020 wrote: »
    I legit used to bench press my dog 😂. Guinea pigs are good for hand weights too

    Cans of food too.

    Cans poop less so that’s a plus
  • irahoremore
    irahoremore Posts: 10 Member
    missysippy930 wrote: »
    Hanibanani2020 wrote: »
    I legit used to bench press my dog 😂. Guinea pigs are good for hand weights too

    Cans of food too.

    Ohhh thats a nice one, I could def use that.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    edited June 2020
    irahoremore wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    This is a very good read and also explains the acronyms you will see thrown around as well as explaining different ways to estimate your overall calorie needs (MyFitnessPal is unusual in how it accounts for your exercise).....
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets/p1

    Start with having a think about whether losing weight is the the right option for you - as you are a good weight for your height and 23% body fat (if accurate) is also in the "fitness" range for women.

    If it is the right option then it's probably best to do it slowly. (Meaning if 2100cals is accurate as an estimate of your daily needs to maintain weight you wouldn't cut many calories from that number to lose weight slowly.)

    What are your goals because goals determine choices?

    Remember body weight exercises by the way if your access to weights / resistance equipment is limited.

    Hi! Thank you! I read the post just now and it does explained a lot, I do a lot of cardio such as jogging for 20 to an hour and jumping rope for 30mins at max my only problem is the nutrition part mostly... And my goals mainly is to look leaner and lose a good amount of fat, since I'm an emergency responder...

    To get leaner your options are a calorie deficit to lose weight / lose fat or recomp - staying (roughly) the same weight and simultaneously adding muscle and losing fat.
    But jogging and jumping rope are not going to help you to gain significant amounts of muscle - you may get some small gains if those things are novel to you but I think you whether you choose to lose or maintain weight you should add a strength training element which may well help you with your job too.
  • irahoremore
    irahoremore Posts: 10 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    irahoremore wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    This is a very good read and also explains the acronyms you will see thrown around as well as explaining different ways to estimate your overall calorie needs (MyFitnessPal is unusual in how it accounts for your exercise).....
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets/p1

    Start with having a think about whether losing weight is the the right option for you - as you are a good weight for your height and 23% body fat (if accurate) is also in the "fitness" range for women.

    If it is the right option then it's probably best to do it slowly. (Meaning if 2100cals is accurate as an estimate of your daily needs to maintain weight you wouldn't cut many calories from that number to lose weight slowly.)

    What are your goals because goals determine choices?

    Remember body weight exercises by the way if your access to weights / resistance equipment is limited.

    Hi! Thank you! I read the post just now and it does explained a lot, I do a lot of cardio such as jogging for 20 to an hour and jumping rope for 30mins at max my only problem is the nutrition part mostly... And my goals mainly is to look leaner and lose a good amount of fat, since I'm an emergency responder...

    To get leaner your options are a calorie deficit to lose weight / lose fat or recomp - staying (roughly) the same weight and simultaneously adding muscle and losing fat.
    But jogging and jumping rope are not going to help you to gain significant amounts of muscle - you may get some small gains if those things are novel to you but I think you whether you choose to lose or maintain weight you should add a strength training element which may well help you with your job too.

    Thank you once again, I'll see to it, since I'm still experimenting, especially on the nutrition part, I sure want to put resistance or any kind of strength training maybe...soon...this really helps a lot!
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,833 Member
    Cans of food in socks tied together make great weights that are easy to hold.

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