Switching to a deficit: trying for 6 weeks

gallicinvasion

LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »

Yep its hard to go back to deficit I've been sitting at the top end of my maintenance range for months, even started to creep up a tad higher so I've HAD to get my head back in gear and on a losing streak once again - its hard because for 7 years I maintained pretty darned effortlessly...but snacks can creep in and become regular and they do make a difference over time so needs must. I'm active by nature, so that part isn't an issue, but its oh so easy to eat more than I should.

For me this time I'm managing on IF and doing 16:8, it feels a great way to easily cut 250-300 calories from my day. Its not for everyone but at least I don't feel I'm depriving myself.

Its easier to nip 4 or 5lbs in the bud than 10+ imo

YES to your last sentence. I am letting that idea be my guide 😂

cmriverside

I think that thought (easier five than ten) is what finally got me to watch closely. It's even easier to catch three than five.

First year of maintenance is a big juggling act of confusion too...so there's that.

I have my Goal calories on MFP set at 300-400 below what I know to be my maintenance calories. I go "over" every single day by that same amount - but it helps me, though I don't know why.

durhammfp

cmriverside wrote: »

I have my Goal calories on MFP set at 300-400 below what I know to be my maintenance calories. I go "over" every single day by that same amount - but it helps me, though I don't know why.

I have felt that way in the past too, kind of like when I used to put extra money under the monopoly board and then when I most needed it, acted like I had never known it was there to start with. :-)

SummerSkier

How is it going?

gallicinvasion

SummerSkier wrote: »

How is it going?

Thank you for asking! Since my six weeks was just up yesterday, I thought I’d come back and check in!

Overall, I think 1) it was a helpful experiment, 2) I like that I put time parameters in, instead of “must lose 2.5 lbs or else no more
Maintenance calories for me!” and 3) I think it accomplished what I wanted it to do.

I feel less intimidation about deficit calories now. An average of 1,850 calories a day (down from 2,100) was super-do-able once I made each meal slightly smaller. I still went to outdoor get togethers, had a few days where i fit in some alcohol, did 2 outdoor restaurant meals, and was able to do my thing and stay within my calories with pretty minimal impact to how I normally do it. The hardest part was dinners: I had been used to dinners around 550-650 calories and desserts around 350-450, and During the past 6 weeks, it’s been more like 450-550 calorie dinners and 250-300 calorie desserts. I just reduced portions or extras (like buttered bread on the side, or regular salad dressings) and brought back some lower calorie desserts from when I was losing weight. It was also good practice in lowering my portion of dessert foods and practicing being satisfied with that in the evening.

On the weight side, I pretty quickly lost like 2 lbs of water weight and stayed pretty steady at the lower end for most of my 6 weeks, til the last week when my lunch prep was saltier than normal and average weight went up slightly. So I went down from an average of 127-129 lbs at the beginning, to an average of 124-126 right now. All in all, super glad that I didn’t choose a weight loss goal in pounds, and rather just chose to do a time-bound deficit practice, regardless of what the scale showed in the moment.

I feel like I did notice more stress/anxiety over the past 6 weeks. Lots of variables (work, current events, partner going back to teaching, etc) so I can’t say for certain that my mood was affected by a slight deficit. But I’m thinking it could have contributed.

Today is the first day back at 2,100 average (so 2,000 for weekdays and more for weekends). Overall, I’m just really glad I could do this experiment and wean myself off the notion that 2,100 is MY NUMBER and NO ONE can take my calories from me, NOT EVEN ME! 😂

LivingtheLeanDream

Loving this update and am pretty envious that you get to eat so many calories to eat, but the last 6 weeks have taught you a lot.

SummerSkier

That's magnificent and really should be a model for many of us in maintenance. The whole 6 weeks vs lose this much seems to work very well. Another tool to add to the tool box! thank you for checking back in.

Antiopelle

I like your experiment, it is insightful !

AnnPT77

So rational and sensible, and I love that you built yourself that conceptual breakthrough: Congratulations, sounds Perfect-o!

beulah81

gallicinvasion wrote: »

SummerSkier wrote: »

How is it going?

Overall, I’m just really glad I could do this experiment and wean myself off the notion that 2,100 is MY NUMBER and NO ONE can take my calories from me, NOT EVEN ME!
All in all, super glad that I didn’t choose a weight loss goal in pounds, and rather just chose to do a time-bound deficit practice, regardless of what the scale showed in the moment.

This gives so much insight on your thought process during this experiment. Thank you for sharing! Love it! 💐👏