Calorie def

NIM0719

Hello all, I am here asking for guidance on a calorie deficit. I want to cut, but it’s my first. I have been given so many different answers on what I should be doing. I lift 3-4 days a week for about 30-45 mins. My goal weight is 150, I’m currently 205. I have been told to cut as low as 1200 calories, as high as 2575 calories, I aimed for 1600 myself and none have these have changed anything in my recomp. I have just retaken my measurements and reset my calories to 1800 to start over with a new starting date. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I just want to see the smallest amount of progress to keep me going… thanks.

AnnPT77

Set MFP up for a pound a week weight loss. Set your activity level based on your life before exercise, then estimate exercise calories conservatively and eat those back, too. Follow that recommendation for 4-6 weeks (whole menstrual cycles if that applies, since your profile says "female"). If the first week or two look dramatically different from the weeks that follow (in terms of weight change), ignore those weeks and go for 1-2 more.

After that time period passes, look at your average weight change per week over the whole period. Is it roughly a pound a week? If so, you're golden, keep going. If not, adjust your calorie goal using the assumption that 500 calories per day is roughly a pound a week. (Do the arithmetic for fractional pounds as needed.)

There's nothing as accurate as your own carefully-accumulated experience data for figuring out a sensible calorie goal. Most people will be close to the initial estimate, a few will be noticeably off (high or low), a very rare few will be surprisingly far off in either direction: That's the nature of statistical estimates.

Before that 4-6 weeks is over, if you start feeling weak or fatigued for no other obvious reason, alongside seeming to lose faster than intended, eat a little more. Otherwise, stick with the plan and don't start messing with the variables until you have the 4-6 weeks worth of data and can make changes based on information (vs. impressions/whims, which is all it is when you don't have data ).

As you get lighter, it's likely that you'll need to adjust your calories downward a little because a smaller body burns fewer calories. (However, some people become more mobile/active as they get lighter, and don't see that effect.) Keep an eye on your calorie intake vs. your loss rate, and you'll be able to adjust as needed.

When you get to maybe 10 pounds or so above goal weight, slow the loss to half a pound a week, and focus on practicing the eating and activity patterns you'll use long term to stay at a healthy weight, so that they become routine habits while you still have that small calorie deficit as a cushion.

If you want to be healthy and energetic as well as thin, work on getting good nutrition sometime in there, too.

Wishing you much success!

tomcustombuilder

NIM0719 wrote: »

Hello all, I am here asking for guidance on a calorie deficit. I want to cut, but it’s my first. I have been given so many different answers on what I should be doing. I lift 3-4 days a week for about 30-45 mins. My goal weight is 150, I’m currently 205. I have been told to cut as low as 1200 calories, as high as 2575 calories, I aimed for 1600 myself and none have these have changed anything in my recomp. I have just retaken my measurements and reset my calories to 1800 to start over with a new starting date. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I just want to see the smallest amount of progress to keep me going… thanks.

if your goal is 150 I’ll assume you aren’t very tall so at your current weight you’ll want to prioritize Fatloss and muscle retention.

Your calorie amount will be defined by your overall activity level with your day to day movements being more important than a few weekly exercise sessions.

Your accuracy in calorie counting and tracking will really define your calorie amounts. Go with an amount that seems reasonable and in 4-6 weeks adjust your intake based on progress or lack of it.

yirara

What AnnP said. A moderate weight loss goal and patience. Also, if you're new to weight lifting then expect water retention from muscle repair, which will mask fatloss on the scale. Thus while things might be happening you might not see them immediately. Just remind yourself that patience is key. Also, try to be a bit conservative for extra calories from lifting: those tend to be fairly small. But hey, might account for another small snack, thus enjoy it.

AnnPT77

tomcustombuilder wrote: »

NIM0719 wrote: »

Hello all, I am here asking for guidance on a calorie deficit. I want to cut, but it’s my first. I have been given so many different answers on what I should be doing. I lift 3-4 days a week for about 30-45 mins. My goal weight is 150, I’m currently 205. I have been told to cut as low as 1200 calories, as high as 2575 calories, I aimed for 1600 myself and none have these have changed anything in my recomp. I have just retaken my measurements and reset my calories to 1800 to start over with a new starting date. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I just want to see the smallest amount of progress to keep me going… thanks.

if your goal is 150 I’ll assume you aren’t very tall so at your current weight you’ll want to prioritize Fatloss and muscle retention.

Your calorie amount will be defined by your overall activity level with your day to day movements being more important than a few weekly exercise sessions.

Your accuracy in calorie counting and tracking will really define your calorie amounts. Go with an amount that seems reasonable and in 4-6 weeks adjust your intake based on progress or lack of it.

I don't disagree at all with your good advice here as a generality, @tomcustombuilder, but FWIW OP's profile says she's female. It's not a huge thing, but that might put a little different spin on a 205 pound starting weight with a 150 pound goal.

(A 6'0" woman with a delicate/narrow build might be at a healthy weight at 150 - as one of my very active rowing buddies is - and that's not short. Without knowing OP's height, it's hard to draw conclusions. I'd assume average height just on the odds given no other info, but we don't know.)