1000 calorie deficit NOT for people with healthy BMI

NatashaAlexandra

Bumping for you Although it sounds to me like you'd be underweight at 5ft 9 and a UK dress size 8, but I'm not an expert!!!

Well I used to be a size 8 a couple of years ago and I was the exact same height, but my BMI etc was healthy, I think I was JUST above the underweight category - but in reality I did look completely healthy, I think it is only my height that makes it seem 'underweight' but it wasn't really at all unfortunatley it looks like it will take me forever to get back to that size now!!! Don't know how I became a 10/12 - felt like it happened overnight! Now it's a killer to lose any weight!!

Lanfear

Bumping for you Although it sounds to me like you'd be underweight at 5ft 9 and a UK dress size 8, but I'm not an expert!!!

Well I used to be a size 8 a couple of years ago and I was the exact same height, but my BMI etc was healthy, I think I was JUST above the underweight category - but in reality I did look completely healthy, I think it is only my height that makes it seem 'underweight' but it wasn't really at all unfortunatley it looks like it will take me forever to get back to that size now!!! Don't know how I became a 10/12 - felt like it happened overnight! Now it's a killer to lose any weight!!

Fair enough Like I said I'm not an expert!

ladyhawk00

Very interesting reading all of this!
My BMI is a low 20.6 - as I am 139 pounds and 5'9.. BUT i used to be only 126pounds a couple of years ago or even less.
I currently am on the jobhunt, so I don't lose many calories in my every day life, apart from when I exercise or go out at weekends.
Since last June, I have been maintaining my calorie consumption to be between 1200-1400 a day, and most days I do about 20 minutes of weight training, 10 minutes of sit ups, and usually 10 minutes of cardio.
Between June and now, I have seen NO significant weight loss, other than my stomach being more toned. My arms are still as 'flabby' and my legs are still as chunky.
I have only lost 1 pound, but I think that is more due to the exercise than the calorie deficit. According to this site, my calorie deficit is 640 as I am inactive, so surely if that is the case I would've lost more than 1 pound over all of these months?
Yet as you say, I gain weight more easily now - but I never seem to go much further than 1600 calories EVER.. It's almost like my body is now used to this amount of calories and is processing it normally, but surely I cannot go any lower than 1200 because as you say, my BMI is very healthy so therefore I don't need to reject as many calories.
Does anyone have a clue what I need to do or what is going wrong? I've tried to hard to lose weight and nothing is happening so I feel like giving up all the time!!

(P.s.. people may be wondering why I want to lose weight when my BMI is healthy and i am not overweight - I used to do catalogue modelling and gained weight in the past 2/3 years so now I am a UK size 10-12 instead of a UK size 8, and I really want to go back to an 8 as I was confident back then)

There could be a lot of things happening, but my guess is that your deficit is far too large. Already being at a healthy weight, what you really want to be doing is strengthening and toning. That may help shed a few more pounds, and will give you definition - which looks a million times better than just "skinny" IMO.

At any rate, your deficit should be no more than 250-300, so you probably want to change your loss per week goal to 1/2 lb - and then make sure you eat all of your exercise cals. Try that for a month or two and see - I bet you'll see some loss.

As a side note, I'm 5'9' and 177 - and I eat close to 2000 most days and lose weight each week.

ladyhawk00

That's workout list is fantastic, thank you Can I just add that I flippin HATE squat thrusts with a vengeance??! and thanks to Ladyhawk for her last comment as well.

Last question and then I'll leave you peace LOL. Given that I am currently 145lbs, and am aiming for about 135-140lbs, what would be a good daily calorie goal? I am starting to suspect that the 1200 allocated is too low, although I do add 300-350 exercise calories to that most days. Should I re-set it manually, as I've done it 2/3 times now and MFP always comes out with 1200??

For where you are, I don't think it should be under BMR. If it was me, I would keep it set at 1/2 lb per week and increase activity level to lightly active (at least - or wherever gets the cal goal higher than BMR). Or you could manually set it to 100-200 under maintenance (you'll see maintenance cals under goals,) at the top right. Try that for a month or two and see what kind of results you get. That said, you'll definitely want to be measuring. The scale isn't going to tell you much at this point. But measurements and body fat percentage will give you an idea of what's on underneath.

fteale

Why is it always assumed that aiming for the 1200 cal daily limit IS having a 1000 deficit? My BMR is about 1500, so to have a 1000 cal deficit I'd only be eating 500 cals a day, which would be insane. At the rate I am set to on here I have a 300 cal deficit, and have lost 4lbs in 2 months, so clearly quite slowly! I have gained a lot of muscle, though.

I do agree with whoever said there is no healthy way to make yourself underweight, which seems to be what some people are aiming for.

SHBoss1673

Why is it always assumed that aiming for the 1200 cal daily limit IS having a 1000 deficit? My BMR is about 1500, so to have a 1000 cal deficit I'd only be eating 500 cals a day, which would be insane. At the rate I am set to on here I have a 300 cal deficit, and have lost 4lbs in 2 months, so clearly quite slowly! I have gained a lot of muscle, though.

I do agree with whoever said there is no healthy way to make yourself underweight, which seems to be what some people are aiming for.

fteale, BMR isn't your maintenance calories, maintenance calories is actually between 1.2 to 1.5 times your BMR, depending on your daily activity level. That doesn't mean I assume 1200 calories means a 1000 calorie deficit. I don't, which is why, when I'm asked for my opinion by someone, I usually first ask them for their stats, so I can do my own calculations and help them from a stance of knowledge instead of assumption.

Also, while I'm sure you've gained a lot of strength, if you're at a caloric deficit, I don't believe you gained much in the way of muscle, since the two don't normally coexist. you gain muscle at a caloric surplus usually. You can retain muscle at deficit, and even improve strength at deficit, but it's close to impossible to gain actual muscle while in deficit.

cowlover22

Yeah people dont realize that eating to few cals screws your body up. My BMI is 16.7 and if I eat anywhere from 500 cals a day to 1000 cals a day I gain weight now (wasnt always like that) but if I eat my 3600 cals I am supposed to my body goes crazy and I actually lose...my problem I cant stick with the high cals for my body to get straighteened out! We all underestimate the number of cals..that is how I came to this site to use the cal counter..even though my BMI is low I bet my body fat is on the high side since I cant work out.

Lanfear

That's workout list is fantastic, thank you Can I just add that I flippin HATE squat thrusts with a vengeance??! and thanks to Ladyhawk for her last comment as well.

Last question and then I'll leave you peace LOL. Given that I am currently 145lbs, and am aiming for about 135-140lbs, what would be a good daily calorie goal? I am starting to suspect that the 1200 allocated is too low, although I do add 300-350 exercise calories to that most days. Should I re-set it manually, as I've done it 2/3 times now and MFP always comes out with 1200??

For where you are, I don't think it should be under BMR. If it was me, I would keep it set at 1/2 lb per week and increase activity level to lightly active (at least - or wherever gets the cal goal higher than BMR). Or you could manually set it to 100-200 under maintenance (you'll see maintenance cals under goals,) at the top right. Try that for a month or two and see what kind of results you get. That said, you'll definitely want to be measuring. The scale isn't going to tell you much at this point. But measurements and body fat percentage will give you an idea of what's on underneath.

That's fantastic, thank you so much to you and Boss for taking the time to help :flowerforyou: Much appreciated!

Lanfear

That's workout list is fantastic, thank you Can I just add that I flippin HATE squat thrusts with a vengeance??! and thanks to Ladyhawk for her last comment as well.

Last question and then I'll leave you peace LOL. Given that I am currently 145lbs, and am aiming for about 135-140lbs, what would be a good daily calorie goal? I am starting to suspect that the 1200 allocated is too low, although I do add 300-350 exercise calories to that most days. Should I re-set it manually, as I've done it 2/3 times now and MFP always comes out with 1200??

For where you are, I don't think it should be under BMR. If it was me, I would keep it set at 1/2 lb per week and increase activity level to lightly active (at least - or wherever gets the cal goal higher than BMR). Or you could manually set it to 100-200 under maintenance (you'll see maintenance cals under goals,) at the top right. Try that for a month or two and see what kind of results you get. That said, you'll definitely want to be measuring. The scale isn't going to tell you much at this point. But measurements and body fat percentage will give you an idea of what's on underneath.

Me again, sorry :blushing: - can I just check, I have gone to "home" and then "goals" and I presume that my maintenance calories are the bit where is says "Calories burned from normal daily activity" - is that right? For me it says 1700 so I was planning to set my daily calorie goal to 1400 or 1500 and see what happens (I will also be adding exercise cals on top of that, so I guess I will be eating around 1800 or so). Am I looking in the right place? Thank you again!

ladyhawk00

For where you are, I don't think it should be under BMR. If it was me, I would keep it set at 1/2 lb per week and increase activity level to lightly active (at least - or wherever gets the cal goal higher than BMR). Or you could manually set it to 100-200 under maintenance (you'll see maintenance cals under goals,) at the top right. Try that for a month or two and see what kind of results you get. That said, you'll definitely want to be measuring. The scale isn't going to tell you much at this point. But measurements and body fat percentage will give you an idea of what's on underneath.

Me again, sorry :blushing: - can I just check, I have gone to "home" and then "goals" and I presume that my maintenance calories are the bit where is says "Calories burned from normal daily activity" - is that right? For me it says 1700 so I was planning to set my daily calorie goal to 1400 or 1500 and see what happens (I will also be adding exercise cals on top of that, so I guess I will be eating around 1800 or so). Am I looking in the right place? Thank you again!

Yep

Lanfear

Yep

Thanks hun! :flowerforyou:

ladyhawk00

Bump

ladyhawk00

Bump...again...

Tree72

Thank to everyone who has contributed to this discussion. And thank you very much Boss for that list of body weight exercises. I'm working with a trainer right now who's giving me excellent things to do at the gym, but I won't always have her and it's so nice to have a convenient list for all the major muscles all in one place.

ladyhawk00

Bump. Bump. Bump.

ladyhawk00

:drinker:

atomdraco

bump

kehowe83

bump

ladyhawk00

Bump....again....

cmriverside

bump