I know it's been asked a million times but PLEASE!!

lemonsurprise

Caloric deficit.
I'm sorry, I know it's been asked so much, and I'm not a stupid person but it just isn't going in.
I know it basically means that you need to burn more calories than you eat.
But I don't work out, I walk 10,000 steps a day which is only like 300 cal. Apart from that I literally don't do anything. Obviously I'm not going to be eating under 300 cals a day, so I don't understand!!

And when I go to work out my caloric deficit (not that id know what to do with it) on an online calculator, I have 3 different results. I'm so confused!

I'm 15st 7lb. Eating under 1,200 a day. Want to loose 5st in a year. Weight is definitely coming off but I can't read a post on here without seeing them dreaded words.

Thank you in advance!

logg1e

You've forgotten about your BMR - all of the calories your body needs just to live through the day.

Have you put your details in to MFP's calculator with a "sedentary" lifestyle?

lemonsurprise

BMR?
I put lightly active, should I change it?

radmack

If you are manually entering your steps and do nothing else but sit at a desk you should choose sedentary.

Serah87

OP read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

ASG_21

Your BMR is your Basal Metabolic Rate; the amount of calories your body needs just to exist, and what you would need to survive if you were doing nothing but laying in bed all day in a coma. Any activity over your BMR adds additional calories.

For example:
BMR = x
Total activity through the day = y

x + y = Your total calorie needs to maintain your weight, also known as your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure).

Hope this helps!

_Waffle_

But I don't work out, I walk 10,000 steps a day which is only like 300 cal. Apart from that I literally don't do anything. Obviously I'm not going to be eating under 300 cals a day, so I don't understand!!

You're forgetting that you burn calories just to live even if you're a lazy bum on the couch all day. If My Fitness Pal says you should eat 1200 calories a day (Which is pretty aggressive) then that already includes a calorie deficit which will make you lose weight without taking a step out of your house. If you burn an extra 300 calories then your calories are 1200 - 300 = 900 NET calories a day and you're not going to be able to sustain that for too long.

The best thing to do is to eat what MFP tells you and also eat back the extra calories you burn through exercise. I know you're thinking "How does this help?" but this is how it's done. Trust me.

lemonsurprise

Ah ok, thank you.
I changed it on the calculator and it says daily caloric deficit is 1,000.
So I need to eat less than 1000 calories a day or work out more?
Or would that be less than 1,300 as the walking adds up to 300?

yellowsnowdrop

O.K. so here's the EASY way, Log on to a website called Fitness frog (just Google it) and then click on calculators from the drop down menu and you're up and running. It explains what each calculator calculates so there's no room for confusion. Under 1200 cals at your weight is WAY too low and I reckon for your 10,000 steps you're possibly burning WAY more then 300 cals but you'd need to check that out. Eat 1200 cals, walk your steps and if you're loosing weight then why worry.

diannethegeek

BMR?
I put lightly active, should I change it?

BMR is your basal metabolic rate. The calories your body spends just keeping all of your organs and systems working.

When people talk about eating less than they burn you have to take into account those calories and all the calories your body uses doing everyday activities. The total number of calories you burn in your day is called your TDEE and it's this number you need to eat less than. There are a lot of calculators online to get an estimate of yours if you're curious.

jls341

.

RGv2

Ah ok, thank you.
I changed it on the calculator and it says daily caloric deficit is 1,000.
So I need to eat less than 1000 calories a day or work out more?
Or would that be less than 1,300 as the walking adds up to 300?

You eat what your MFP goal is.

Here is a hypothetical person.

BMR (what their body burns in a coma) = 1500

TDEE (what you could eat to maintain weight) = 2500

As a 23 yr old female your TDEE is probably in that 2000 - 2500 range, so you need to eat under that. It's not that you need to burn that many more calories a day, you need to stay under maintenance (what would maintain your weight), which by my guess is in the low to mid 2000's.

Francl27

First, eating under 1200 a day is not healthy, unless you're older and 5" or something.
Second, your BMR is what your body would burn if you were in a coma, pretty much. What you really burn in a day is BMR + activity, and it's called TDEE. Your activity is not just your walks, but everything you do from typing at the computer, cooking etc.

Use MFP, enter your info, put yourself at lightly active, pick a goal (lose 2 pounds a week I guess if you have over 50 pounds to lose), and eat what it tells you. It's as simple as that. It will calculate your deficit for you... just eat what it tells you.

logg1e

Ah ok, thank you.
I changed it on the calculator and it says daily caloric deficit is 1,000.
So I need to eat less than 1000 calories a day or work out more?
Or would that be less than 1,300 as the walking adds up to 300?

The 1000 deficit is the number of calories you will not be eating. It's the deficit that leads to a weight loss. What is the calorie goal that it's set you? That's what you eat.

If you were me I'd say "sedentary" as 10 000 steps a day is an average human just going about their business. Forget about the 300 this earns you. Any other activity I would count the calories, and eat them.

dward59

Ah ok, thank you.
I changed it on the calculator and it says daily caloric deficit is 1,000.
So I need to eat less than 1000 calories a day or work out more?
Or would that be less than 1,300 as the walking adds up to 300?

No, this means it is figuring in AT the level it is suggesting, a deficit of 1,000 calories. Basically stop worrying about this and eat what MFP tells you for calories per day and you will lose weight at about the rate you have requested.

If you exercise a LOT more than you are suggesting, you will want to eat back at least some of the calories MFP says you have burned when you put in your exercise.

The best advice I have is to go back up to the reply that gave you the link to "sexy pants" get past the name if it bothers you and read that thread. It is one of the best written, common sense posts you will find on any weight loss site.

Dobba69

At 15 stones and sedentary you probably need about 2000 calories to maintain weight, plus your 300 calories walking is 2300 per day, your eating less than 1200 calories so there is a 1000 per day deficit.

Dont get hung up on the numbers, create a deficit but dont worry what it is just as long as its a deficit and stick at it, its never going to be an overnight solution, it takes time and its not predictable, you can lose 3lbs one week and nothing the next, then another 1. you might find as your body composition changes you may even put 1lb back on and then lose it again.

Example - ive lost 34kg so far in 6 months - dieting hard and also training hard but sometimes i see a drastic loss each week and sometimes I see nothing or only half a pound.

Stick with it and you will get there, too many people expect to see results week in and week out like there is a quick fix - there isnt BUT - if you stick to the program and accept the fluctuation it will work, but in the mean time see how your diet, health and life style improve.

Its not about just shedding pounds its about changing the lifestyle and mindset that got you to where you are now.

When you have a week where you dont lose think about the positive of your lifestyle and healt for that week and lookforward to next weeks loss.

Its not easy but keep it up and stick with it - ive lost nearly 6 stones and want to lose 1 more - its do-able, you just have to be strong.

Good luck

Justin

lemonsurprise

Ah ok, thank you.
I changed it on the calculator and it says daily caloric deficit is 1,000.
So I need to eat less than 1000 calories a day or work out more?
Or would that be less than 1,300 as the walking adds up to 300?

You eat what your MFP goal is.

Here is a hypothetical person.

BMR (what their body burns in a coma) = 1500

TDEE (what you could eat to maintain weight) = 2500

As a 23 yr old female your TDEE is probably in that 2000 - 2500 range, so you need to eat under that. It's not that you need to burn that many more calories a day, you need to stay under maintenance (what would maintain your weight), which by my guess is in the low to mid 2000's.

Thank you, I do understand it a lot more now. However, my app now says to eat 1,200 (it said more before I changed the "lightly active" but I have still been eating 1,200ish). So I should just stick to that?

And I have gone from eating around 4000 cals to what I am now. I honestly do not feel like I'm starving myself at all, I'm actually REALLY enjoying it, after each meal I'm stuffed for hours and obviously doing minimal exercise, would people say that i still need to eat more because of the large drop in calories?

SingRunTing

Ah ok, thank you.
I changed it on the calculator and it says daily caloric deficit is 1,000.
So I need to eat less than 1000 calories a day or work out more?
Or would that be less than 1,300 as the walking adds up to 300?

No. Calorie deficit of 1000 doesn't not mean eating 1000 calories a day.

What does MFP say you should be eating? That should be your net calorie goal.

So if MFP gives you, say, 1400 calories to eat based on your current weight, goals, and activity levels, you should be netting 1400 calories a day.

That means that with zero exercise, you should be eating 1400 calories a day.

If you are burning 300 calories with your steps, you should be eating 1700 calories a day. 1700 - 300 = 1400 net calories. Always netting 1400 calories.

The 1000 calorie deficit while eating 1400 calories means that your body burns 2400 calories a day with your BMR (what your body burns to survive) plus whatever activity level you selected (not much extra if you selected sedentary, a little more for lightly active, etc.). 2400 -1000 = 1400 net calories. Obviously I pulled 1400 out of mid air, I don't know what MFP set your calories to.

Eat what MFP tells you to eat. Make sure you are putting in your exercise calories and eat most of them back.

The only other issue is what you set your weekly weight loss goal to. Make sure it follows this guidleline:
More than 75 lbs to lose in total: 2 lbs/week
40-75 lbs: 1.5 lbs/week
10-40 lbs: 1 lb/week
Less than 10 lbs: 0.5 lb/week

For more info on how to set your goals see this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

RGv2

Ah ok, thank you.
I changed it on the calculator and it says daily caloric deficit is 1,000.
So I need to eat less than 1000 calories a day or work out more?
Or would that be less than 1,300 as the walking adds up to 300?

You eat what your MFP goal is.

Here is a hypothetical person.

BMR (what their body burns in a coma) = 1500

TDEE (what you could eat to maintain weight) = 2500

As a 23 yr old female your TDEE is probably in that 2000 - 2500 range, so you need to eat under that. It's not that you need to burn that many more calories a day, you need to stay under maintenance (what would maintain your weight), which by my guess is in the low to mid 2000's.

Thank you, I do understand it a lot more now. However, my app now says to eat 1,200 (it said more before I changed the "lightly active" but I have still been eating 1,200ish). So I should just stick to that?

And I have gone from eating around 4000 cals to what I am now. I honestly do not feel like I'm starving myself at all, I'm actually REALLY enjoying it, after each meal I'm stuffed for hours and obviously doing minimal exercise, would people say that i still need to eat more because of the large drop in calories?

Don't know. We don't know all of your stats, so we can't figure out your needs. According to your ticker you have a fair amount of weight to lose, so you can sustain larger deficits. As the weight comes down, that deficit gap needs to close. I'm also going to throw out I highly doubt anyone is "stuffed for hours" at that low of an intake unless they were tiny.

Are you eating 1200 net or gross?

Lives2Travel

The only other issue is what you set your weekly weight loss goal to. Make sure it follows this guidleline:
More than 75 lbs to lose in total: 2 lbs/week
40-75 lbs: 1.5 lbs/week
10-40 lbs: 1 lb/week
Less than 10 lbs: 0.5 lb/week

I see this posted all the time and have wondered if this is conventional MFP wisdom or based on studies? Anyone know?

lemonsurprise

Ah ok, thank you.
I changed it on the calculator and it says daily caloric deficit is 1,000.
So I need to eat less than 1000 calories a day or work out more?
Or would that be less than 1,300 as the walking adds up to 300?

You eat what your MFP goal is.

Here is a hypothetical person.

BMR (what their body burns in a coma) = 1500

TDEE (what you could eat to maintain weight) = 2500

As a 23 yr old female your TDEE is probably in that 2000 - 2500 range, so you need to eat under that. It's not that you need to burn that many more calories a day, you need to stay under maintenance (what would maintain your weight), which by my guess is in the low to mid 2000's.

Thank you, I do understand it a lot more now. However, my app now says to eat 1,200 (it said more before I changed the "lightly active" but I have still been eating 1,200ish). So I should just stick to that?

And I have gone from eating around 4000 cals to what I am now. I honestly do not feel like I'm starving myself at all, I'm actually REALLY enjoying it, after each meal I'm stuffed for hours and obviously doing minimal exercise, would people say that i still need to eat more because of the large drop in calories?

Don't know. We don't know all of your stats, so we can't figure out your needs. According to your ticker you have a fair amount of weight to lose, so you can sustain larger deficits. As the weight comes down, that deficit gap needs to close. I'm also going to throw out I highly doubt anyone is "stuffed for hours" at that low of an intake unless they were tiny.

Are you eating 1200 net or gross?

I eat 1,200 not taking off exercise. I've never been a morning eater and working around my job I eat a big lunch at 2ish and a big dinner at 7ish which is all/most of my calories and I can swear to you I feel full for a long time after eating. Maybe it's just in my head? I don't know but even now, I'm completely bloated from eating a veggie chilli con carne 2 hours ago, in fact too much. It's put me off it!

I was thinking that I'll alter my goal to 0.5 or 1lb per week as I drop some weight, but as I have so much to loose I was expecting it to go fairly quick at the start, with it then slowing down.

persistentsoul

Ah ok, thank you.
I changed it on the calculator and it says daily caloric deficit is 1,000.
So I need to eat less than 1000 calories a day or work out more?
Or would that be less than 1,300 as the walking adds up to 300?

" it says daily caloric deficit is 1,000."

Caloric deficit of 1000 means my fitness pal has already taken 1'000 calories away from the total calories you need to eat to stay the same size you are now. My fitness pal gives you a daily calorie allowance that on average aims for you to lose up to 2lb a week.

On the goals page. Top left under nutritional goals it says
Net Calories Consumed* / Day .................. is the number of calories my fitness pal recomends you eat each day if you want to lose up to about 2lb on average a week. up to 2lb a week is the recomended healthy amount to lose in a week but it may not be exactly that each week. You may naturally lose more first few weeks if have a lot to lose but it slows down to around up to 2lb per week.

As long as you filled in your details of hieght, wieght activity level sedentary etc then all you need to do is eat the "Net Calories Consumed* / Day .................." on your goals page top left. It is also at the bottom of you food log page.

For example lets say mine tells me i can eat 1600calories a day to lose 2lb per week. If i do that then i should lose up to 2lb per week even if i do no extra activity. If i go for a long swim and burn 500 calories then i can eat an extra 500 calories if i want to and still lose up to 2lb a week or i can not eat the extra 500calories i earned swimming. If i dont eat them then i might lose wieght a tiny bit faster but i may find i start feeling tired and unwell.

It is not generally considered wise to eat less than 1000/1200 calories a day unless you are quite short and small boned or are on a medically supervised nutrition plan after gastric surgery or for another medical reason.

RGv2

Ah ok, thank you.
I changed it on the calculator and it says daily caloric deficit is 1,000.
So I need to eat less than 1000 calories a day or work out more?
Or would that be less than 1,300 as the walking adds up to 300?

You eat what your MFP goal is.

Here is a hypothetical person.

BMR (what their body burns in a coma) = 1500

TDEE (what you could eat to maintain weight) = 2500

As a 23 yr old female your TDEE is probably in that 2000 - 2500 range, so you need to eat under that. It's not that you need to burn that many more calories a day, you need to stay under maintenance (what would maintain your weight), which by my guess is in the low to mid 2000's.

Thank you, I do understand it a lot more now. However, my app now says to eat 1,200 (it said more before I changed the "lightly active" but I have still been eating 1,200ish). So I should just stick to that?

And I have gone from eating around 4000 cals to what I am now. I honestly do not feel like I'm starving myself at all, I'm actually REALLY enjoying it, after each meal I'm stuffed for hours and obviously doing minimal exercise, would people say that i still need to eat more because of the large drop in calories?

Don't know. We don't know all of your stats, so we can't figure out your needs. According to your ticker you have a fair amount of weight to lose, so you can sustain larger deficits. As the weight comes down, that deficit gap needs to close. I'm also going to throw out I highly doubt anyone is "stuffed for hours" at that low of an intake unless they were tiny.

Are you eating 1200 net or gross?

I eat 1,200 not taking off exercise. I've never been a morning eater and working around my job I eat a big lunch at 2ish and a big dinner at 7ish which is all/most of my calories and I can swear to you I feel full for a long time after eating. Maybe it's just in my head? I don't know but even now, I'm completely bloated from eating a veggie chilli con carne 2 hours ago, in fact too much. It's put me off it!

I was thinking that I'll alter my goal to 0.5 or 1lb per week as I drop some weight, but as I have so much to loose I was expecting it to go fairly quick at the start, with it then slowing down.

So you eat 1200 and don't eat back exercise cals? That means, if all is accurate, you're netting only 900 calories. I would not advise this approach. I don't buy that approach being "filling for hours", especially for a 23 year old.

krennie8

Ah ok, thank you.
I changed it on the calculator and it says daily caloric deficit is 1,000.
So I need to eat less than 1000 calories a day or work out more?
Or would that be less than 1,300 as the walking adds up to 300?

The 1000 deficit is the number of calories you will not be eating. It's the deficit that leads to a weight loss. What is the calorie goal that it's set you? That's what you eat.

If you were me I'd say "sedentary" as 10 000 steps a day is an average human just going about their business. Forget about the 300 this earns you. Any other activity I would count the calories, and eat them.

That is so not true. The average American only walks 5,117 steps per day (as of 2010).

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/19/the-pedometer-test-americans-take-fewer-steps/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

I would not say she's sedentary. Lightly active seems appropriate. Besides, the sedentary setting is far too low (IMHO) on here.

logg1e

Wow, that's quite shocking. Almost unbelievable. Thanks for correcting me though Krennie, and apologies for the misinformation for US readers.

WalkingAlong

The only other issue is what you set your weekly weight loss goal to. Make sure it follows this guidleline:
More than 75 lbs to lose in total: 2 lbs/week
40-75 lbs: 1.5 lbs/week
10-40 lbs: 1 lb/week
Less than 10 lbs: 0.5 lb/week

I see this posted all the time and have wondered if this is conventional MFP wisdom or based on studies? Anyone know?

All I've seen in support of it is some blogs and non-scholarly articles. I would say it's more of a general RECOMMENDATION from the school of thought that believes shallower deficits cause less muscle loss, which itself isn't very supported by studies.

People post it here as if it's part of the actual MFP plan (it isn't) or is something that is dangerous to not follow (it's not).

Lives2Travel

The only other issue is what you set your weekly weight loss goal to. Make sure it follows this guidleline:
More than 75 lbs to lose in total: 2 lbs/week
40-75 lbs: 1.5 lbs/week
10-40 lbs: 1 lb/week
Less than 10 lbs: 0.5 lb/week

I see this posted all the time and have wondered if this is conventional MFP wisdom or based on studies? Anyone know?

All I've seen in support of it is some blogs and non-scholarly articles. I would say it's more of a general RECOMMENDATION from the school of thought that believes shallower deficits cause less muscle loss, which itself isn't very supported by studies.

People post it here as if it's part of the actual MFP plan (it isn't) or is something that is dangerous to not follow (it's not).

Thanks. That's what I thought.

FindingAmy77

BMR?
I put lightly active, should I change it?

yes, because you are only getting in 10,000 steps a day. never eat under 1200. its not good for you and wont make much of a difference except make you feel deprived. just eat what mfp gives you and try to up them steps gradually. Eat basic and as nutritious as you can. It will come off if you log honestly and accurately by weighing and measuring them portions.