What is my daily calorie deficit?

momof3babes

May be a dumb question, but what is the daily calorie deficit already set by MFP, or does it depend on what your loss is set at? I have my loss set at 1.5 lbs. per week. If my BMR is 1,428 and it sets me at 1,200 calories for the day, am I only deficiting 228 calories? (not taking in workout calories to account) Or is it more b/c BMR is what you burn if you were to stay in bed? Just curious as I try to look at my weekly deficits and plan accordingly. Thanks friends!!

ladyhawk00

It is determined by what you chose as your loss per week goal (2 lbs, 1 lb, etc.) However, MFP has a lower limit of 1200 cals, because that is recommended by health experts as the minimum amount required by the average woman to receive adequate nutrition.

With how much you have to lose, I would NOT recommend 1.5 lbs per week. Likely you will do better with 1/2 lb per week. Choosing too high of a loss per week goal usually backfires. I'd recommend reading these threads that can help you determine a healthy, realistic loss per week goal. Good luck to you!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

mkennedym

well, i think that mfp in general doesn't go below 1200 calories. losing 1.5 lbs a week by laying in bed would require you to go below 1200 calories a day in consumption, but fortunately you are not confined to bed, so if you want to lose 1.5 lbs a week, make sure you are eating properly and get some exercise every day. your activity level at that point is going to have to be pretty decent in order for you to hit your goals.

erickirb

May be a dumb question, but what is the daily calorie deficit already set by MFP, or does it depend on what your loss is set at? I have my loss set at 1.5 lbs. per week. If my BMR is 1,428 and it sets me at 1,200 calories for the day, am I only deficiting 228 calories? (not taking in workout calories to account) Or is it more b/c BMR is what you burn if you were to stay in bed? Just curious as I try to look at my weekly deficits and plan accordingly. Thanks friends!!

go to goal on your home page, and look at the top right, calories burned from normal daily activity level, that is your maintenance and your deficit is calculated based on that, not your BMR, as your BMR does not accounting for any activity at all. If you maintenance is 1800 calories and you set for 1.5lbs/week that would put you at 1050, as 1.5lbs/week is a deficit of 750/day, but MFP will not put you below 1200, so you will lose more like 1.2lbs/week. But I agree with the earlier poster that your goal should be 0.5, maybe 1.0/week at most.

momof3babes

Thanks guys. I am not really shooting for more than 1 lb. a week. That's difficult enough achieve!