Deficit and Net Calories..

amandabcdefg

I am still very very confused about net calories and deficit.

If I have more to lose, it is okay to have a larger deficit? I have about 70 lbs to lose. MFP tells me to eat around 1200 calories a day, before exercise. After a work out (I know its overestimated on the app) I have burned 800-1100 calories, so it says.

So I guess my question ends up being, is it okay for me to have a higher deficit since I have a bigger amount of weight to lose? Can I eat my required 1200 and still lose? I don't want to send my metabolism into starvation mode and cause me to slow down or hurt myself or anything..

Brooks088

I have had the same thoughts/problems since I started. I was way too low on calories when I first started...but I seem to do much better when I do eat the 1200 calories we are supposed to on here. I burn between 700-800 calories most days exercising. Fitness pal says I am low but that seems to be the "norm" on here.

Natihilator

I'm no expert but I think that as long as you stay above at or above 1200 net cals (or whatever your BMR is depending on who you ask), it's really trial and error to see how your body responds. MFP doesn't factor your exact metabolic rate or percentage of lean body fat into it's calculations

jlr_12

let's say you do burn 800 calories in a workout...and you eat 1200..that would leave you with only 400 calories left your fuel your bodily functions. That is not nearly enough. Your BMR is the amount of calories your body uses just to live (ie. in a coma). If you eat under your BMR then you're not even getting enough calories for daily functions. If you exercise on top of that...there's even less for you to live off. I started off on 1200 calories and I was losing, but I ate all of my exercise calories back (as MFP is set up for you to do..). If you're going to have a goal of 1200 calories, PLEASE eat all or most of your exercise cals back so that your body can continue to function properly. I actually upped my cals to 1500 because after reading a lot on here, I learned that 1200 is not enough calories to maintain muscle while losing weight (which is very important, and will in turn help you lose MORE weight). You have to eat to lose. Don't be scared of food. It's delicious and it is what makes your body work.

BaileyBoo13524

I used to be so confused by this, but I've found that if my net is at least 1200 I'll still lose, but according to my BMR my body needs over 1400 calories to function daily so I always try to net that amount, but some days I just can't eat that much hope this helps I was so confused about this for so long and feel that I've finally figured it out good luck!

amandabcdefg

Thanks for the responses! I do believe its a trial and error type of thing. I have tried eating into my calories burned, and thats when I got stuck and even gained.. I didn't eat back my workout calories the past few days, and I'm back to my last weigh in weight.. I'm just so confused what my body wants!

cbrewer904

BUMP

anabell31

This clears up a lot, I had the same question!

Tiffany919

when you have a lot to lose, your body will utilize your fat stores. eating 1200 and not eating any calories back should work well for you. your metabolism shouldn't slow as long as you're working out.

when you get down to only 20 or 30 pounds to lose, that's when you need to eat a minimum of your BMR. your body will consider itself healthy and won't want to lose that weight. jillian michaels has a book on this called making the cut.

the girls on biggest loser are at 1200 and working out all day. their bodies are using their fat stores to fuel their bodies' needs.

KareninCanada

If I have more to lose, it is okay to have a larger deficit? I have about 70 lbs to lose.

The only context where I've seen people talk about having huge deficits and being okay is people who have two or three hundred pounds to lose and are under a doctor's supervision.

MFP tells me to eat around 1200 calories a day, before exercise.

That's what it tells EVERYONE who sets their weight loss at 2lb/week. That's just the minimum number it will allow, because taking in less than that will starve your body of nutrients. You might eat enough to feel full, but you're not providing adequate fuel.

Can I eat my required 1200 and still lose? I don't want to send my metabolism into starvation mode and cause me to slow down or hurt myself or anything..

Depending on your height/weight/age, you can probably eat 1500+ and still lose. Eat what MFP tells you, including exercise calories, or else figure out your own minimum number of daily calories (an easy calculation is BMR + 30%) and stick to it. For a couple of weeks you might gain because your body will be saying "Yahoo! Feast!! Grab it all before we have another famine!!!" But once you stabilize you'll likely find you're losing again, and more easily. Your body will more happily release fat when it knows it's going to be fed consistently.

KareninCanada

the girls on biggest loser are at 1200 and working out all day. their bodies are using their fat stores to fuel their bodies' needs.

The calorie count depends who you ask... but yes, they are definitely burning their fat stores. They're working hard enough that Jillian herself said it wouldn't be safe for the average person and it's only okay because of the environment and the ever-present doctors.



Calories are adjusted for each person for height and weight, and age and gender are also factored in. Many of the contestants are diabetic and that affects their dietary needs — although may of them see their diabetes disappear in the course of the show. They all need to eat to sustain the level of exercise we put them through. My rule of thumb for weight loss is to eat something every four hours, four or five small meals throughout the day instead of three big ones, so you never get really hungry and tempted to binge.

- Bob Harper


Season Three winner Kai Hibbard spoke out against the "Biggest Loser" program in an interview with Body Love Wellness, estimating that contestants were only eating between 1000 and 1200 calories a day. Hibbard claims she developed an eating disorder while on the show.

amandabcdefg

Well I have been working out later at night some days. I do the 30 day shred in the afternoon at home, but still try to get some more cardio in at the gym 5 days a week. Sometimes I cant get to the gym until around 6 or 7pm, and I will be there for an hour and a half... so what am I to do with my work out calories when they are accumulated later in the day like that? Like tonight, I came home and had dinner and it ended up only being around 400 calories total, and I'm left with a lot of calories left from working out.

jacksonpt

Well I have been working out later at night some days. I do the 30 day shred in the afternoon at home, but still try to get some more cardio in at the gym 5 days a week. Sometimes I cant get to the gym until around 6 or 7pm, and I will be there for an hour and a half... so what am I to do with my work out calories when they are accumulated later in the day like that? Like tonight, I came home and had dinner and it ended up only being around 400 calories total, and I'm left with a lot of calories left from working out.

eat more throughout the day when you know you're going to be burning cals in the evening.

gorden05

BUMP

Tiffany919

If I have more to lose, it is okay to have a larger deficit? I have about 70 lbs to lose.

The only context where I've seen people talk about having huge deficits and being okay is people who have two or three hundred pounds to lose and are under a doctor's supervision.

MFP tells me to eat around 1200 calories a day, before exercise.

That's what it tells EVERYONE who sets their weight loss at 2lb/week. That's just the minimum number it will allow, because taking in less than that will starve your body of nutrients. You might eat enough to feel full, but you're not providing adequate fuel.

Can I eat my required 1200 and still lose? I don't want to send my metabolism into starvation mode and cause me to slow down or hurt myself or anything..

Depending on your height/weight/age, you can probably eat 1500+ and still lose. Eat what MFP tells you, including exercise calories, or else figure out your own minimum number of daily calories (an easy calculation is BMR + 30%) and stick to it. For a couple of weeks you might gain because your body will be saying "Yahoo! Feast!! Grab it all before we have another famine!!!" But once you stabilize you'll likely find you're losing again, and more easily. Your body will more happily release fat when it knows it's going to be fed consistently.

good info

psuLemon

For long term success, minimizing the deficit is critical. What happens when you eat below your BMR? Your body adapts and starts to slow down the metabolism. This is expanded on by the lose of lean muscle mass. Large deficits create an avenue for a body to turn the amino acids in their muscles into energy as they aren't receiving it from food. Essentially, improperly fueling the body is leading to a slower metabolism. Slower metabolism means you burn less calories which make it harder for long term success as demonstrated by many many many plateaus. As you approach your goal you should be reducing your deficit. Right now, you should be at 1 lb to 1.5 lb per week (the smaller one is generally better to reduce the chances of muscle loss). If you have trouble getting calories, either eat more throughout the day or eat higher calorie foods (nuts, peanut butter, avocado, protein shakes/bars or cook in extra virgin olive oil).