1,200 or 1,700 calories? Deficit or g.w. maintenance?

lublue

I have a question if anyone can help! I calculated my BMR, multiplied it by 1.2 for sedentary (student...) and got 1,884. So I know you can subtract 500-1000 calories to get 1 or 2 lbs weight loss per week. Taking off 1000 takes me below 1,200 so I put my daily goal at 1,200 and therefore have a deficit of just under 700 calories/day (and I don't beat myself up if I go a little over every now and then because I know that up to a 500 deficit is fine.) I don't tend to eat back exercise calories at the moment, when I exercise more regularly I sometimes do.

So that's all fine. I have lost weight eating 1,200 calories and hopefully still am.

But then I read (in a few places) that you should never eat less than at maintenance level for your goal weight? Which for me, I think would be around 1,764. Now that is a LOT more calories and 1) I don't think I'd be particularly hungry enough, and 2) would think I'd gain or at least not lose weight.

Er I guess the question is is that true about eating only at maintenance for your goal weight?

tmt2003

It depends on how quickly you want to lose it. I know the guys on fat2fit radio promote the idea of eating at maintenance of your goal. You will lose because it's less than your maintenance at your present weight, but do the math : that's only a 120 cal deficit a day for you (at your present weight, it will be even less of a deficit as you lose): it would take you roughly 29 days to reach a 3500 calorie decicit and a 1 pound weight loss. They promote the approach to loosing weight because the slower it comes off, the more successful you will be and once you reach your goal you would have already been living at that lifestyle for long.

Does that answer your question?

Personally thats not for me. I am doing similar that what you are doing now:500-700 calorie deficit a day.

Teresa

lublue

It depends on how quickly you want to lose it. I know the guys on fat2fit radio promote the idea of eating at maintenance of your goal. You will lose because it's less than your maintenance at your present weight, but do the math : that's only a 120 cal deficit a day for you (at your present weight, it will be even less of a deficit as you lose): it would take you roughly 29 days to reach a 3500 calorie decicit and a 1 pound weight loss. They promote the approach to loosing weight because the slower it comes off, the more successful you will be and once you reach your goal you would have already been living at that lifestyle for long.

Does that answer your question?

Personally thats not for me. I am doing similar that what you are doing now:500-700 calorie deficit a day.

Teresa

hey thanks for answering - yeah that is helpful I get it. I think it does seem a bit silly to only eat at a 120 deficit - we are still going to be losing weight at a slow enough pace for it to be sustainable.
So if its just a matter of the slower the better there's only so slow you can go!