calorie deficit question!

Nickysmom126
Nickysmom126 Posts: 82
edited November 12 in Health and Weight Loss
I was just wondering, how much of a calorie deficit you need in order to start losing weight? Im new to all this weight loss and trying to eat healthier and work out, so theres alot of stuff, I still don't know!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! :)

Thanks!

Ashley

Replies

  • Rikib004
    Rikib004 Posts: 51
    It seems that a 500 cal per day deficit should lose you one pound per week
  • seekingstrengthX2
    seekingstrengthX2 Posts: 771
    3500 calories = 1 pound.
    Therefore you need a 3500 calorie deficit, per week, to lose 1 pound per week.
    Set up your goals and MFP will tell you how much to eat.
  • Nickysmom126
    Nickysmom126 Posts: 82
    It seems that a 500 cal per day deficit should lose you one pound per week

    Ok thank you! :)
  • Nickysmom126
    Nickysmom126 Posts: 82
    3500 calories = 1 pound.
    Therefore you need a 3500 calorie deficit, per week, to lose 1 pound per week.
    Set up your goals and MFP will tell you how much to eat.

    Ok, thank you! :)
  • lizard053
    lizard053 Posts: 2,344 Member
    Any caloric deficit will cause weight loss. The larger the deficit, the bigger the weight loss, in theory. Never has worked out quite that well for me. For just starting out, I'd say a 250 calorie deficit each day will work. I lost quite a bit, and easily, eating 1600 calories a day of lean protein, complex carbs and fruits and veggies and exercising an average of 30 minutes a day at moderate intensity exercise. The recipe is entirely different my 3rd time around...
  • Nickysmom126
    Nickysmom126 Posts: 82
    Ok, I have another question then, If MFP says I should eat 1360 cals a day, and I eat that. Then I don't have a calorie deficit? Or should I eat under the 1360 calories?
  • itsuki
    itsuki Posts: 520 Member
    If you're new to the site, keep in mind that a 500 calorie deficit does not mean take what the site tells you to eat and subtract 500. The deficit is automatically calculated for you, so make sure you eat as many calories as it suggests!

    Edit: you added your question right before I posted this lol. The answer is eat the 1360 - that has your deficit built in already. Don't aim for being under!

    And if you exercise, you can eat back those calories too.
  • beccarockslife
    beccarockslife Posts: 816 Member
    Ok, I have another question then, If MFP says I should eat 1360 cals a day, and I eat that. Then I don't have a calorie deficit? Or should I eat under the 1360 calories?

    My Fitness pal has already built the deficit in to that figure. Eat your 1360, Eat your exercise calories if they are accurate.
  • fitaliciag
    fitaliciag Posts: 373
    I started at 5'4" and 158 lbs......i ate strictly 1200 calories a day and lost 30 pounds in 4 months by doing p90x. then i hit a plataeu because i wasn't eating enough. I then made sure i had a 500 a day deficit and i started losing again (about a pound a week). once i got down to about 19% body fat, i had to go with a 250 calorie deficit to continue losing (I broke another plataeu).....which gives me 1/2 a pound a week.........but as you lose, it gets harder and slower to lose. so this makes perfect sense.
  • fitaliciag
    fitaliciag Posts: 373
    Ok, I have another question then, If MFP says I should eat 1360 cals a day, and I eat that. Then I don't have a calorie deficit? Or should I eat under the 1360 calories?

    My Fitness pal has already built the deficit in to that figure. Eat your 1360, Eat your exercise calories if they are accurate.


    that's the catch.....this site will only work if you have an ACCURATE way of counting your extra calories burnt (from exercise) to ensure you always have the correct deficit. i have a body bugg, and it has done wonders for me! i broke through two plataeus with it!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    you would lose even at a 1 cal deficit, but it would take about 10 years to lose a pound that way. As long as you stay under maintenance you will lose. 250/day = 0.5lbs/week, 500/day = 1lb/week, 750/day = 1.5lbs/week etc.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Ok, I have another question then, If MFP says I should eat 1360 cals a day, and I eat that. Then I don't have a calorie deficit? Or should I eat under the 1360 calories?

    Go to My Home - Goals page and look that over.

    That is the math and what they are doing. And the footnote there about the fact deficit is already in there before you start doing exercise, exercise means you need to feed the workout by eating more. Or deficit will be too great for the body to support without just slowing down metabolism.
  • ShellyShuey
    ShellyShuey Posts: 162
    If you're new to the site, keep in mind that a 500 calorie deficit does not mean take what the site tells you to eat and subtract 500. The deficit is automatically calculated for you, so make sure you eat as many calories as it suggests!

    Edit: you added your question right before I posted this lol. The answer is eat the 1360 - that has your deficit built in already. Don't aim for being under!

    And if you exercise, you can eat back those calories too.

    REALLY IMPORTANT! Last week I worked my BUTT off, did NOT eat the extra cals and lost 0 pounds -- the nutritionist told me more exercise, more calories in the form of PROTEIN. Good luck! Struggling right along w/you.
  • jamiesadler
    jamiesadler Posts: 634 Member
    I was just wondering, how much of a calorie deficit you need in order to start losing weight? Im new to all this weight loss and trying to eat healthier and work out, so theres alot of stuff, I still don't know!

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated! :)

    Thanks!

    Ashley

    The whole deficit is wrong. Basically you need to burn more than you consumer. You need to figure out what you burn naturally just by being alive and then how much you burn throughout the day and go from there. Just cutting 500 cals a day will not guarantee a pound
  • Nickysmom126
    Nickysmom126 Posts: 82
    Ok, I think I FINALLY get the whole calorie thing, thanks to all of your wonderful replies!! Thank you ALL! :)

    Ashley
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    I was just wondering, how much of a calorie deficit you need in order to start losing weight? Im new to all this weight loss and trying to eat healthier and work out, so theres alot of stuff, I still don't know!

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated! :)

    Thanks!

    Ashley

    This is good info on deficits

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/330934-guide-to-calorie-deficits
  • Nickysmom126
    Nickysmom126 Posts: 82
    I was just wondering, how much of a calorie deficit you need in order to start losing weight? Im new to all this weight loss and trying to eat healthier and work out, so theres alot of stuff, I still don't know!

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated! :)

    Thanks!

    Ashley

    This is good info on deficits

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/330934-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    Ok, great thank you!
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