Define Deficit, Please?

AllieBug25

I'm not exactly sure what "eating at a deficit" means. Does that mean my net calories are in the negative or I am just not eating all of the calories that I am allowed from MFP?

UrbanRunner81

Deficit from your maintenance (what you would have to eat to stay the same weight). If your calories are in the negative you are definitely not eating enough.

IveLanded

I think of it like this...

I need to eat about 1500 calories, minimum, to maintain. So then I run for an hour and burn about 500 calories. So if I only eat 1500 calories that day, my deficit is 500.....I didn't eat back my exercise calories.

monty619

means the body is using more calories than you are taking in... hence a result in weight loss either from fat, muscle, or both.

cmriverside

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Madelinew22

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No sHe's right it's 500. Most ppl do a decicit Of 300-500 from their tdee

susannamarie

I'm not exactly sure what "eating at a deficit" means. Does that mean my net calories are in the negative or I am just not eating all of the calories that I am allowed from MFP?

As long as you have set MFP to "lose" weight, you are eating at a deficit at your calorie goal. A deficit just means you are eating fewer calories than it would take to maintain your weight.

MFP calculates how many calories you would need to maintain your current weight. Then if you want to lose 1lb/week, it subtracts 500 (but won't put you under 1200), so you automatically have a deficit.

AllieBug25

OMG Thanks, guys!!