Has anybody here cut 100 calories a day for and lost weight?

fastforlife1
fastforlife1 Posts: 459 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
A friend just posted this story, and I wondered if there were any MFPers who have tried this and suceeded (or failed)!
Cut 100 Calories a Day -- Lose 10 Pounds a Year
The last thing you want to do right about now is go on a diet. (Okay, it's pretty much the last thing you want to do ever.) Luckily you can zap the bulge without resorting to rabbit food. The trick: Eat just a little less. Scientists at Harvard and Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge found that people who lowered their calorie intake lost an average of 13 pounds in six months no matter what kind of diet they were on.

Replies

  • katamus
    katamus Posts: 2,363 Member
    3500 calories in a pound. So yes, cutting 100 out a day would technically work. But you have to figure out your TDEE and how much you're actually eating for this to work properly. If I'm eating 3000 calories a day (with a TDEE of 1700) and only cut out 100 calories.. That's not going to work.

    I am at a 300 or so calorie deficit (per day). You don't have to starve. I don't consider it a diet. I eat what I like and try to hit my daily goals for protein/fat/carbs. I'm just controlling my portions.
  • onyxgirl17
    onyxgirl17 Posts: 1,722 Member
    It's hard to cut 100 calories because of faulty estimates and such.......
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    A deficit is a deficit. Small deficits such as 100 calories per day has its pros and cons.

    Pros:
    1)Not much of a change in dietary or exercise habits since you are just reducing TDEE by 100 calories.
    2)It likely has the least affect on metabolic depression compared to larger deficits.
    3)Does not hinder performance or training for athletes.
    4)Ideal for persons very lean and with only a few lbs to lose and meticulous with their diets.
    5)Weight recovery is quick since you need to only increase intake or reduce exercise by 100 calories.
    6)Smallest potential for fat redeposition during and following weight recovery.

    Cons:
    1)Fat loss is extremely slow, even for larger individuals who have higher rates of fat loss.
    2)Small inaccuracies of calculating food intake can spoil progress.
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
    I think it depends on the person. People whose weight slowly crept on could lose weight this way (I gained weight eating over by an average 40-50 calories extra per day for three years). But people who are emotional eaters, binge eaters, or gaining weight from medical problems probably could not use that.
  • rosecando
    rosecando Posts: 33 Member
    you'd probably make up for it elsewhere foodwise. I read once that 1 can of beer added a day to a meal and no other changes could lead to 8 to 10 kilo gain.
  • Helen_Luvnlife
    Helen_Luvnlife Posts: 230 Member
    I gained my weight slowly. Probably 5-10 lbs a year. So I was probably eating about 100 extra calories a day. So why wouldn't it work reducin that much. Just a slower weight loss
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    It is totally reasonable. Most of all of us with a little to lose simply didn't gain it all in a few weeks, happened over years. The reverse can be done.

    Just, we are mostly impatient and want it off faster than it came on. :)
  • 17ChargerGirl17
    17ChargerGirl17 Posts: 441
    My problem with this, is I would not be happy with losing 10 lbs in a year.
    I realize it took 13 yrs for me to pack it on, I don't want it to take that long to take it back off.
    LOL
  • emtjmac
    emtjmac Posts: 1,320 Member
    If my goal was to lose 10 pounds a year I would question my commitment to losing weight.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    That's kind of what I've been doing the past two months. I'm eating about 100-150 below maintenance (but only logging Monday through Friday), and losing about 1/3 a pound a week.

    I don't care that much about losing. I'm more doing it as a buffer against the parties and bbqs and other weekend indulgences.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    That depends entirely on how much you're eating to begin with. If you're eating 4,000 calories a day (and not moving much), cutting 100 a day would just slow your gain.
  • bizorra
    bizorra Posts: 151 Member
    Seems silly but the little story on this site about Mary and the Diet Rollercoaster really changed how I look at "dieting"

    http://calorieline.com/tools/tdee

    My days vary, a lot, so rather than focus on each day being perfect, I try and look at the long-term average and how that relates to the TDEE of my goal weight, realising that how I track is not 100% accurate.

    Can't say yet how successful this strategy's been :)
  • fastforlife1
    fastforlife1 Posts: 459 Member
    3500 calories in a pound. So yes, cutting 100 out a day would technically work. But you have to figure out your TDEE and how much you're actually eating for this to work properly. If I'm eating 3000 calories a day (with a TDEE of 1700) and only cut out 100 calories.. That's not going to work.

    I am at a 300 or so calorie deficit (per day). You don't have to starve. I don't consider it a diet. I eat what I like and try to hit my daily goals for protein/fat/carbs. I'm just controlling my portions.
    Whatever you are doing must be working girlfriend!

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