Unrealistic Goal?

ecove

I'd really like to lose 2lbs this week, so my plan of attack is to burn 7,000 calories this week while eating 1,200 calories/day. Does this sound like a good plan to lose 2lbs?

Lindaendall

Doesn't sound too good to me, eating 1200 per day and burning 1000per day gives you net cals of 200!!!

Not enough nurtrition to fuel the strenuous exercise you are proposing.

No problem with you wanting to burn 1000 per day but you really need to eat a percentage of the cals back to ensure your body has the fuel.

Good luck on your journey

Linda

IveLanded

How much do you weigh now?

When I was overweight, I easily burned 2lbs a week without having to have that high a burn. But I would think that could be difficult and unhealthy if you are not overweight.

lamarnnem

Makes sense I'm on a 2lbs per week loss and I'm burning between 850-1050 a day in calories yet I eat 2270 per day. I never eat my workout calories back. Counter productive if your trying to lose weight.

ilovedeadlifts

you're eating way too little and then working out too much.


how about setting long term goals and sticking to them.

CantarellaMiyani

No, that doesn't sound good at all. What sounds good is figuring out your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure), INCLUDING the exercise, and eating 1000 calories a day under that. I guarantee you'll be netting more than 200 a day, which is good, because you need more than that. Much more than that.

Eating 1200 a day and burning 1000 a day doesn't leave your body enough fuel to keep its heart beating, or breathe. It will not allow you to burn that much.

msafunk

Yeah... that doesn't sound healthy at all.

You should go calculate your TDEE (Google "TDEE calculator"), and subtract 1000 from that number. Depending on your height, weight, age and normal activity level, that could mean that you'll have to NET around 800 calories.

But please only do that for a week. It's not healthy to consistently stay under 1200 calories.

isntbaconhealthy

depends on what you are doing currently? eat 1500-1800 for a while and workout 4-5x a week for 45-60 min. if you arent currently exercising then you better TAKE BABY STEPS and work yourself up to it so you dont quit after a month. baby steps. and keep your chin up

TheRealParisLove

You are going to have to go beyond those limitations, and switch your protein consumption to about 50% of your calories, fat at 30% and carbs at 20%.

Also, cycle your calories by adding back 300-400 every other day. This will keep your metabolism revving and avoid your body using your muscle mass for energy.

SHBoss1673

It has little to do with how many calories you burn exercising, it has to do with the deficit you create. In order to lose 2 lbs a week you must burn 1000 calories a day more than you eat, that is in a perfect world where 100% of weight loss is fat loss and all your hormones and bodily functions cooperate.

if MFP is giving you 1200 calories, but that isn't your maintenance weight, and you don't eat exercise calories, you will in essence be burning much more than 2 lbs a week worth of calories, the problem with this is the human body can only tolerate so much deficit before it reacts and begins to dial back your metabolic functions to compensate. This usually takes a little time,and in the case of people who are obese or morbidly obese it can not show up at all for a long time, but that's something that is different on an individual basis.

The other point is, that's a strategy that takes a lot of dedication and some sacrifice for most people, and this is a major factor in people quitting on a plan. Make the goals less aggressive and you will have an easier time meeting them and being happy (which is a major factor in sustained good health).

ecove

Thanks for your feedback everyone!

My TDEE is 2258; so 1,200 seems more or less on track for what I'm aiming for if eating 1k less than my TDEE is the way to go.

I'll make sure I listen to my body and bump up the food intake if I need to as the week progresses..

kooltray87

Even if your plan leads to 2lbs loss by the end of the week, unless you plan to keep up what you're doing it will probably come back....fast weight loss vs. permanent weight loss....

psuLemon

Realistically, its not going to happen. I have yet to ever see someone consistently lose 2 lbs per week. Your hormones alone will prevent that. NOw if you are morbidly obese, you have a better chance. If not, you might want to look at some general guidelines. If you don't have have much to lose, then you increase the chances of losing lean muscle mass. Muscle is what makes you tight and lean.


If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.