Is my calorie deficit too big?
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HealthyEllie98
Posts: 17
Hi everyone!
After gaining weight doing an 8 week metabolism reset, then losing it again and breaking through my 6 month plateau, I actually posted a success story in this group a while back.... but soon after I did, I stopped counting calories, became lazy, and I began to gain weight back... so I had to start again.
I started off this new year with good intentions to get back on track and finally make it to my goal, and I was counting my calories and exercising regularly- I was trying to lose one pound a week, so I was creating a deficit of around 500 calories. (My TDEE is 2200, I was eating 1650-1850) I made sure I never netted below my BMR, because I now know the ramifications of doing that, after experiencing it first hand last year. 2 weeks into the new year, I had lost 2 pounds, and half an inch off my waist and thighs. I expected I could keep losing weight at this rate for just four more weeks, as I was only about 4 pounds away from my goal.
Just after I measured that progress, I decided I was going to try to continue losing weight WITHOUT counting calories, because I feared I was becoming too obsessive, and I was just sick to death of worrying about how much every little morsel I ate would add up to. So I deleted the MFP app off my phone, and tried to continue eating around the same amount I was when I lost weight, just listening to my body-eating when I'm hungry, stopping when I'm full- and doing the same exercise.
2 weeks later, on my next weigh in and measure day, I saw NO progress. Just none. I thought it was because I had eaten sweets and other unhealthy food several days of those 2 weeks, due to social things etc. But the thing was, I had been exercising, and making sure it still added up to around 1700-1800 calories a day (I occasionally added it up in my head when i was worried if i had gone over)
NOW, almost 2 weeks since that day, I don't think I can see any progress on my body. I will weigh myself and measure this sunday, and then i will know for sure. But I can't see any visible progress like I could after the first 2 weeks of the new year. It was quite obvious, I could actually SEE it in the mirror. But I can't this time.
I'm starting to get worried- I don't want to get stuck in ANOTHER plateau! But if I am, do you think it might be because eating 1700 calories a day is too little for me? Should I increase it to more like 1850-1900? Do you think that might help kick start the weight loss again? The thought of doing another reset just kills me. I thought that I was going to be completely done losing weight by the beginning of this year.... this year, I definitely do NOT want to have to gain more weight, then have to lose it all over again. Doing that last year was really not a great experience for me.
Any replies will be greatly appreciated- I really need help.
After gaining weight doing an 8 week metabolism reset, then losing it again and breaking through my 6 month plateau, I actually posted a success story in this group a while back.... but soon after I did, I stopped counting calories, became lazy, and I began to gain weight back... so I had to start again.
I started off this new year with good intentions to get back on track and finally make it to my goal, and I was counting my calories and exercising regularly- I was trying to lose one pound a week, so I was creating a deficit of around 500 calories. (My TDEE is 2200, I was eating 1650-1850) I made sure I never netted below my BMR, because I now know the ramifications of doing that, after experiencing it first hand last year. 2 weeks into the new year, I had lost 2 pounds, and half an inch off my waist and thighs. I expected I could keep losing weight at this rate for just four more weeks, as I was only about 4 pounds away from my goal.
Just after I measured that progress, I decided I was going to try to continue losing weight WITHOUT counting calories, because I feared I was becoming too obsessive, and I was just sick to death of worrying about how much every little morsel I ate would add up to. So I deleted the MFP app off my phone, and tried to continue eating around the same amount I was when I lost weight, just listening to my body-eating when I'm hungry, stopping when I'm full- and doing the same exercise.
2 weeks later, on my next weigh in and measure day, I saw NO progress. Just none. I thought it was because I had eaten sweets and other unhealthy food several days of those 2 weeks, due to social things etc. But the thing was, I had been exercising, and making sure it still added up to around 1700-1800 calories a day (I occasionally added it up in my head when i was worried if i had gone over)
NOW, almost 2 weeks since that day, I don't think I can see any progress on my body. I will weigh myself and measure this sunday, and then i will know for sure. But I can't see any visible progress like I could after the first 2 weeks of the new year. It was quite obvious, I could actually SEE it in the mirror. But I can't this time.
I'm starting to get worried- I don't want to get stuck in ANOTHER plateau! But if I am, do you think it might be because eating 1700 calories a day is too little for me? Should I increase it to more like 1850-1900? Do you think that might help kick start the weight loss again? The thought of doing another reset just kills me. I thought that I was going to be completely done losing weight by the beginning of this year.... this year, I definitely do NOT want to have to gain more weight, then have to lose it all over again. Doing that last year was really not a great experience for me.
Any replies will be greatly appreciated- I really need help.
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Replies
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As you are so close to your goal I would suggest increasing your cals. You don't say what workouts you are doing. If you are strength training then it may even be worth going right up to TDEE and concentrating on your fitness goals.0
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Thanks for the reply!
Yeah, I think I will start to eat a little more, and see if that helps. I'm not lifting weights, but I'm doing pilates workouts regularly, as well as yoga, HIIT, running and swimming. I don't think I'll go right up to TDEE yet, but I do need to eat more.
But does anyone know for sure that a plateau can be caused even by a 500 calorie deficit??? I just didn't think it was possible...0 -
I don't think you're plateauing because of too large a deficit - I think it's because you're not tracking your food intake anymore. It's way too easy to go over your planned deficit if you aren't very aware of what is passing your lips all day. (Unfortunately.) So many people find that even if they're tracking carefully, they are not weighing or measuring properly and so easily erasing any deficit just through human error. Even easier to do if you have a smaller deficit...
Which leads me to this: since you don't have too much to lose, it is recommended to lose no more than .5 lbs per week, which would require you to recalculate your cut number and thus have more calories to work with.
If you had success before with this method, you can again!0 -
I don't think you're plateauing because of too large a deficit - I think it's because you're not tracking your food intake anymore. It's way too easy to go over your planned deficit if you aren't very aware of what is passing your lips all day. (Unfortunately.) So many people find that even if they're tracking carefully, they are not weighing or measuring properly and so easily erasing any deficit just through human error. Even easier to do if you have a smaller deficit...
Which leads me to this: since you don't have too much to lose, it is recommended to lose no more than .5 lbs per week, which would require you to recalculate your cut number and thus have more calories to work with.
If you had success before with this method, you can again!
Agree with Amanda.0 -
I would agree too, my deficit is set to 10-15% max, which is about 250-370 cals. All those wee bits do sneak up and I think its more important when you have less to lose to count as there is less wiggle room ....just my 2cents from what I've learned.0
