Calorie Deficit Help

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Dawgrum
Dawgrum Posts: 2
in Food and Nutrition
Alright, so I am fairly new to this site and just started tracking calories. I was at a hefty 278 pounds at the beginning of January. I started tracking my calories with fantastic results. In fact, I lost 22 pounds in two and a half weeks. I'm down to 256 now.

I started cooking every meal and eating lots of fruit and vegetables along with drinking green juice. My average caloric intake has been 1200 - 1700 calories. This was quite a bit lower than the 2170 I'm supposed to be getting but I never felt hungry or deprived. I figured if I was starving myself my body would let me know and I would just eat more. This hasn't been the case. I'm a carpenter by trade so I am pretty active. I work at a hospital where I walk around 3 miles a day and am always on my feet. Because of this I don't really do any other exercise.

Over the last week and a half I have stayed the same weight. I track my calories religiously. I feel great but the weight loss has come to a screeching halt. I am starting to suspect that it has to do with my huge calorie deficit. It's as if my body has gone in to panic mode due to the rapid weight loss.

I guess I'm just wondering if anyone else has run into this. I've seen a few posts about it confirming my suspicions, but I was hoping for some direct advice.

It's strange considering my binge eating habits previously. I don't feel the need to eat any more than I do currently but I suppose I could force myself to.

Thanks in advance.

Height - 6' 1"
Weight - 256
Age - 29

Replies

  • reepobob
    reepobob Posts: 1,172 Member
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    You've lost a ton of weight in two weeks, dude...if your deficit is set at 2 pounds/week...stay the course. Your body is probably just getting over the shock of the change in diet. If MFP is telling you that your daily caloric intake is 1700 at 2lb/wk, then stick with that. Don't go under that...eventually, you will need to do some exercise in addition to your normal day to day work activity. Did you mark your activity as sedentary? lightly active? what?
  • Dawgrum
    Dawgrum Posts: 2
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    Thanks for the response!

    My goal is set a two pounds a week. MFP is telling me 2170 to achieve that. I have my activity set at "active". I've been under the calories by quite a bit usually. I'm just wondering if I need to up my calories a bit or is my body just trying to adjust to the new diet.

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