What does caloric deficit really mean?

writer_chick
writer_chick Posts: 27 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm trying to calculate how much I should be eating/burning. I keep seeing/hearing that I should be ending my days with a deficit, by which I thought people meant I should be burning off more than I eat per day. Is that right?

So, according to MFP, I have to eat 1300 calories a day to lose a pound a week. But then when I add in any exercise I do, it seems to be adding those calories burned into my 1300 calories. For instance, I burned 159 calories on my walk/run, so it added that in and said I need 1459 calories today. That confuses me because I thought I was supposed to burn off all the 1300 calories in the first place.

Does that make any sense? I'm really confused, so I wouldn't blame you if you are, too. :)

Replies

  • Shanel0916
    Shanel0916 Posts: 586 Member
    bump
  • oh_em_gee
    oh_em_gee Posts: 887 Member
    Calories in vs calories burned. Basically, you want to eat less than you burn. Fewer calories in than out.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Dan explains it all very well in the first post in this thread:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
    No, it means you need 1300 calories to keep your body alive. This is your zero point and you shouldn't go far below that.
    Therefore, if you burn 159 calories exercising, you can add that to your 1300 calories for a total of 1459 calories for that day. That would keep you from dropping below a net of 1300 calories.
    If you are working off the entire 1300 calories, you're using the calories for the exercising and your body has no calories to keep itself working properly.
  • weird_me2
    weird_me2 Posts: 716 Member
    The calorie goal set by MFP is how much you need to EAT to lose 1 pound per week, not burn. If your goal is 1300 calories a day to eat, that means that you are burning an estimated 1800 calories a day in your normal life, so your deficit is 500 calories (equal to 1 pound per week or 3500 calories a week). If you exercise and burn 150 calories above and beyond normal activity, then that means that your calorie burn for the day is around 1950, so to stay at your 500 calorie a day deficit, you would need to eat 1450 calories.
  • WinnerVictorious
    WinnerVictorious Posts: 4,733 Member
    I'm trying to calculate how much I should be eating/burning. I keep seeing/hearing that I should be ending my days with a deficit, by which I thought people meant I should be burning off more than I eat per day. Is that right?

    So, according to MFP, I have to eat 1300 calories a day to lose a pound a week. But then when I add in any exercise I do, it seems to be adding those calories burned into my 1300 calories. For instance, I burned 159 calories on my walk/run, so it added that in and said I need 1459 calories today. That confuses me because I thought I was supposed to burn off all the 1300 calories in the first place.

    Does that make any sense? I'm really confused, so I wouldn't blame you if you are, too. :)

    on MFP, your deficit is determined from your total calories burned that day.

    so if you add exercise, then you increase your total burn for the day. your deficit remains the same, thus you should increase what you eat.

    if your deficit was 500, then...

    on days you don't exercise, let's say you burn 2300 calories... 2300 - 500 = 1800
    on days you do exercise, let's say you burn 2900 calories... 2900 - 500 = 2400

    notice that your deficit stays the same, but your overall calorie consumption increases because of the extra exercise.
  • LemonMint6
    LemonMint6 Posts: 76
    Definitely read the link above, but quick and dirty answer to your question:

    1300 Calories IS a deficit to what your body burns just existing. So just eating less gives you a deficit.
    Working out deepens that deficit.
    You shouldn't net less than 1200 calories in a day.

    Ex: You eat 1300- you burn 159 working out = 1141, eat 59 more calories = 1200 calories "net."

    But please please read the think posted above.
  • mamasmaltz3
    mamasmaltz3 Posts: 1,111 Member
    If you were in a coma not doing anything your body would still need a certain number of calories to keep body functions like heart beating, respiration and organs working. That number would be your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). There are calculators online and on this website to figure that. However, since you are not in a coma you will burn more calories than your BMR walking around, going to work, doing household chores, exercise etc...basically everything you do beyond what you would do in a comatose state is going to make you burn more calories than your BMR. That number (BMR+Daily activities) is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). So, if I am a 200 lb woman and my TDEE is 2300 calories if I eat 2300 calories I will neither gain nor lose weight. At 200 lbs my goal would be to lose weight so I need to eat less than 2300 calories. The larger the the amount of calories I cut (deficit) the faster I will lose. However, I do not want to take calories away from my body that it needs to perform its basic functions (remember BMR). Most recommendations are to not cut more than 20% of calories from your TDEE. MFP has your calories set at a deficit especially if you put your activity level in as sedentary. So, if you exercise you are creating more of a deficit and could possibly begin to cut into your BMR calories. That is why MFP adds your cals back in for you to eat.

    I hope I explained it clearly. And if I left something out or got it wrong feel free to correct me.
  • writer_chick
    writer_chick Posts: 27 Member
    Ahhh, thank you so much everyone! I think I understand now, and everything I've read makes so much more sense! Haha, I'm so laughing at myself right now. :) That link has been recommended to me more than once, so I'm printing it out to read it. Yay--thank you again!

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