Calorie deficit for 2lbs a week

Auberne
Auberne Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
I've used MFP to lose a stone in weight in a couple of months and I thought I was doing alright. Having put 8lbs back on after falling off the wagon, I took to the road again in attempt to lose the remaining 45lbs.

My weight is 222lbs currently and as a 39yo male who is 5' 11'', my BMR work out at 1944 on this website. Having plugged all of this data into the website and asking it to calculate my net calories, if I want to lose 2lbs a week, then my calorific intake needs to be around 1450, if I manage to exercise 6 days a week (walking with a pack for 30 mins a day to an hour at weekends).

How on earth am I supposed to eat only 1450 calories a day if my exercise is only giving me 300 cals. I go through breakfast, lunch and dinner and struggle to keep it under 2200 food, with whatever exercise I normally do (300 cals a day). Is 1450 calories achievable and even safe? I thought the minimum amount was like 1850, or is that BMR without exercise on top.

Help. I want to do this right, but I can;t figure out what the right numbers are. Do I need to eat less, eat different foods, exercise more? Should I expect less?

Replies

  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    It's saying eat 1450 before exercise. So when you workout, you get to eat those calories back. But even then that may still be to low for you. My guess is that you may be underestimating your activity level.
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
    You shouldn't be eating under your BMR.

    Over BMR, under TDEE.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    You can't really expect 2lb a week. It's an option that shouldn't really exist on this website, in my opinion, and certainly not as one of the first choices presented to you.

    Anyway, I would advise you to calculate your TDEE and work from there. Any cut from your TDEE will result in weightloss (theoretically - you may need to adjust it a couple of hundred calories if nothing happens).
  • LemonJADE
    LemonJADE Posts: 89 Member
    About 1,750 for a 2lb loss a week :)
  • MzManiak
    MzManiak Posts: 1,361 Member
    You shouldn't be eating under your BMR.

    Over BMR, under TDEE.

    This.
  • nornyb
    nornyb Posts: 224 Member
    When you set up your account did you change it to say you are male? The same thing happened to my boyfriend when he did his because he forgot/didn't see that that had to be changed. I am at roughly 200 lbs (female) and me pre exercise calorie allotment is 1370.
  • lunahbby
    lunahbby Posts: 18 Member
    Eating below your BMR is DEFINITELY safe if you're overweight, first off, so everyone can stop saying that. Eating 1450 is definitely doable, but if you feel like it's impossible to sustain then DON'T DO IT, because if you're constantly hungry it makes it that much easier to fall off the bandwagon. There's no rush to lose weight, there's no competition, the change you're trying to make is for the rest of your life. Eat at a sustainable amount, especially since you're starting off, then see if you can lower it by 100 calories in a few weeks, a etc. Going from ~2500 calories a day (estimating your typical caloric consumption) to 1400 is a huge jump and you'll be hungry all the time because you're used to eating a lot more. Don't push yourself.
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    OK it is not s scary as you think.

    Your BMR calculated on MFP is 1450 right?

    So the minimum you are going to consume is 1450 .

    Now you add exercise calories, the more you exercise the more you get to eat.

    You can go down the TDEE route by visiting a website called scooby and adding your total daily energy expenditure
  • MysticRealm
    MysticRealm Posts: 1,264 Member
    OK it is not s scary as you think.

    Your BMR calculated on MFP is 1450 right? He said his BMR calculated to over 1900

    So the minimum you are going to consume is 1450 .

    Now you add exercise calories, the more you exercise the more you get to eat.

    You can go down the TDEE route by visiting a website called scooby and adding your total daily energy expenditure

    He said his BMR calculated to over 1900
  • Auberne
    Auberne Posts: 2
    Your BMR calculated on MFP is 1450 right?

    No, my BMR is 1944. The app is telling me to eat 1440 calories a day and do 1470 calories of exercise a week for a 2lbs loss. Sounds extreme seeing as my TDEE is 2502. it might be right though. Perhaps I just need to eat less.
  • schnarfo
    schnarfo Posts: 764 Member
    I think you could eat more than this! I'm 5'5 woman and eat a net of 1400 and losing steadily at around 1 or 2 lbs a week. I'm 122lbs so being a guy and heavier I reckon you could easy up your cals and still lose weight!
  • lunahbby
    lunahbby Posts: 18 Member
    According to http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/ this calculator, if you eat 1700 calories a day (including the ~300 calories' worth of exercise that you regularly do), you'll average about 8lbs a month in weight loss. That's 2lbs a week. Start with that and see if you're comfortable.
  • _SABOTEUR_
    _SABOTEUR_ Posts: 6,833 Member
    Ok, I'll try and give some advice on the information we've got. I'm not promising a massive amount of accuracy, just a starting point.

    BMR is what you would eat to maintain weight in a coma. If you are sedentary (desk job and drive everywhere) - lightly active (1-3 days exercise a week/lots of walking or job where you are on your feet/on the move) your TDEE (what you burn in a day) will be between 2300 and 2700 cals a day (roughly, I'm doing the calc in my head).

    If you only have 45lbs to lose it would be better to lose 1lb a week as you are more likely to maintain this regime in the long run. You then only have to go 500 cals below your TDEE to lose weight. That should be around 1800 - 2200 cals. Try it for 4-6 weeks and see how it's going after that. You do not eat your exercise calories back with this method.

    It will also be beneficial for you to take up weight training 2-4 days a week with progressive loading (weights get heavier each workout) so you can retain your muscle which will help your BMR stay higher and enable you to eat more and make it more likely you will stick to the plan this time. Otherwise you will have to keep reducing your calories as you lose weight.
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    OK it is not s scary as you think.

    Your BMR calculated on MFP is 1450 right? He said his BMR calculated to over 1900

    So the minimum you are going to consume is 1450 .

    Now you add exercise calories, the more you exercise the more you get to eat.

    You can go down the TDEE route by visiting a website called scooby and adding your total daily energy expenditure

    He said his BMR calculated to over 1900

    Sorry, I misread. You are correct
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Your BMR calculated on MFP is 1450 right?

    No, my BMR is 1944. The app is telling me to eat 1440 calories a day and do 1470 calories of exercise a week for a 2lbs loss. Sounds extreme seeing as my TDEE is 2502. it might be right though. Perhaps I just need to eat less.
    Based on a TDEE of 2500, just eat 2000 a day and don't eat back exercise cals. The 500 is a pound a week, plus whatever external deficit you create through exercise.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    BMR is what you would eat to maintain weight in a coma.

    This is BS, so I went no further.

    Read up how BMR is measured and you'll discover the people are not in a coma but are simply lying down after a night's sleep relaxed and not having eaten.

    There is no reason why someone should eat above their BMR as a minimum, even if they knew it accurately. This doesn't appear in any literature or anywhere much outside of MFP group-think.

    The OP can get a bigger calorie allowance by simply dialling in a less aggressive weight loss rate, perhaps the recommended 1 lb/week ?
  • spirit05
    spirit05 Posts: 204 Member
    You shouldn't be eating under your BMR.

    Over BMR, under TDEE.

    ^^THIS
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,658 Member
    BMR is what you would eat to maintain weight in a coma.

    This is BS, so I went no further.

    Read up how BMR is measured and you'll discover the people are not in a coma but are simply lying down after a night's sleep relaxed and not having eaten.

    There is no reason why someone should eat above their BMR as a minimum, even if they knew it accurately. This doesn't appear in any literature or anywhere much outside of MFP group-think.

    The OP can get a bigger calorie allowance by simply dialling in a less aggressive weight loss rate, perhaps the recommended 1 lb/week ?

    Blimey, a coma now is it :laugh:

    With Yarwell's posting, I concur.
  • DrVeggie
    DrVeggie Posts: 12 Member
    Yes, most people eat too many Kcals a day! I am suppose to eat 1210 and that is for 1.5 lb weight loss. I am shorter and a woman however if I were to lose 2 lbs a week it would be 900kcals per day. You have to understand that losing 2lbs per week is like cutting your kcals with diet and exercise 1000 kcals a day. That is a lot! Just think, there are studies stating that if you cut your calories on a regular basis you will live longer.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    The OP can get a bigger calorie allowance by simply dialling in a less aggressive weight loss rate, perhaps the recommended 1 lb/week ?

    This is the answer - why punish yourself with a huge deficit that won't actually teach you how to eat for the rest of your life?

    Did you gain your excess weight at 2lbs a week?
  • Mock_Turtle
    Mock_Turtle Posts: 354 Member
    It's tough but doable. I started at 236 lbs and averaged 2 lb/week loss for about 5 months.

    My average caloric intake for those 5 months was 1925 cals/day and I would label myself under "moderate activity" that gives you a 1.55 coefficient when calculating TDEE.

    You're looking to create an average deficit of 1000 cals/day ---- you're not going to like it at first (maybe never?). You definitely have to scrutinize what you're eating and find ways to eat food that has a lot of volume but minimal calories.
  • innocenceportrayed
    innocenceportrayed Posts: 569 Member
    Realistically you can lose 2 pounds a week but it's probably going to make you lethargic and you'll probably be losing muscle mass instead of fat.

    3500 calories = 1 pound, so 7000 calories = 2 pounds, you want to lose 2 pounds a week, you need to burn or cut out 7000 calories from your diet a week. You're going to put your body into shock in my opinion.
  • Otterluv
    Otterluv Posts: 9,083 Member
    Eating below your BMR is DEFINITELY safe if you're overweight , first off, so everyone can stop saying that.

    Wrong :angry:

    If you eat that low, you will probably lose a nice chunk of LBM along with the fat, which wil not be fun to have to regain. Then there is the whole adaptive thermogenesis issue to contend with. Overall, eating that low is not the best plan long term, and is generally completely unnecessary.
    Ok, I'll try and give some advice on the information we've got. I'm not promising a massive amount of accuracy, just a starting point.

    BMR is what you would eat to maintain weight in a coma. If you are sedentary (desk job and drive everywhere) - lightly active (1-3 days exercise a week/lots of walking or job where you are on your feet/on the move) your TDEE (what you burn in a day) will be between 2300 and 2700 cals a day (roughly, I'm doing the calc in my head).

    If you only have 45lbs to lose it would be better to lose 1lb a week as you are more likely to maintain this regime in the long run. You then only have to go 500 cals below your TDEE to lose weight. That should be around 1800 - 2200 cals. Try it for 4-6 weeks and see how it's going after that. You do not eat your exercise calories back with this method.

    It will also be beneficial for you to take up weight training 2-4 days a week with progressive loading (weights get heavier each workout) so you can retain your muscle which will help your BMR stay higher and enable you to eat more and make it more likely you will stick to the plan this time. Otherwise you will have to keep reducing your calories as you lose weight.

    Right :happy: :flowerforyou:

    A rate of 1lb a week is much more reasonable for the amount you want to lose, and doing a strength training regimen will give you a body that you will be much happier with when you get to your goal.
  • lunahbby
    lunahbby Posts: 18 Member
    Eating below your BMR is DEFINITELY safe if you're overweight , first off, so everyone can stop saying that.

    Wrong :angry:

    If you eat that low, you will probably lose a nice chunk of LBM along with the fat, which wil not be fun to have to regain. Then there is the whole adaptive thermogenesis issue to contend with. Overall, eating that low is not the best plan long term, and is generally completely unnecessary.
    Ok, I'll try and give some advice on the information we've got. I'm not promising a massive amount of accuracy, just a starting point.

    BMR is what you would eat to maintain weight in a coma. If you are sedentary (desk job and drive everywhere) - lightly active (1-3 days exercise a week/lots of walking or job where you are on your feet/on the move) your TDEE (what you burn in a day) will be between 2300 and 2700 cals a day (roughly, I'm doing the calc in my head).

    If you only have 45lbs to lose it would be better to lose 1lb a week as you are more likely to maintain this regime in the long run. You then only have to go 500 cals below your TDEE to lose weight. That should be around 1800 - 2200 cals. Try it for 4-6 weeks and see how it's going after that. You do not eat your exercise calories back with this method.

    It will also be beneficial for you to take up weight training 2-4 days a week with progressive loading (weights get heavier each workout) so you can retain your muscle which will help your BMR stay higher and enable you to eat more and make it more likely you will stick to the plan this time. Otherwise you will have to keep reducing your calories as you lose weight.

    Right :happy: :flowerforyou:

    A rate of 1lb a week is much more reasonable for the amount you want to lose, and doing a strength training regimen will give you a body that you will be much happier with when you get to your goal.

    Nope, this is wrong. Your BMR is not the minimum number of calories you need to eat each day. It's the minimum number of calories your body needs to sustain itself. It can take sustenance from all the fat you have if you're overweight. (If you're underweight and/or mostly composed of muscle, don't eat below your BMR. Then you will start losing muscle and valuable body mass).
  • h9dlb
    h9dlb Posts: 243 Member
    its ok to eat below bmr if you are substantially overweight. OP should eat 1800 cals of clean food plus exercise (HIITS and weight training 4 times per week) and the weight will drop off
  • lunahbby
    lunahbby Posts: 18 Member
    its ok to eat below bmr if you are substantially overweight. OP should eat 1800 cals of clean food plus exercise (HIITS and weight training 4 times per week) and the weight will drop off

    with the added benefit of being toned if he takes the weight training advice. ;)
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Your BMR calculated on MFP is 1450 right?

    No, my BMR is 1944. The app is telling me to eat 1440 calories a day and do 1470 calories of exercise a week for a 2lbs loss. Sounds extreme seeing as my TDEE is 2502. it might be right though. Perhaps I just need to eat less.

    I think you're misunderstanding what MFP expects you to do. It's telling you to eat 1470 plus whatever you earn from exercise. Your exercise here is not part of your deficit, so if you do exercise you're meant to eat those back. It's confusing because MFP has you set an exercise goal but it doesn't factor into your calorie goal. So if you work off 300 calories you'd eat 1770 that day.

    Now if that seems too low for you simply recalculate with a 1 lb loss per week and you'll get 500 more calories per day. Or manually set your calories somewhere in between.

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