calorie deficit consumption

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janglo
janglo Posts: 32 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am relatively new to MFP and making good progress so far. My question is related to how I can eat up to my goal calories and still lose weight? Should I not ideally be eating to a calorie deficit to achieve weight loss? The exercise portion is not part of my dilemma right at the moment.

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  • Love4fitnesslove4food2
    Love4fitnesslove4food2 Posts: 711 Member
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    Your goal should have a built in deficit so eating up to your goal would allow you to lose weight.
  • TheDoctor_13
    TheDoctor_13 Posts: 21 Member
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    From what I've seen people say. MFP calculates how many calories you should eat, than adds a deficit to that. Thats your goal calories. If you don't meet that goal it could be harmful to your body / excercice, putting it in starvation mode. I haven't felt much different or worse and I've been eating slightly under but you should reach for that as much as you can. Remember about micros not just calories.
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
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    MFP give you a number that has a deficit in it already without exercise, when you exercise you create an even larger deficit which is why MFP gives you calories back to eat.
  • janglo
    janglo Posts: 32 Member
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    Intuitively I know this, yet it seems counterproductive not to create a deficit. Would I be at risk for the well-publicized 'starvation mode' ?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    Intuitively I know this, yet it seems counterproductive not to create a deficit. Would I be at risk for the well-publicized 'starvation mode' ?

    what are you suggesting? If you set you account to 1 lb per week loss or whatever, then its in a deficit. Are you asking about creating larger deficits?

    PS -don't be concerned with starvation mode. It takes 72 hours to have metabolic adaptation with no food. your biggest concern should be muscle loss and how to minimize it.
  • janglo
    janglo Posts: 32 Member
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    Yes, I realize that I AM asking about creating a larger calorie deficit. If my allotment is 1200 cal / day and I intake 1000 cal on a regular basis am I at risk for alteration in metabolic rate?
  • Jewlz280
    Jewlz280 Posts: 547 Member
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    Yes, I realize that I AM asking about creating a larger calorie deficit. If my allotment is 1200 cal / day and I intake 1000 cal on a regular basis am I at risk for alteration in metabolic rate?

    My suggestion at this point would be to calculate your BMR and your TDEE and then look at the cals that MFP has given you. I like scoobysworkshop.com. I say to do this because unless you are really off the charts short, or never move, really and truly you should be good at 1200 because at 1200, you are ALREADY at a good deficit. But maybe seeing it in black and white will help you to digest it a little better and not feel like you're 'not doing enough' when you really already are. The VAST majority of people don't need to go under the 1200 calorie guideline.
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
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    http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    Yes, I realize that I AM asking about creating a larger calorie deficit. If my allotment is 1200 cal / day and I intake 1000 cal on a regular basis am I at risk for alteration in metabolic rate?

    At 1000 calories a day I think the greater risk would be nutrient deficiency. It's hard to get enough of your daily vitamins, calcium, protein, and fats into such a small calorie goal, even if you're eating perfectly.

    I second the suggestion to get an estimate of your BMR and TDEE (http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/).
  • janglo
    janglo Posts: 32 Member
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    Thanks to everyone for the valuable information! I just accessed the SCOOBY site to analyze my BMR and TDEE caloric requirements to discover that 1200 is a bit (scant bit) under my BMR so this should be fine for weight loss for me!!! So, hence forward, I plan to consume 1200 cal / day in 3 meals plus a snack. I fell better informed and am now able to accept this caloric intake as necessary. Again, thanks to all for your generous sharing of information!
  • Love4fitnesslove4food2
    Love4fitnesslove4food2 Posts: 711 Member
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    Thanks to everyone for the valuable information! I just accessed the SCOOBY site to analyze my BMR and TDEE caloric requirements to discover that 1200 is a bit (scant bit) under my BMR so this should be fine for weight loss for me!!! So, hence forward, I plan to consume 1200 cal / day in 3 meals plus a snack. I fell better informed and am now able to accept this caloric intake as necessary. Again, thanks to all for your generous sharing of information!

    You're not supposed to eat under your BMR. Can you please provide your height, weight, age, sex, and activity level?
  • janglo
    janglo Posts: 32 Member
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    51 yrs, female, 5'1.5" , today 119.6 lbs, active at work, 4-6 60 min 4mph power walks each week. unpredictable work schedule, not enough water intake most days
  • janglo
    janglo Posts: 32 Member
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    Of note: weight loss via home scale: 6.0 lbs in 30 days using MFP tracking and maintaining regular exercise. I had gained 15 lbs in the last two years as I had stopped all exercise, save for active work life, and indulged in 'comfort food' to excess while in graduate school. I am now on a quest to regain my health and fitness level of pre-graduate school.
  • Love4fitnesslove4food2
    Love4fitnesslove4food2 Posts: 711 Member
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    51 yrs, female, 5'1.5" , today 119.6 lbs, active at work, 4-6 60 min 4mph power walks each week. unpredictable work schedule, not enough water intake most days

    Your TDEE based on 5-6 hours of exercise a week is 2102 calories and a 20% deficit is 1681. That means your weight loss would be just about 3/4 pound a week if you ate 1681 calories per day. 6 pounds in 30 days is equivalent to 1.5 pounds per week or a 750 calorie deficit per day. Assuming you ate 1200 calories per day during this time then your TDEE is actually closer to 1950 a day in which case I'd aim for 1700 calories and lose 1/2 pound a week.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    51 yrs, female, 5'1.5" , today 119.6 lbs, active at work, 4-6 60 min 4mph power walks each week. unpredictable work schedule, not enough water intake most days

    Using the IIFYM I get a BMR of 1109 and TDEE of 1309 for those stats.

    "5-6 hours a week" is for exercise that is considerably more vigorous than what you are doing. Your walking is going to add about 600 calories, net, per week. If you want to eat that back, that's 85 calories a day. Personally, I wouldn't, unless weight was coming off too fast or you were finding it fatiguing to walk.

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