Deficit?

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atosches
atosches Posts: 22
in Food and Nutrition
I was a bit of a gym nut for most of my adult life. Having 2 children within 2 years of each other stopped that rather quickly. I am trying to get myself back where I want to be. I am 5' 2" weighing about 115 lbs and looking to lose about 5 lbs. I am not overly concerned about the weight, just looking to tone up. I workout 4-5 days a week doing a combination of cardio and strength training for about 30-45 minutes a day. With few hours in the day to get this done, my workouts consist of various JIllian Michaels workout videos and running on the treadmill. I also have a FitBit and have been eating at a deficit, but I am starting to think that I am eating at too much of a deficit. Anyone have any advice? I know when I went to the gym, I had access to a personal training and a nutritionist, but that is not the case now.

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  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    It's tough to say without any details. Your diary is closed to the public. How many calories do you burn a day and how many calories are you eating? Are you feeling any symptoms of undereating?
  • atosches
    atosches Posts: 22
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    On average, I am eating around 1050-1200 and am burning around 1800+ a day. I having been keeping about a 500 calorie deficit using my Fitbit. I don't feel like I'm undereating. I am trying to build up some lean muscle.
  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
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    On average, I am eating around 1050-1200 and am burning around 1800+ a day. I having been keeping about a 500 calorie deficit using my Fitbit. I don't feel like I'm undereating. I am trying to build up some lean muscle.

    No part of this will get you your goals. How are you keeping a 500 calorie deficit when you are eating 1050-1200 but burning 1800?

    Edited to add - you should try to net at least 1200, if you are only eating 1200 and working out, you are probably netting around 800-900.
  • atosches
    atosches Posts: 22
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    The number of calories I burn daily varies. I use the fitbit to maintain a 500 calorie deficit depending on how many calories I burn that day. My excerise routines also vary. On days that I do yoga, I only burn 150 calories and on days I do strength and then run, I burn upwards of 300 calories.
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
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    On average, I am eating around 1050-1200 and am burning around 1800+ a day. I having been keeping about a 500 calorie deficit using my Fitbit. I don't feel like I'm undereating. I am trying to build up some lean muscle.

    If you are truly burning 1800 calories a day through exercise and eating less than 1200, your deficit is way larger than 500 calories. If you got 1200 calories from plugging your number into myfitnesspal, that number already has a deficit in it before exercise. You minus 500 calories from your maintenance calories to lose 1lbs a week, this is not the same as netting -500 calories.
  • atosches
    atosches Posts: 22
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    I don't really rely too much on my fitness pal for monitoring the deficit. I use my Fit bit for that. I use MFP to log my food and excercise. The FitBit adjusts MFP calories burned to my actual calorie burn.
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
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    On average, I am eating around 1050-1200 and am burning around 1800+ a day. I having been keeping about a 500 calorie deficit using my Fitbit. I don't feel like I'm undereating. I am trying to build up some lean muscle.

    If you are truly burning 1800 calories a day through exercise and eating less than 1200, your deficit is way larger than 500 calories. If you got 1200 calories from plugging your number into myfitnesspal, that number already has a deficit in it before exercise. You minus 500 calories from your maintenance calories to lose 1lbs a week, this is not the same as netting -500 calories.

    I don't think she's saying she burns1800 through exercise, but that 1800 is her typical total daily burn, tracked by her FitBit. Honedtly, I'd ditch the JM and do a strength routine that is more focused on compound lifts at a heavier weight. It sounds like what you'd really like is to lower yor bf%, and heavier resistance training is the best way to maintain muscle, making more of your loss come from fat.
  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
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    I don't really rely too much on my fitness pal for monitoring the deficit. I use my Fit bit for that. I use MFP to log my food and excercise. The FitBit adjusts MFP calories burned to my actual calorie burn.

    What we are saying is if you are burning 1800 according to your fitbit and only eating 1000-1200, that is a deficit of 600-800 not 500.
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
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    On average, I am eating around 1050-1200 and am burning around 1800+ a day. I having been keeping about a 500 calorie deficit using my Fitbit. I don't feel like I'm undereating. I am trying to build up some lean muscle.

    You will lose the 5 pounds but you won't build up much lean muscle at a deficit like that
  • GingerLolita
    GingerLolita Posts: 738 Member
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    If you're not looking to lose weight, there's no reason to eat at a deficit.
  • Sbrn_
    Sbrn_ Posts: 351 Member
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    If you're not looking to lose weight, there's no reason to eat at a deficit.

    What if you're looking to lose fat? I pretty similar to the OP stats-wise, although my deficit isn't as drastic. I thought a modest deficit is the way to go... Not trying to start something, I'm just genuinely curious.
  • Sbrn_
    Sbrn_ Posts: 351 Member
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    Bump...
  • atosches
    atosches Posts: 22
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    Thanks for the replies. I am definitely trying more to build lean muscle than to lose weight. There is definitely more of a cushion around areas that weren't previously cushioned since I had children and I'm trying to get back. My calories burned daily according to my FitBit vary. I go by my daily burn to calculate my calories in. I was thinking that the 500 might be a bit high. I think I'll shoot for a smaller deficit and see how the results unfold.

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