Getting confused with deficit!!!!
kayveebee7
Posts: 127 Member
Hello,
I am trying to keep this journey as simple as possible, but I also want it to be effective. I keep coming across the term deficit and such. How do I know if I have the right "deficit" ? How do I know I have the right calorie intake. I am hungry alot, and can't determine if that is habit or if I am really hungry. I am 248ish, 5"2 with a final goal weight of 160ish (for now). My MFP is set to 1510 cals per day (1lb a week weightloss). I have my activity set at 0 because although I have a toddler I chase after, I do that all the time. Also, I do not sleep long. Not because I don't want to but because I work, have two adorable girls, and I'm a doctoral student..........and happy wife. I usually get about 5-6 hours of sleep a night, but that is often interrupted because my little one doesn't sleep through the night yet.
My schedule probably won't change until another year or so. I am not forcing my little one to sleep through the night (I know it will end soon) and my course work is coming to an end. So I'm wondering if that is adding to the hunger.
Any help or advice would be great. I just want to not be hungry, but yet still lose weight. I workout, but I log that and eat about half of those calories when I do.
Hope this doesn't seem like a ramble.........
I am trying to keep this journey as simple as possible, but I also want it to be effective. I keep coming across the term deficit and such. How do I know if I have the right "deficit" ? How do I know I have the right calorie intake. I am hungry alot, and can't determine if that is habit or if I am really hungry. I am 248ish, 5"2 with a final goal weight of 160ish (for now). My MFP is set to 1510 cals per day (1lb a week weightloss). I have my activity set at 0 because although I have a toddler I chase after, I do that all the time. Also, I do not sleep long. Not because I don't want to but because I work, have two adorable girls, and I'm a doctoral student..........and happy wife. I usually get about 5-6 hours of sleep a night, but that is often interrupted because my little one doesn't sleep through the night yet.
My schedule probably won't change until another year or so. I am not forcing my little one to sleep through the night (I know it will end soon) and my course work is coming to an end. So I'm wondering if that is adding to the hunger.
Any help or advice would be great. I just want to not be hungry, but yet still lose weight. I workout, but I log that and eat about half of those calories when I do.
Hope this doesn't seem like a ramble.........
0
Replies
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If your losing weight you are in a deficit.. nobody here can tell you your exact number.. I would say 1510 is probably a good spot with no activity at your height/weight.
If your just starting to try to lose weight, the hunger is probably from your stomach expecting more food than your currently giving it.. or maybe you change your eating patterns and that is why you have hunger pains.. those will go away (to an extent) as time goes on... Try to make your meals more protein oriented and have carbs that contain fiber as well.0 -
If your losing weight you are in a deficit.. nobody here can tell you your exact number.. I would say 1510 is probably a good spot with no activity at your height/weight.
If your just starting to try to lose weight, the hunger is probably from your stomach expecting more food than your currently giving it.. or maybe you change your eating patterns and that is why you have hunger pains.. those will go away (to an extent) as time goes on... Try to make your meals more protein oriented and have carbs that contain fiber as well.
That's good advice, thank you.0 -
How long have you been on this journey/changed your diet? If it has been less than a week, I would say the hunger is mostly just habit. I am having a hard time adjusting back to my normal diet after indulging over the holidays! It takes time and so far I am going to bed cranky and hungry, but I feel better in the morning than when I was over-eating and going to bed feeling full.
If you have been on the journey for longer than a week and you haven't seen any results on the scale, then you probably aren't eating enough. When I started my weight loss journey, I was at 267 pounds (I am 5'6") and was eating 1750 calories a day. After losing 80 pounds, I now eat 1410 calories a day.
Feel free to adjust what works best for you. Personally, I would bump up your calories to around 1600 and see how that makes you feel. If you are no longer hungry but not losing any weight, then drop it down to 1570.
Remember to eat food high in fiber and protein. That will make you feel fuller longer. =D When you eat things higher in fat, you get more calories and less satisfaction!
I hope this wasn't just a ramble and helps a little. =D0 -
how much weight have you lost eating 1500 cals?
how much protein, fat and fibre are you getting per day? all those things will help keep you fuller.. so you may need to look more at what you're eating not how much.0 -
I personally started at about 235, and I am about 5'5. Initially, I ate 1800 calories and that worked perfectly for me at first. I was a bit hungry, but my body adjusted. Each time I lost 20 pounds, I would lower my daily calorie intake. For example, once I hit about 200 pounds, I lowered my calorie intake to 1700 calories a day, and so forth. 80 pounds later (I'm currently about 155) I eat about 1500-1700 depending on whether I work out or not. For your weight loss to be obtainable, start with a calorie deficit that you can manage. 1500 might be quite drastic from what you've been eating, so bumping it up to 1700 or so may be a good place to start
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In addition to the quality vs quantity advice (get more protein, healthy fats and fiber - and plenty of water - to help you feel full longer) It's a great idea to pay attention to how certain foods make you feel. and this is why journalling your food can come in real handy. I realized that highly processed, high carb foods did absolutely nothing for me in the long run so I've cut way down on them and/or make sure that I pair them with higher protein foods to help the meal stick to my ribs more. For instance, instead of having dry cereal with low-fat milk and a banana that would leave me hungry and shakey in a couple hours, I know usually have a more balanced meal like a breakfast sandwich (eggs, a little ham, multi grain bread, cheese) and it stays with me much better.
Also, you could easily up your calories by 100-200 per day and still lose weight. It'll be slower progress but sometimes that's better than feeling hungry all the time and risking giving up because you're miserable.0 -
Deficit if we are defining it as=losing weight you then need to define the time frame of measuring the weight loss=?
If I step on the scale today and lost weight am I at a deficit=?
If I step on the scale tomorrow and gain weight and I did the exact same thing as the day before am I not at a deficit=?
Day to day activity is important but to get your actual calorie-exercise=x = - + or = weight change to look at day to day weight is down the list in importance. I think it is important to have this data in for long term averages. It also is good for analyzing how certain foods impact you, but for actual weight change it is farther down the list.
You have to look at several data points to get the right answer and it is ever changing with age, season and so on. I use healthsidekick for this, but you can also put your information in excel and write a program for this. Find the data points that are important to you.0 -
how much weight have you lost eating 1500 cals?
how much protein, fat and fibre are you getting per day? all those things will help keep you fuller.. so you may need to look more at what you're eating not how much.
This.. Also, when you are chasing two kids, you aren't sedentary.. you are at least lightly active.0 -
How long have you been on this journey/changed your diet? If it has been less than a week, I would say the hunger is mostly just habit. I am having a hard time adjusting back to my normal diet after indulging over the holidays! It takes time and so far I am going to bed cranky and hungry, but I feel better in the morning than when I was over-eating and going to bed feeling full.
If you have been on the journey for longer than a week and you haven't seen any results on the scale, then you probably aren't eating enough. When I started my weight loss journey, I was at 267 pounds (I am 5'6") and was eating 1750 calories a day. After losing 80 pounds, I now eat 1410 calories a day.
Feel free to adjust what works best for you. Personally, I would bump up your calories to around 1600 and see how that makes you feel. If you are no longer hungry but not losing any weight, then drop it down to 1570.
Remember to eat food high in fiber and protein. That will make you feel fuller longer. =D When you eat things higher in fat, you get more calories and less satisfaction!
I hope this wasn't just a ramble and helps a little. =D
That was great thanks!
I've been on MFP for about a month. I lost about 6 pounds but gained them back because I get hungry, then over eat.0 -
That number sounds like a good starting point for you, and eating back half of your exercise cals is a good rule of thumb. Like someone else said, just starting out, you will feel hungry til you adjust to the lower calories, and not having a 'full' feeling all the time. Our minds can play tricks on us as well. I have had times where I felt hunger pangs right after a 600 calorie meal that filled my plate.
Don't be afraid of healthy fats. Yes, nuts, avocados, olive oil, etc can add up quickly on calories, but they are essential to your health, and they also help keep you feeling fuller longer than lowfat carb items.
Protein also is essential for muscle retention and keeps you fuller.
MFP puts your protein % too low IMO. You can manually change your percentages. a 40C/30F/30P is a good place to start for most people.
Simple sugar and processed flour items, like cakes, chips, crackers,bread, etc, can raise your blood sugar quickly and after it comes down, you will feel hungry for more. If you eat a diet high in these things, that may be causing your hunger. Try cutting back a bit and see if that helps.
You have a busy schedule right now, so I admire you taking on the task of weight loss. Good for you. Some people use it as an excuse, but you aren't. Sounds like you are going at this in the right way.
Hang in there!
ETA after seeing your last post- if your calorie level is causing you to overeat and gain back your weight lost, then try upping it a little bit to see if that helps you stay on track better. You can lower it back down gradually if you find the scale not moving over time, once you get used to lower calories and tracking.0 -
I personally started at about 235, and I am about 5'5. Initially, I ate 1800 calories and that worked perfectly for me at first. I was a bit hungry, but my body adjusted. Each time I lost 20 pounds, I would lower my daily calorie intake. For example, once I hit about 200 pounds, I lowered my calorie intake to 1700 calories a day, and so forth. 80 pounds later (I'm currently about 155) I eat about 1500-1700 depending on whether I work out or not. For your weight loss to be obtainable, start with a calorie deficit that you can manage. 1500 might be quite drastic from what you've been eating, so bumping it up to 1700 or so may be a good place to start
That's good advice. How did you determine that 1800 was a good place for you?0 -
How long have you been on this journey/changed your diet? If it has been less than a week, I would say the hunger is mostly just habit. I am having a hard time adjusting back to my normal diet after indulging over the holidays! It takes time and so far I am going to bed cranky and hungry, but I feel better in the morning than when I was over-eating and going to bed feeling full.
If you have been on the journey for longer than a week and you haven't seen any results on the scale, then you probably aren't eating enough. When I started my weight loss journey, I was at 267 pounds (I am 5'6") and was eating 1750 calories a day. After losing 80 pounds, I now eat 1410 calories a day.
Feel free to adjust what works best for you. Personally, I would bump up your calories to around 1600 and see how that makes you feel. If you are no longer hungry but not losing any weight, then drop it down to 1570.
Remember to eat food high in fiber and protein. That will make you feel fuller longer. =D When you eat things higher in fat, you get more calories and less satisfaction!
I hope this wasn't just a ramble and helps a little. =D
That was great thanks!
I've been on MFP for about a month. I lost about 6 pounds but gained them back because I get hungry, then over eat.
it's a good chance you aren't eating the right type of foods to keep you full. Can you please open your diary?0 -
I'm usually in the red with fiber and protein :-(how much weight have you lost eating 1500 cals?
how much protein, fat and fibre are you getting per day? all those things will help keep you fuller.. so you may need to look more at what you're eating not how much.0 -
I'm usually in the red with fiber and protein :-(how much weight have you lost eating 1500 cals?
how much protein, fat and fibre are you getting per day? all those things will help keep you fuller.. so you may need to look more at what you're eating not how much.
thats not a bad thing, the protein goal on MFP is very low.... what about your fat intake?0 -
Although MFP's number can be a good reference point, it is only a reference point. It may be accurate for your particular system, or it may be way off.
Personally, I would have taken one or two weeks tracking the calories in your pre-existing diet as well as your weight.
After two weeks if you had maintained your weight you would then know that the calories you were averaging per day were your "Maintenance Calories" for the activity level in your life.
Anything below that level and you are operating at a deficit. It is as simple as that.
3,500 calories is another reference point for the amount of calories to add/drop a pound of weight. Thus, if you cut 500 calories a day over a week, you'll THEORETCALLY lose a pound of weight. Alternatively, you can maitain your calories and increase your activity level to burn that amount of calories. Personally, I would start at a smaller 250 - 350 deficit and work down from there, if needed.
You can reference this article from the Mayo Clinic:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/calories/ART-20048065
You are an individual and what works for others may not work for you. Take these online calculators as just one reference point. You should not be feeling hungry all the time within the context of losing a pound a week.0 -
That number sounds like a good starting point for you, and eating back half of your exercise cals is a good rule of thumb. Like someone else said, just starting out, you will feel hungry til you adjust to the lower calories, and not having a 'full' feeling all the time. Our minds can play tricks on us as well. I have had times where I felt hunger pangs right after a 600 calorie meal that filled my plate.
Don't be afraid of healthy fats. Yes, nuts, avocados, olive oil, etc can add up quickly on calories, but they are essential to your health, and they also help keep you feeling fuller longer than lowfat carb items.
Protein also is essential for muscle retention and keeps you fuller.
MFP puts your protein % too low IMO. You can manually change your percentages. a 40C/30F/30P is a good place to start for most people.
Simple sugar and processed flour items, like cakes, chips, crackers,bread, etc, can raise your blood sugar quickly and after it comes down, you will feel hungry for more. If you eat a diet high in these things, that may be causing your hunger. Try cutting back a bit and see if that helps.
You have a busy schedule right now, so I admire you taking on the task of weight loss. Good for you. Some people use it as an excuse, but you aren't. Sounds like you are going at this in the right way.
Hang in there!
Thank you for the encouragement :-).
My diet is another frustrating thing. I rarely eat fast food or fried foods, no chips, cakes or cookies, but I love to eat TOO MUCH of the good things :-). If I have baked chicken, baked potato (I think sour cream and other white creams are gross), and a salad with a vinegarette (probably high in sugar) I will have probably 2.5 servings and a ROLL (I do love rolls, which is why I don't buy them except on occasion). I don't drink sodas, I stick to water. Late night snacking is usually a dinner plate which is where I get into trouble :-(.0 -
Although MFP's number can be a good reference point, it is only a reference point. It may be accurate for your particular system, or it may be way off.
Personally, I would have taken one or two weeks tracking the calories in your pre-existing diet as well as your weight.
After two weeks if you had maintained your weight you would then know that the calories you were averaging per day were your "Maintenance Calories" for the activity level in your life.
Anything below that level and you are operating at a deficit. It is as simple as that.
3,500 calories is another reference point for the amount of calories to add/drop a pound of weight. Thus, if you cut 500 calories a day over a week, you'll THEORETCALLY loose a pound of weight. Alternatively, you can maitain your calories and increase your activity level to burn that amount of calories. You can reference this article from the Mayo Clinic:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/calories/ART-20048065
You are an individual and what works for others may not work for you. Take these online calculators as just one reference point. You should not be feeling hungry all the time within the context of losing a pound a week.
I was actually thinking of doing this. I got a Polar watch for Christmas. I was thinking of wearing it all day to see how many calories I burn in a normal, minus planned workouts.0 -
I'm usually in the red with fiber and protein :-(how much weight have you lost eating 1500 cals?
how much protein, fat and fibre are you getting per day? all those things will help keep you fuller.. so you may need to look more at what you're eating not how much.
thats not a bad thing, the protein goal on MFP is very low.... what about your fat intake?
Fat is usually green. I just looked back and found a day where I was 11 over, but I couldn't find any more reds. My sugar however is in the red more than I would like. I started trying to keep sodium in the green, but I see I can work on my sugar, which comes from breads I think.0 -
That's may useful, but note that it's not needed to find out what your maintenance level is.
Once you figure that out you can then tackle the deficit you want to operate on by increasing your activity level or cutting some food.
I don't know of anyone that tracks every single calorie burned during the day, but I'm sure there are some that may do that. Don't really think you need to.
Best of luck0 -
You will lose weight if you are in a calorie deficit.
If you're hungry (or think you are) try:
1) planning meals and snacks in advance
2) eating more protein
3) reducing the percentage of your calories from carbohydtrates and try getting them mostly from green veggies
Re: sleep
If you can't get more sleep, try improving the qiality. Something as simple as sitting still and staring at a wall or laying in savasana for a few minutes each day can really improve sleep quality.0 -
That's may useful, but note that it's not needed to find out what your maintenance level is.
Once you figure that out you can then tackle the deficit you want to operate on by increasing your activity level or cutting some food.
I don't know of anyone that tracks every single calorie burned during the day, but I'm sure there are some that may do that. Don't really think you need to.
Best of luck
Thanks so much BG. I can tell you for certain that I can maintain. I've been this weight since April :-).0 -
You will lose weight if you are in a calorie deficit.
If you're hungry (or think you are) try:
1) planning meals and snacks in advance
2) eating more protein
3) reducing the percentage of your calories from carbohydtrates and try getting them mostly from green veggies
Re: sleep
If you can't get more sleep, try improving the qiality. Something as simple as sitting still and staring at a wall or laying in savasana for a few minutes each day can really improve sleep quality.
High five on the sleep thing! I probably could also go to bed about an hour earlier too. Thank you for your advice.0 -
Portion control can be very difficult for some people to master. There are many tips that can help you with that.
My hubby had the same problem. I would normally fix enough food so that there would be leftovers for another meal the next day, but then he would always go back and eat the rest of it after his first plate. I started either cooking just enough for that meal, or I would immediately put the extra in the fridge.
Drinking a large glass of water before a meal helps some people.
Pre logging your food for the day helps a lot. If you prefer to eat more at the end of the day, then eat fewer calories thru out the early part to leave yourself those calories for night time.
Use smaller plates.
Slow your eating down so that you give time for your food to reach your stomach.
Add lots of salads or steamed veggies to your meals to bulk up the volume.
Don't let your foods touch each other on the plate. That sounds weird, but some people have found that helps cut down the portion sizes.
Start with only one serving of everything, then make yourself wait 20 minutes before you can go back for second helpings. You may find you don't want it by then.
And my favorite- Wear tight jeans when you eat!
I have a tendency to snack at night myself. We eat at 5, so by 8 I am wanting something. Back when I first started here in 2012, I discovered EAS protein drinks. They are high in protein, without all the sugar and carbs that some drinks can have. And they taste good.
I started making frozen smoothies with the strawberry flavored drink and a cup of frozen strawberries in my Ninja blender.
For 150 calories, I get a huge cup of yummy that is like frozen yogurt. If you want it sweeter, you can add a pkg of Truvia or other sweetener.
After eating all that, there is no way I can eat anything else for a couple of hours. So an 8pm smoothie keeps me out of the chips til bedtime.
That little trick was my savior in the beginning. And it satisfied my sweet tooth as well.0 -
Although MFP's number can be a good reference point, it is only a reference point. It may be accurate for your particular system, or it may be way off.
Personally, I would have taken one or two weeks tracking the calories in your pre-existing diet as well as your weight.
After two weeks if you had maintained your weight you would then know that the calories you were averaging per day were your "Maintenance Calories" for the activity level in your life.
Anything below that level and you are operating at a deficit. It is as simple as that.
3,500 calories is another reference point for the amount of calories to add/drop a pound of weight. Thus, if you cut 500 calories a day over a week, you'll THEORETCALLY loose a pound of weight. Alternatively, you can maitain your calories and increase your activity level to burn that amount of calories. You can reference this article from the Mayo Clinic:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/calories/ART-20048065
You are an individual and what works for others may not work for you. Take these online calculators as just one reference point. You should not be feeling hungry all the time within the context of losing a pound a week.
I was actually thinking of doing this. I got a Polar watch for Christmas. I was thinking of wearing it all day to see how many calories I burn in a normal, minus planned workouts.
Sugar is a carb and is processed as one. Don't even worry about tracking it. Second, wearing a HRM all day won't provide you any good insight. HRM are designed only to work with intense cardio. They are pretty useless outside of that. Fat is very good for you. In fact, increasing fat will increase satiety. If anything, your account shoudl be lightly active and you should lower your carb intake and substitute protein, fats and fiber.0 -
Portion control can be very difficult for some people to master. There are many tips that can help you with that.
My hubby had the same problem. I would normally fix enough food so that there would be leftovers for another meal the next day, but then he would always go back and eat the rest of it after his first plate. I started either cooking just enough for that meal, or I would immediately put the extra in the fridge.
Drinking a large glass of water before a meal helps some people.
Pre logging your food for the day helps a lot. If you prefer to eat more at the end of the day, then eat fewer calories thru out the early part to leave yourself those calories for night time.
Use smaller plates.
Slow your eating down so that you give time for your food to reach your stomach.
Add lots of salads or steamed veggies to your meals to bulk up the volume.
Don't let your foods touch each other on the plate. That sounds weird, but some people have found that helps cut down the portion sizes.
Start with only one serving of everything, then make yourself wait 20 minutes before you can go back for second helpings. You may find you don't want it by then.
And my favorite- Wear tight jeans when you eat!
I have a tendency to snack at night myself. We eat at 5, so by 8 I am wanting something. Back when I first started here in 2012, I discovered EAS protein drinks. They are high in protein, without all the sugar and carbs that some drinks can have. And they taste good.
I started making frozen smoothies with the strawberry flavored drink and a cup of frozen strawberries in my Ninja blender.
For 150 calories, I get a huge cup of yummy that is like frozen yogurt. If you want it sweeter, you can add a pkg of Truvia or other sweetener.
After eating all that, there is no way I can eat anything else for a couple of hours. So an 8pm smoothie keeps me out of the chips til bedtime.
That little trick was my savior in the beginning. And it satisfied my sweet tooth as well.
Printing this.....:-)0 -
Although MFP's number can be a good reference point, it is only a reference point. It may be accurate for your particular system, or it may be way off.
Personally, I would have taken one or two weeks tracking the calories in your pre-existing diet as well as your weight.
After two weeks if you had maintained your weight you would then know that the calories you were averaging per day were your "Maintenance Calories" for the activity level in your life.
Anything below that level and you are operating at a deficit. It is as simple as that.
3,500 calories is another reference point for the amount of calories to add/drop a pound of weight. Thus, if you cut 500 calories a day over a week, you'll THEORETCALLY loose a pound of weight. Alternatively, you can maitain your calories and increase your activity level to burn that amount of calories. You can reference this article from the Mayo Clinic:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/calories/ART-20048065
You are an individual and what works for others may not work for you. Take these online calculators as just one reference point. You should not be feeling hungry all the time within the context of losing a pound a week.
I was actually thinking of doing this. I got a Polar watch for Christmas. I was thinking of wearing it all day to see how many calories I burn in a normal, minus planned workouts.
Sugar is a carb and is processed as one. Don't even worry about tracking it. Second, wearing a HRM all day won't provide you any good insight. HRM are designed only to work with intense cardio. They are pretty useless outside of that. Fat is very good for you. In fact, increasing fat will increase satiety. If anything, your account shoudl be lightly active and you should lower your carb intake and substitute protein, fats and fiber.
Thanks! My Polar tracks my calories. I've worn it for regular activity and saw my caloric usage, such as taking in groceries, cleaning around the house, etc. Is this not helpful? I actually don't pay much attention to the HRM feature unless I am working out. Is your advice still the same? I would think if I wore my Polar all day I could actually see if what MFP has for my daily burn is accurate.0 -
No, your Polar is not meant for general life activities and is just as much guessing randomly as MFP.0
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What are you activity levels like?
I'd personally suggest no less than 1800 calories a day for your current weight... ( this is if you are exercising about 3 times a week..)0 -
The HRM/calories burned thing confused me for the longest as well. I couldn't understand WHY you couldn't use it all day to determine your calorie burn.
Finally someone explained it in a way that made sense.
Simply having an increase in heart rate doesn't burn more calories. (Heck, my resting rate is around 90, so I should be a stick by now)
The HRM assumes that you are actually taxing your muscles and organs with strenuous exercise when your HR goes up. It uses your HR as a way to measure assumed physical activity.
It is the physical activity that burns the calories, NOT just the increased HR.
For this reason, the HRM cannot be an accurate way to determine calorie burn thru out the day.
It also explains why people who are a lot overweight, don't actually burn the amount of calories that a HRM says they do. The increased HR comes more from being out of shape, than from actually intensity of exercise.0 -
No, your Polar is not meant for general life activities and is just as much guessing randomly as MFP.
I think you may have misunderstood my responses and usage, but I appreciate your comments none the less. They are still helpful.0
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