daily calorie defecit

melissab
melissab Posts: 17
edited September 18 in Fitness and Exercise
what does this mean?

Replies

  • melissab
    melissab Posts: 17
    what does this mean?
  • whitekoala
    whitekoala Posts: 2
    I'm not sure either?
  • ahorlyk
    ahorlyk Posts: 3
    Ok, so my simplistic version is that it's the amount of calories you subtract from your "normal intake" to get the amount of calories you need each day in order to meet your weight goals. It's how the "daily goal" of calories on your home page is calculated. I'll give you my ball park figures as an example. My 'normal intake' is around 1800 calories. My 'dcd' is 500 calories per day. Therefore, to lose weight at the rate I chose, my daily calorie goal is about 1300 (before factoring in exercise).
  • apojones
    apojones Posts: 56 Member
    Does anyone know if you are in danger of going into starvation mode if you don't eat all the extra calories you earn through exercise each day? I've increased my exercise considerably, but I'm used to eating less calories through adding a lot of veggies every day so, I'm not always eating all the calories I can. I really want to reap a greater weight loss benefit instead of just sending myself into starvation mode again.
  • Robin1109
    Robin1109 Posts: 231 Member
    I need some help with this as well if there's any one out there that can give me the answer! How close do I need to stay to my BMR? According to the site, I should be at around 1600 cals a day. I'm working out consistenly and using Nutrisystem. Based on the food I consume, I am probably only eating about 700-900 calories a day on Nutrisystem. If I add in exercise, obviously it's a lot less. Is my body in starvation mode or will it soon be?? I've only been doing Nutrisystem with exercise for about 3 weeks and I've only seen a 5lb drop in weight.

    Am I undertstanding this BMR thing right?
  • hjcopeland
    hjcopeland Posts: 53 Member
    Your BMR is the amount of calories you would burn if you were "at rest" all day. But nobody stays in bed all day! We do things like walking, housework, driving, etc., all of which burn calories.

    When you set up your goals, the site asks you about your lifestyle, i.e. how sedentary or active you are during a normal day, and it calculates your actual daily caloric need.

    Then it gives you a daily calorie "goal" based on your weight loss goal. For example, if you told the site you wanted to lose 1 pound per week (recommended), it would calculate a daily "deficit" of 500 calories per day. This number (BMR + activity level - 500) is what shows up as your daily goal in your food diary.

    So if your BMR is 1200, and you burn 600 more doing your normal daily activities, that = 1,800 calories per day that you could eat and maintain your current weight. To lose a pound per week, you would need to eat 1300 calories (1800 minus 500).

    Note: the site "adds" any calories that you burn during exercise (and enter in the cardio section under the exercise tab) back in to your daily caloric goal in order to maintain that 500 calorie deficit. So if you enter 200 calories of cardio, then your daily goal would be raised to 1600 in order to maintain your daily deficit at 500 and your weekly weight loss at one pound.

    I think the "starvation" mode issue is real, but it's different for everyone. A good way to tell is to track your weight loss over a period of time...a 3,500 calorie "deficit" should equal one pound of weight loss. If you're not losing weight somewhere close to that rate, your body might be in "starvation mode" and hoarding calories.

    Most people agree you should not eat less that 1,200 cals per day, period.

    Hope that helps!
  • hjcopeland
    hjcopeland Posts: 53 Member
    Obviously 1300 + 200 = 1500 (not 1600). That was a typo!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,393 Member
    hjcopeland,

    I don't know who those beautiful people in your profile photo are.....husband and kids- (or you and kids?) But they are really beautiful!

    Good explanation on the starvation-mode thing.

    cm
  • hjcopeland
    hjcopeland Posts: 53 Member
    Thanks,

    That's me and my boys. My wife is a photographer. There are some more up at
    www.simple-treasures.net.

    I don't think this qualifies as "advertising" since you would have to be local to use her services!


    HJC
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