How bad are 1000 cal deficits, really?

Given your stats?? Sounds like a bad idea, to me. A train wreck. And, I'd eat more fat.

I've been playing around with a few calculators, including MFP for goals, and either way I change things up I always seem to be told to eat around the same amount of calories.

The fact that the excercise levels are so general doesn't help. There's a 400 calories difference between light and moderate activity level.

If I bring my goal down to 1lb a week, and change my fitness level to low (assuming I don't burn 2600 calories), I still end up howevering around 1750 calories a day which isn't too much more than the 1600 I'm eating now.

How would you classify 5 days a week in the gym lifting weights for an hour each day? Light activity, moderate? I do computer work when I am not at the gym or walking around so I'm having a hard time telling these calculators what to do.

weight training is more on intensity level. There is no set level. Weight training does not really burn that many calories,

Unless I missed something, I think you state that you are male 5ft 8 in and 150 lbs. Why in the heck would you want to lose weight? If you want to gain muscle or increase fitness level overall this seems reasonable but you weight is considering in the low/middle range for women of your height.

Probably because he's 16 and emo, rather than 26.

If you feel great and the weight is coming off slowly, just keep up the good work. If you stop losing at all, just up the exercise and cardio slightly till the weight starts coming off again.

Went from a conversation, to me suddenly being a 16 year old emo troll.

Looks like this thread is over. Nothing to see here folks.

You're not? ok. I can't think of any reason a grown man would want to be 5'8" and 130LBS. But perhaps I'm missing something.

Went from a conversation, to me suddenly being a 16 year old emo troll.

Looks like this thread is over. Nothing to see here folks.

You're not? ok. I can't think of any reason a grown man would want to be 5'8" and 130LBS. But perhaps I'm missing something.

We be trolling. I think someone got some issues. 5"8' 130 male. Nope I don't understand. Please tell us OP. Are you trying to make weight for something?

I've been running a 1000 calorie deficit for a month and a half now and overall I feel great and have more energy than I ever have! I am only consuming 1600 calories a day, and generally take in 100g of protein, 54g fat, and around 130-150g of carbs.

I keep reading that people are referring to 1000 cal deficits as "starving yourself", but truthfully I just don't understand it. Are these people not eating enough protein?

It depends a lot on how heavy you're starting out.
With lots of weight to lose (like, say, over 60 lb), losing 2 lb per week is fine & healthy.
But with less to lose people shouldn't be at such a deficit.
Personally, I'm not looking forward to slowing down my rate of loss, but I understand why it has to happen... and I'm actually kinda happy to be getting down to the "not as much to lose" range.

My doctor started me off with a 1000 cal deficit, and told me not to eat exercise calories, so it was actually more than that.
(10x weight) - 1000 is one way to calculate calorie goal
Or you can do 10x (healthy goal weight).
I started with the first and am now on the second, still losing.
If you're actually eating 1600 cal, you'll get to 160 lb.

How would you classify 5 days a week in the gym lifting weights for an hour each day?

If that's all the exercise you do, I'd call it light. Moderate would be someone like a teacher or nurse who's on her feet moving most of the day. Strenuous would be someone who does heavy physical labor, or possibly weights & cardio for several hours a day.

Going by BMI, at 5'8" you should be 125 - 160.
http://www.shapeup.org/bmi/bmi6.pdf

Jeez, no kidding. No one's asking you to go down to 130, folks. :indifferent:

I do it, but that's because I go over my calories by about 4,000 on Fridays and Saturdays. Does the job for me and helps me maintain.