Question on the calculations for the 1 pound a week.

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ConnieLynn
ConnieLynn Posts: 242 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Good Morning,

I found out the calories needed per day for a person at my weight was 2256. Now I am eating 1350 on the lose 1 lb. a week plan. This is a 906 deficit. That adds up to 6342 calorie deficit per week.. That would be over a 1 1/2 lbs. per week.

If I was at my goal weight now, I would need 1903 calories a day to maintain. 1903 - 1350 is a deficit of 3871 per week and closer to the 1 pound a week deficit.

My concern is that I am cutting to many calories now and will have trouble several months down the road when I need to shed those last pounds.

I am also concerned about the shock to my system with such a large deficit. I followed the recommended 1 pound a week calculations set up by this site.

Anyone know have any information about this. I want to do this healthy and I don't want my body to go into starvation mode.

Shouldn't I be doing the amount that is a deficit for the current weight I am at ,not my future weight?

Thank you for your help.

Connie Lynn:heart:

Replies

  • ConnieLynn
    ConnieLynn Posts: 242 Member
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    Good Morning,

    I found out the calories needed per day for a person at my weight was 2256. Now I am eating 1350 on the lose 1 lb. a week plan. This is a 906 deficit. That adds up to 6342 calorie deficit per week.. That would be over a 1 1/2 lbs. per week.

    If I was at my goal weight now, I would need 1903 calories a day to maintain. 1903 - 1350 is a deficit of 3871 per week and closer to the 1 pound a week deficit.

    My concern is that I am cutting to many calories now and will have trouble several months down the road when I need to shed those last pounds.

    I am also concerned about the shock to my system with such a large deficit. I followed the recommended 1 pound a week calculations set up by this site.

    Anyone know have any information about this. I want to do this healthy and I don't want my body to go into starvation mode.

    Shouldn't I be doing the amount that is a deficit for the current weight I am at ,not my future weight?

    Thank you for your help.

    Connie Lynn:heart:
  • ConnieLynn
    ConnieLynn Posts: 242 Member
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    Good Late Morning,

    Let me add to what I was trying to say below. I am currently 180 and the calories needed to maintain that weight are 2256. If I cut out 906 calories at day at the amount this site recommends, that ends up being 1 1/2 lbs per week.

    Isn't that to much per week for my current weight.?

    Does it matter? Shouldn't I just be cutting the amount for my current weight?

    Has anyone else done the calculations by hand?

    Any thoughts?

    Connie Lynn
  • createsure
    createsure Posts: 55
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    Hi Connie,

    I think the calculating of calories for a person can vary greatly depending on your info source. I may be wrong about that, but my guess is that you should be using these numbers as estimates. As for your concern about not being able to cut that much, you are right. You don't want to be trying a diet that you know will be too much for you. Maybe you should try setting your goal to 1 pound every 2 weeks, or something similar. This way you won't be going over your limit every day (which is discouraging) and you most likely will lose MORE than your stated goal (which is encouraging!)
  • ConnieLynn
    ConnieLynn Posts: 242 Member
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    Thank you createsure. Thank you for your thoughts.

    The first 3 weeks i just recorded my food and tried to stay near the amount this wonderful site recommends. This week I am really watching it and have stayed at the recommended 1350 per day.

    I lost 3 pounds the first 3 weeks without having to really be careful. We shall see what happens this week as I am always hungry between meals.

    I will know in time if I need to eat a little more. I know if I exercise, I will definitely have to eat the extra calories I lose from exercise.

    What is your experience with doing this program?

    Thanks again for your help.

    Connie
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    Why are you at a 1000 calorie deficit? There's really no reason to do that. Stick with the 500 calorie deficit or you'll have no way to decrease later on. I can bump up my topic on undereating if you'd like to read it. It's important to do this slowly.
  • ConnieLynn
    ConnieLynn Posts: 242 Member
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    Hi Songbyrdsweet,

    That is my whole point and question. I followed the 1 lb. a week as suggested on this site and it gave me a total calories for the day of 1350. That was what I was asking, is this to much of a calorie deduction for the weight I am at now. I did the calculations by hand and realized what a deficit it is.

    Does everyone just go by what they say for the 1 lb a week recommended or do you go by say the 1.5 pd. when you are first. starting and then move down from there.

    I was wondering what everyone's experience has been.

    It just seems like such a huge deficit when starting out, maybe that is why we all struggle more than we need to.

    Thank you for your response, songbyrdsweet, and note. I don't want to undereat, that is why I am wondering what everyone else does when they first start out.

    Connie
  • createsure
    createsure Posts: 55
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    Hi Connie Lynn,
    I just started this site (and my diet/exercise program) 3 days ago. So far it's going good, but I find myself hungry between meals too. I just remind myself that if I'm feeling hungry, I'm burning calories.

    As for your calorie defecit: I am a 30 year old man, I weigh about 205 currently, and want to drop roughly 20 pounds. I used to eat a LOT, and shudder to think about how many calories I typically put away in a day. Now I'm on 1850 a day, which to be honest is probably a 1000 cal a day difference for me. I went to a dinner party last night (going away party for a friend), and of course the meal was pasta in cream sauce, homemade jalapeno poppers, and bread with pesto on it. Needless to say, it was a self-control nightmare. I ended up giving in somewhat, not worrying TOO much, and I managed to only go over my daily limit by a few hundred. Anyway, that's my experience so far. I'm not going to beat myself up if I go a little over every once in a blue moon, because just being conscious of what I'm consuming forces me to eat way way less than I used to.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    Hi Songbyrdsweet,

    That is my whole point and question. I followed the 1 lb. a week as suggested on this site and it gave me a total calories for the day of 1350. That was what I was asking, is this to much of a calorie deduction for the weight I am at now. I did the calculations by hand and realized what a deficit it is.

    Does everyone just go by what they say for the 1 lb a week recommended or do you go by say the 1.5 pd. when you are first. starting and then move down from there.

    I was wondering what everyone's experience has been.

    It just seems like such a huge deficit when starting out, maybe that is why we all struggle more than we need to.

    Thank you for your response, songbyrdsweet, and note. I don't want to undereat, that is why I am wondering what everyone else does when they first start out.

    Connie

    If you chose "Guided" goals, a 500 calorie deficit is included in there. That is the very least you can eat. Once you exercise and perform activity, the site automatically adds that to the calories you NEED to eat, still with the deficit built in.

    For instance, when I choose Guided, it gives me a baseline calories of 1200. Then, when I add my 500 calories of activity, it tells me to eat 1700. In reality, I burnt 2200 calories with my BMR and activity, but since the deficit is built-in it tells me to eat 1700. That is an acceptable deficit.

    You can either do that or find your BMR with an online calculator, and then use an Activity Calculator to find out how many MORE calorie you burn in your everyday stuff and exercise. The equation is:

    BMR+Daily Activity+Exercise-500 Calorie Deficit = How Many Calories to Eat Every Day


    I chose custom goals because I eat a different macronutrient ratio than what's recommended and I already know I have to eat 1600-1700 calories a day because I used that equation. A 1000 calorie deficit is really hard on your body. Bump your calories up and you will feel much better. There is no need to be hungry all the time. :smile:
  • ConnieLynn
    ConnieLynn Posts: 242 Member
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    Hi and thank you for helping me on this issue, songbirdsweet.

    I weighed myself today and I had lost 2 pounds in 4 days, so I need to adjust my calories upwards so I don't lose to fast. I felt like it was to much of a reduction, but I am new at this, so I am still learning.

    It is amazing how much there is to learn about food and the right portions, etc.

    I am enjoying the process and everyone is so much help.

    Blessings to you,

    Connie Lynn
  • ConnieLynn
    ConnieLynn Posts: 242 Member
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    Thank you Creatsure,

    We are both new to this, so we shall learn how much we actually need to reduce to lose that important 1 pound a week. It is a learning curve and I already feel more informed.

    Hunger is a strange sensation. It does not make me want to eat, but I just feel off, slightly light headed and a dull ache. We are lucky to be feeling this as something we have decided to do and not because we can't afford to eat!

    Thanks for your help and good luck on your new adventure.

    Connie Lynn
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    Thank you Creatsure,

    We are both new to this, so we shall learn how much we actually need to reduce to lose that important 1 pound a week. It is a learning curve and I already feel more informed.

    Hunger is a strange sensation. It does not make me want to eat, but I just feel off, slightly light headed and a dull ache. We are lucky to be feeling this as something we have decided to do and not because we can't afford to eat!

    Thanks for your help and good luck on your new adventure.

    Connie Lynn

    Careful Connie Lynn...if you are dizzy, you should sit and have a bit to eat and some water. You should feel much better now that you're eating more.

    A little bit of hunger is okay from time to time, but if you are getting dizzy or your stomach is really 'pulling' (that's what it feels like to me hehe), then you need to eat more.

    I used to undereat and over-run. I was at 1500 cals a day and doing 80 minutes of cardio and 60 minutes of lifting. One day I was on the Stairstepper and became very dizzy...I stumbled off of it and everything went black and fuzzy. I couldn't hear or see, couldn't use my hands. I had to just sit for 10 minutes and wait. When I went to my doctor, she said I had 'bunked', which basically means I ate too little and my blood sugar dropped really quickly. I could have injured myself or someone else if I had fallen off the machine! So believe me when I say, being dizzy is an important sign that your body is in need of nutrients. :smile:

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