Negative Impact of long-term calorie deficits?

dakotababy
dakotababy Posts: 2,407 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am just curious, is being in a calorie deficit long term dangerous? I am talking about like, TDEE -20,10 or 5% for over a year or so.

If a person should increase their calories to maintenance, how often should this be done? How long for?

Replies

  • watto1980
    watto1980 Posts: 155 Member
    I don't know about dangerous, but it probably puts your body's hormones out of whack.

    I was in a calorie deficit for a little over 6 months and I took 4 weeks off towards the end of that time to eat at maintenance. I then resumed the diet until I reached my goal weight. It made me feel heaps better. That was my experience, I am sure someone with more knowledge could say more.
  • Snow3y
    Snow3y Posts: 1,412 Member
    Nah it's not bad for you.. If it were a major deficit, or maybe you're lacking the nutrients your body really needs, then yes.. But a small % like 5-10 over a period of a year won't do noticeable harm.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    I cnat imagine so unless you start being underweight or undernourished. The whole point for most people is that they eat more than they need.
  • JustFindingMe
    JustFindingMe Posts: 390 Member
    Are you still losing at that deficit?
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Depends where you're starting from, an obese man lived over a year on a 100% deficit, for example.

    The deficit is the difference between what you eat and what you use, with fat from reserves filling the gap. So the size and accessibility of the reserves matter.
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,630 Member
    Realistically you would just be eating at the TDEE of the weight you want to achieve so I don't see why it would be dangerous. The deficit isn't large. You get there and it stops.
  • harlequin0318
    harlequin0318 Posts: 415 Member
    A weekly cheat meal should fix that concern
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I lost my period for 3 months because of it. Only came back when I started eating close to maintenance. So I guess the answer is yes, but it's not the end of the world.
  • haildodger
    haildodger Posts: 181 Member
    edited October 2014
    You're forcing your body to feed off your fat stores. So the deficit from food is just to kick start that. That being said, there are ways that can be unhealthy if you're still not eating right, or doing something drastic.

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