How much deficit

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Poofersgrl
Poofersgrl Posts: 161 Member
edited November 2014 in Health and Weight Loss
How much of a deficit should I leave to lose weight. I am currently set for .05lb per week, been fluxing between 142-138 for a few weeks and want to get to 133. Have calories set for 1600. Today, I worked out and MFP says I burned 375. I exercise 4-6 days per week.I have all my meals entered in for the day (not measured) yes I know I need to do that....and have 482 calories left. I like to have an evening snack. Should I stay here or can I have the evening snack? Should I change my lunch? I feel I have been depriving myself of things I enjoy eating. Thanks in advance.

Replies

  • peachyfuzzle
    peachyfuzzle Posts: 1,122 Member
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    It sounds like you're currently eating at maintenance. You answered your own question though. You're not measuring, so you really don't have a good idea of how many calories you're actually ingesting. You're likely taking in more than you realize.
  • Poofersgrl
    Poofersgrl Posts: 161 Member
    edited November 2014
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    If I am maintenance, how can I change that? How much deficit should I do? Its hard to measure alot of things I make, ex: tonight having manwich with roll and I like to have 2, and some beef rice. How do I measure that? Measuring cup? I do have a scale.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    Are you eating back 100% of the exercise calories the MFP gives you?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,871 Member
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    Poofersgrl wrote: »
    If I am maintenance, how can I change that? How much deficit should I do? Its hard to measure alot of things I make, ex: tonight having manwich with roll and I like to have 2, and some beef rice. How do I measure that? Measuring cup? I do have a scale.

    just knock off a couple hundred calories per day...
  • TossaBeanBag
    TossaBeanBag Posts: 458 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Poofersgrl wrote: »
    If I am maintenance, how can I change that? How much deficit should I do? Its hard to measure alot of things I make, ex: tonight having manwich with roll and I like to have 2, and some beef rice. How do I measure that? Measuring cup? I do have a scale.

    just knock off a couple hundred calories per day...

    ... through exercise.
  • KylaDenay
    KylaDenay Posts: 1,585 Member
    edited November 2014
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    Poofersgrl wrote: »
    If I am maintenance, how can I change that? How much deficit should I do? Its hard to measure alot of things I make, ex: tonight having manwich with roll and I like to have 2, and some beef rice. How do I measure that? Measuring cup? I do have a scale.

    I am pretty sure to manwich sandwiches and beef rice will go over 482 calories. You are eating more than you think.

    You have to use your scale. Start using the recipe builder.

    ETA: sorry just looked at your diary and see you have already included this.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    edited November 2014
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    If you're inputting your exercise into MFP and letting it calculate your calories it's likely overestimating. MFP has no idea of your level of exertion during a session. I have yet to find an entry for anything I've done where MFP wasn't well above what my heart rate monitor calculated for my calorie burn. Plus, if you're adding a calorie burn over an hour's time, you need to factor out the calories you would have burned just by being alive. An hour is 1/24th of your sedentary calories for the day. So.... if you're not taking any of that into account and eating back all of the calories that MFP allots you, you're cutting into your deficit.
  • Poofersgrl
    Poofersgrl Posts: 161 Member
    edited November 2014
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    This is just frustrating. Trying so hard, and feel as though I am getting no where. I also feel I am depriving myself of things I like to eat. =( Wow...just put my info into livestrong, and says 1373 calories to lose, there is no way I could do that.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    edited November 2014
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    Poofersgrl wrote: »
    This is just frustrating. Trying so hard, and feel as though I am getting no where. I also feel I am depriving myself of things I like to eat. =( Wow...just put my info into livestrong, and says 1373 calories to lose, there is no way I could do that.
    Don't deprive yourself, then. There is no rule that says you can't eat whatever you want and still lose weight, you just need to keep your calories in to a number that is less than your calories out. You could lose weight eating only Twinkies if you really wanted to. You'd be hungry and miserable all the time but you'd still lose weight.

    Try to make the bulk of what you're eating lean meats and veggies so you don't get hungry. Then build in a treat or two each day. Instead of a whole chocolate bar buy a bag of miniatures and eat one or two slowly so you get all the flavor but not the whole 200+ calories. Be sure you're not getting calories from what you're drinking (soda, sweetened tea, alcohol, etc.) and you'll have more for food. Things like that will go a long way to keeping you satisfied but still meeting your goals.
  • Poofersgrl
    Poofersgrl Posts: 161 Member
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    thanks for the help. Yesterday I had 300 calories left at the end of the day. Is that good?
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    jbach2 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Poofersgrl wrote: »
    If I am maintenance, how can I change that? How much deficit should I do? Its hard to measure alot of things I make, ex: tonight having manwich with roll and I like to have 2, and some beef rice. How do I measure that? Measuring cup? I do have a scale.

    just knock off a couple hundred calories per day...

    ... through exercise.

    Not necessarily.

    OP, I ask again, are you eating back 100% of what you enter into MFP?
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    edited November 2014
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    Poofersgrl wrote: »
    thanks for the help. Yesterday I had 300 calories left at the end of the day. Is that good?
    Not if you're feeling hungry and deprived, it isn't. MFP already builds in the 250 calorie deficit (for a .5 pound loss per week) for you if you've set it up and are following its goals for you. Rather than be unhappy and feeling like you can't keep eating the way you are, eat to within 50 calories of your goal every day. You'll be much happier. :)
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,619 Member
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    Find your TDEE and eat 250-500 calories less from it.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • wkwebby
    wkwebby Posts: 807 Member
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    As you get closer to your goal, your caloric count needs to get more accurate. How did you come up with your goal weight? If you feel like you're depriving yourself, perhaps you should stay at maintenance and just chill at 143 for a while until you feel able to tackle the rest of the weight. There is nothing wrong with taking a breather and resetting your thinking. Ultimately, you have to make a choice, are you going to 135 for vanity purposes or health? Also, do you really need to go as low as 135? This number seems arbitrary, but for me at 5'4", because of the weight lifting that I do, is too low. Looking at BMI charts, the highest I should be at 41 is 140 (lowest being 120 or so), but my trainer doesn't think I can get down to even 135 without looking "scrawny".

    I think a reevaluation of your goals and motivation is in order.
  • Poofersgrl
    Poofersgrl Posts: 161 Member
    edited November 2014
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    I am not eating all them back. I will keep trying, just wanting to give up. I have only been over my calories 6 times in the past month, been under the others but still not working.
  • KylaDenay
    KylaDenay Posts: 1,585 Member
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    Poofersgrl wrote: »
    I am not eating all them back. I will keep trying, just wanting to give up.
    Do not give up. It takes time. Especially now that you have so little to lose it is a lot slower. Unless you are using an HRM, I recommend following the tdee method. If you are consistent with your workouts, that may be a better option for you.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,714 Member
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    KylaDenay wrote: »
    Poofersgrl wrote: »
    I am not eating all them back. I will keep trying, just wanting to give up.
    Do not give up. It takes time. Especially now that you have so little to lose it is a lot slower. Unless you are using an HRM, I recommend following the tdee method. If you are consistent with your workouts, that may be a better option for you.

    Yes, and don't rely on MFP or the cardio machine displays for your calories burned. They are very inaccurate.
  • Poofersgrl
    Poofersgrl Posts: 161 Member
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    I use leslie sansone workouts. Ok on not relying. No HRM presently.
  • tracymayo1
    tracymayo1 Posts: 445 Member
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    if you don't start weighing your solids with a scale, and measuring your liquids, then chances are you won't really be where you want to be.
    if you don't know how much you are eating, you can't figure out where to fix problem areas.
    As for things like manwiches etc.. use the recipe builder to add things you make at home. Break up the recipe into how many servings it makes. If you check my diary, you will see I did exactly that with my BF's chili, our homemade perogies, stews, soups, pasta dishes etc... this way, I know how many calories I have in each meal.

    for your exercise, whatever MFP tells you you burned, it is usually over what you actually burned. so if you ARE going to eat back exercise calories, never eat back more than half of what it says you gained (to be safe).

    Read the sticky posts at the top of this forum. Use them and abuse them - they will be your lifeline!
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    Poofersgrl wrote: »
    I use leslie sansone workouts. Ok on not relying. No HRM presently.
    When you're close to goal and already a healthy BMI, it's all harder. Most people have to really count their calories, not just do a rough estimate.

    Another 'diet killer' is using MFP to estimate your exercise burns and then 'eating back'. Leslie Sansone workouts exaggerate their distance. Her '3 mile walk' is more like 2, unless you're 7' tall.

    I would switch to a TDEE method.

    And be prepared to not be able to eat as much of everything you want while dieting. It's temporary and survivable. You can eat more when you transition to maintenance.

    Good luck!

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