CICO question PLEASE DO NOT BE RUDE!!!

smadaris91
smadaris91 Posts: 63 Member
edited November 20 in Getting Started
ok friends I understand CICO (I think) so you consume 1500 calories and burn 2000 you have a calorie deficit of 500? right? idk if any one has ever went to the gym and actually tried to burn off 2000 calories? I can only get to 500-700 calories burned max? what am I doing wrong? I don't have 4-6hrs a day to spend in the gym burning 2000 calories? I work out between work and regular life? I shove my HIIT in for 30 mins and then do some weight training? how can I burn 2000 calories a day to have a deficit? HELP

note on the side I am still losing weight. I have lost around 10lbs in 20 days. But I have not EVER hit a calorie deficit? I don't understand how I can? or if I am calculating it correctly?

Please don't be mean and no judging any one and there advice to me!!!
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Replies

  • iwantmydenimback
    iwantmydenimback Posts: 194 Member
    No. If you eat 1500 calories and burn 300 in the gym, your deficit is 300. You will have 1200 net calories. Your net calories should be the same as your goal calories.

    If your goal is 1500, you eat 1800 and burn 300. This gives you 1500 net.
  • SimoneBee12
    SimoneBee12 Posts: 268 Member
    edited June 2015
    Your body naturally burns around 1000-2000 calories a day, depending on your age, height and current weight, this is called your BMR. This is what I assume you've read about, but misunderstood.

    So if you BMR is say, 1800, and you eat 1500, and burn 500 at the gym, then you have a 800 calorie deficit a day.

    Also, 10lbs in 20 days is a lot, this should slow down soon, if it doesn't, however, you should consider eating back some of your calories burnt at the gym to ensure you're feeding your body enough nutrients.
  • Azexas
    Azexas Posts: 4,334 Member
    I think where you confusion is the calorie out portion. Your body burns calories throughout the day. Your total daily energy expenditure (tdee) may be 2000 calories and if you consume 1,500 calories you will have a 500 calorie deficit for the day. Your gym burns are counted in your tdee. I hope that makes sense.
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
    You do realise if you lay in bed all day you would still burn calories right? Look up your BMR (basal metabolic rate) and this is what you burn if you literally do nothing all day. You TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is what you burn including exercise.

    When you put all your stats into MFP it works a calorie deficit out based on how much you want to lose per week. The idea is you're supposed to eat back exercise calories as you already have a deficit (although personally I don't eat back exercise calories).
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  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
    You don't have to burn all 2000 calories at the gym. MFP factors in your estimated daily NEAT calorie burn (Basic metabolic activity, plus moving around). Exercise is on top of that.

    So if your daily TDEE (all calories burned, basic metabolic needs, moving around, exercise) amounts to 2000 calories, and you eat 1500, you have your 500 calorie deficit.

    Hope this explains it better.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Your daily burn includes basic living functions. If you laid in bed all day without moving, you would likely be burning at least 1500 calories (this is a guess, not an actual known number so don't count it for anything), once you are up and moving around this goes up. The CICO, doesn't mean you workout to burn off more calories than you consume. MFP gives you the daily calorie target based on height, weight, age, and gender and will already have a deficit figured into it for you based on what you told it you wanted to do (how much weight you want to lose). If the program has told you to eat 1500 calories per day, aim for that. If you burn off 200 calories at the gym, you should consume approximately 50% of that as well (MFP calorie burns are typically high for most people).

    Does that help?
  • MoiAussi93
    MoiAussi93 Posts: 1,948 Member
    edited June 2015
    I really hope you're trolling, but in case you're not...

    You burn calories just by being alive. You can be comatose with IV feeding and you will still burn calories. Your calorie "burn" for a day is all of that (breathing, digesting, all the other stuff your body does to keep you alive) PLUS any extra burned through exercise.
  • PixelPuff
    PixelPuff Posts: 902 Member
    You are confused at the same point my roommate was at! You don't actually need to exercise at all to be in a deficit. As SimoneBee12 said, your body naturally burns calories all day - after all, it needs energy to actually run your body.

    If you only ate 1200 calories per day, but your body burns 2000 through the day with your normal activity [no exercising, even], then you've got a deficit of 800.

    Just remember to stick to healthy calorie counts. For women, it is to not go under 1200 calories/day. Doctors [knowledgable ones!] may overstep this and say less, with their supervision and monitoring, but does not happen often.
  • LiftAndBalance
    LiftAndBalance Posts: 960 Member
    You burn a bunch of calories just existing (your basal metabolic rate or BMR) as well as doing regular life-stuff. If you set up MFP correctly, it gives you a deficit based on these calories and you're then supposed to add any calories burned exercising and eat (part of) them back.
    Side-note: I know this seems counter-productive but you don't actually wanna lose more than about a pound per week on average unless you're obese to minimise muscle loss and prevent sluggishness and other nasty side effects of undereating.
  • trinatrina1984
    trinatrina1984 Posts: 1,018 Member
    A calorie deficit is when you are consuming less calories than your body needs. The amount you need is dependent on your stats and varies from person to person. If I were you I would use the MFP function to set a calorie deficit which is sustainable.
  • trinatrina1984
    trinatrina1984 Posts: 1,018 Member
    This will help you work out roughly what your BMR is - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator
  • smadaris91
    smadaris91 Posts: 63 Member
    ok!! I was so confused but now I totally understand :) thanks everyone so much!! I don't know why I was so confused with it? I'm glad that I can finally be happy with the calories I burn. I was so disappointed I couldn't burn 2000 calories and now I know how unrealistic it is for me to do. im glad I finally asked and thank you all so much for being so patient with me and not being rude!!

    so I have a goal of 1770 calories a day and most times I don't meet that goal I usually eat around 1300 a day. (because I also have to watch carbs and sugar due to an issue im faced with health wise)
    I also burn around 400-700 in the gym. (700 being days I can actually stay at the gym for a longer time) and I was not eating that back? so my net calories where really only approximately 900 calories a day? that doesn't seem healthy? maybe I should starting eating more calories?
  • iwantmydenimback
    iwantmydenimback Posts: 194 Member
    smadaris91 wrote: »
    so I have a goal of 1770 calories a day and most times I don't meet that goal I usually eat around 1300 a day. (because I also have to watch carbs and sugar due to an issue im faced with health wise)
    I also burn around 400-700 in the gym. (700 being days I can actually stay at the gym for a longer time) and I was not eating that back? so my net calories where really only approximately 900 calories a day? that doesn't seem healthy? maybe I should starting eating more calories?

    Yes.

  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    edited June 2015
    No.

    If you were really netting 900, it would be extremely difficult to burn 700 in the gym, and you would be dropping weight at a very fast rate.

    There is most likely something wrong with your food and/or exercise logging, so I suggest you open up your diary before changing anything.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    smadaris91 wrote: »
    ok!! I was so confused but now I totally understand :) thanks everyone so much!! I don't know why I was so confused with it? I'm glad that I can finally be happy with the calories I burn. I was so disappointed I couldn't burn 2000 calories and now I know how unrealistic it is for me to do. im glad I finally asked and thank you all so much for being so patient with me and not being rude!!

    so I have a goal of 1770 calories a day and most times I don't meet that goal I usually eat around 1300 a day. (because I also have to watch carbs and sugar due to an issue im faced with health wise)
    I also burn around 400-700 in the gym. (700 being days I can actually stay at the gym for a longer time) and I was not eating that back? so my net calories where really only approximately 900 calories a day? that doesn't seem healthy? maybe I should starting eating more calories?

    This is really not an uncommon misconception, many people have come with that same belief. As for increasing calories, you can switch to full fat versions which will not increase you carbs and add in some other calorie dense foods such as nuts if it is a matter of not feeling like you could consume more foods.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    No.

    If you were really netting 900, it would be extremely difficult to burn 700 in the gym, and you would be dropping weight at a very fast rate.

    There is most likely something wrong with your food and/or exercise logging, so I suggest you open up your diary before changing anything.

    I agree. Get your logging precise, make sure you're using a food scale. Don't blindly up your calories until you're completely sure how much you're eating.
  • Kman4evah
    Kman4evah Posts: 67 Member
    Calories in < Calories out
    Calories out includes BMR (basal metabolic rate, for laying in bed all day) or TDEE (total daily energy expenditure, for being out and about) and exercise.
    Find out what you BMR and TDEE are, add your exercise to whichever one applies for that day, and eat less calories than that, and you've got your deficit. Generally you don't want to go below your BMR calories, as that's the amount your body needs for basic functions.
    Depending on how much weight you want to lose, shoot for a 1lb a week deficit (I believe that's a 500 calorie deficit per day).
  • Susieq_1994
    Susieq_1994 Posts: 5,361 Member
    smadaris91 wrote: »
    ok!! I was so confused but now I totally understand :) thanks everyone so much!! I don't know why I was so confused with it? I'm glad that I can finally be happy with the calories I burn. I was so disappointed I couldn't burn 2000 calories and now I know how unrealistic it is for me to do. im glad I finally asked and thank you all so much for being so patient with me and not being rude!!

    so I have a goal of 1770 calories a day and most times I don't meet that goal I usually eat around 1300 a day. (because I also have to watch carbs and sugar due to an issue im faced with health wise)
    I also burn around 400-700 in the gym. (700 being days I can actually stay at the gym for a longer time) and I was not eating that back? so my net calories where really only approximately 900 calories a day? that doesn't seem healthy? maybe I should starting eating more calories?

    Definitely eat more. Eating too little will cause your body to use up more muscle mass than necessary, rather than losing mostly fat, because you lose muscle mass when eating at a deficit. Eat TO your goal instead of so far under it, and eat around half of your exercise calories back if you choose to do so. (Only half because MFP calorie burns for exercise and exercise machine burns are usually quite inflated)

    Just one more thing--you didn't ask about it and so I won't go into it much, but if you aren't using a digital scale to weigh your foods and log accurately, you may actually be eating more than you think. If this is the case, your deficit may not be quite that large and you may not have to eat much more.
  • MamaBirdBoss
    MamaBirdBoss Posts: 1,516 Member
    iwantmydenimback wrote: »
    No. If you eat 1500 calories and burn 300 in the gym, your deficit is 300. You will have 1200 net calories. Your net calories should be the same as your goal calories.

    If your goal is 1500, you eat 1800 and burn 300. This gives you 1500 net.

    What? No.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    MamaBirdBoss wrote: »
    iwantmydenimback wrote: »
    No. If you eat 1500 calories and burn 300 in the gym, your deficit is 300. You will have 1200 net calories. Your net calories should be the same as your goal calories.

    If your goal is 1500, you eat 1800 and burn 300. This gives you 1500 net.

    What? No.

    It's not technically wrong just kind of a backwards way of thinking. If your goal is 1500, and you burn 300 and eat 1800, your net is still 1500.
  • MamaBirdBoss
    MamaBirdBoss Posts: 1,516 Member
    Net calories doesn't matter for overall health. As long as you feel like you have plenty of energy and you're grossing 1200 calories eaten a day, you're good (unless you're pretty low in your healthy BMI or else your deficit is more than 1000 per day). Most people find when they work out, they need more fuel to feel good.

    For me, I'm extra hungry the day AFTER I work out a lot. I don't even know if I can hit a deficit today, in fact, at all. :) I've done 1000, 900, 500, 500 over the four previous days (and walked 15k-30k steps a day), and I slightly injured my hip and am resting today, so I want to eat everything that's not nailed down. :)
  • smadaris91
    smadaris91 Posts: 63 Member
    I actually have a personal butcher that cuts all my meats to 4oz portions each week. and the other foods i use cup or tablespoons to measure. im single so its just me that i cook for. so i don't think the measuring is a problem but i will make sure to stress to my butcher that i need all meat at exactly 4oz. i also have a deli that weighs out individual portions of deli meat and cheese for me.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    smadaris91 wrote: »
    I actually have a personal butcher that cuts all my meats to 4oz portions each week. and the other foods i use cup or tablespoons to measure. im single so its just me that i cook for. so i don't think the measuring is a problem but i will make sure to stress to my butcher that i need all meat at exactly 4oz. i also have a deli that weighs out individual portions of deli meat and cheese for me.

    You need to weigh everything. The meat you eat at each sitting, your vegetables, fruit, etc. Cups and measuring spoons are not accurate.
  • FatPixiee
    FatPixiee Posts: 59 Member
    The most I've done is 1,084ish? So I've gotten the negative net calories, but I would still end up eating something before bed. I would mainly just walk at a good pace around my neighborhood, to the store, other places, throughout the day so it would accumulate to hours of walking. Then maybe an hour in the gym with eliptical, treadmill, some weights. But yes, a neg net is definitely not necessary for weightloss. It just means you exercised like crazy or didn't eat. :)
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
    smadaris91 wrote: »
    I actually have a personal butcher that cuts all my meats to 4oz portions each week. and the other foods i use cup or tablespoons to measure. im single so its just me that i cook for. so i don't think the measuring is a problem but i will make sure to stress to my butcher that i need all meat at exactly 4oz. i also have a deli that weighs out individual portions of deli meat and cheese for me.

    Or you can weigh the portions you have and adjust the serving when you enter in the database. So if you have one piece that comes in at 3.9 Oz, just adjust when you weigh it.
  • smadaris91
    smadaris91 Posts: 63 Member
    ok ill def. get a scale to measure veggies and fruit. to make sure they are weighed out properly. :smile:
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    smadaris91 wrote: »
    ok ill def. get a scale to measure veggies and fruit. to make sure they are weighed out properly. :smile:

    Great! It can make a huge difference. Then you'll have a better idea of your intake and can decide how much you need to increase your calories, if at all.
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
    smadaris91 wrote: »
    ok ill def. get a scale to measure veggies and fruit. to make sure they are weighed out properly. :smile:

    Sounds like a plan. Good luck.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    edited June 2015
    MamaBirdBoss wrote: »
    Net calories doesn't matter for overall health.

    It sure as heck does! Running low net calories with heavy exercise burns is a guaranteed way to burn up lean body mass, even in those who are obese.

    As long as you feel like you have plenty of energy...

    If you have "plenty of energy" you are not running low net calories.

    NOBODY - not even elite world class athletes - have "plenty of energy" on low net calories.

    If someone has "plenty of energy" and think they have low net calories, they need to check their logging, because their numbers are wrong.
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