Calorie deficit explanation needed, please

Terri70
Terri70 Posts: 186 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi y'all! So I'm on Nutrisystem and a counselor just put me on the 1500 cal plan. Breakfast, protein. Midmorning protein, smartcarb. Lunch. Afternoon protein, smartcarb. Dinner protein, smartcarb, 4 veggies (can be spread out during day). Dessert. 64 oz of water. My question is this. Can someone explain this whole cal deficit thing to me? I don't understand how it works. Thanks much!

Replies

  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    This is when you consume fewer calories than your body burns. When MFP gives you 1400 calories a day, the deficit is already built in. Basically say you have a TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) of 2000. To lose weight, in this case, you would have a deficit 600, which would equal 1400.
  • CharminQT
    CharminQT Posts: 14 Member
    edited September 2015
    The calorie deficit is the difference between calories used throughout the day and the calories eaten. For eg if your resting calorie is 1900 and you exercised off 300 calories. Then your calorie deficit is 700 calories based on your meal plan, i.e. (1900 + 300)-1500. The reason is if all thing being equal then you would have at the end of the week a deficit of 4900 calories which is roughly 1.4Lbs lost. The greater the deficit the fast you lose weight in theory.
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
    If you consume more calories than your body can use, the excess is stored for later and you gain weight. If you use more calories than you eat, then your body will use some of its stored excess to make up the difference or deficit, and you lose weight.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    edited September 2015
    Everything you do requires energy - swimming, running, breathing, blinking, digesting food - everything. That energy comes from food and is theoretically broken down into little bits of energy that are called "calories."

    A "calorie deficit" means that you take in (eat) less energy than your body needs to carry out the millions of things it does every day. When you take in less energy than your body needs, it starts taking the energy from other places, like fat. So, you lose weight. :)

    I wouldn't rely too heavily on a Nutrisystem counselor for my health advice. They're not qualified to give it and I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts that you signed something that says you're aware of that. Be careful about your health and don't entrust it to Nutrisystem. Just an FYI and not a criticism! :)
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Everything you do requires energy -SEX swimming, running, breathing, blinking, digesting food - everything. That energy comes from food and is theoretically broken down into little bits of energy that are called "calories."

    A "calorie deficit" means that you take in (eat) less energy than your body needs to carry out the millions of things it does every day. When you take in less energy than your body needs, it starts taking the energy from other places, like fat. So, you lose weight. :)

    I wouldn't rely too heavily on a Nutrisystem counselor for my health advice. They're not qualified to give it and I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts that you signed something that says you're aware of that. Be careful about your health and don't entrust it to Nutrisystem. Just an FYI and not a criticism! :)

    Fixed that
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,337 Member
    First, a calorie is a unit of energy. Your body uses energy to survive and do things. In a day that energy use accumulates to a daily total of calories. A calorie deficit is eating less than this amount. Thankfully, people are generally fairly similar in how much energy they use if they are of a similar sex, age, height, weight and activity level, so the amount you burn will be very similar to others who are similar to you so if you enter your information into something like http://www.fat2fittools.com/tools/bmr/ it will give you a fairly good idea of the total number of calories (TDEE) you burn in a day. Eat less than that, and you will generally lose weight.
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Everything you do requires energy -SEX swimming, running, breathing, blinking, digesting food - everything. That energy comes from food and is theoretically broken down into little bits of energy that are called "calories."

    A "calorie deficit" means that you take in (eat) less energy than your body needs to carry out the millions of things it does every day. When you take in less energy than your body needs, it starts taking the energy from other places, like fat. So, you lose weight. :)

    I wouldn't rely too heavily on a Nutrisystem counselor for my health advice. They're not qualified to give it and I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts that you signed something that says you're aware of that. Be careful about your health and don't entrust it to Nutrisystem. Just an FYI and not a criticism! :)

    Fixed that

    Not the way my ex did it. Heyooo.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Everything you do requires energy -SEX swimming, running, breathing, blinking, digesting food - everything. That energy comes from food and is theoretically broken down into little bits of energy that are called "calories."

    A "calorie deficit" means that you take in (eat) less energy than your body needs to carry out the millions of things it does every day. When you take in less energy than your body needs, it starts taking the energy from other places, like fat. So, you lose weight. :)

    I wouldn't rely too heavily on a Nutrisystem counselor for my health advice. They're not qualified to give it and I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts that you signed something that says you're aware of that. Be careful about your health and don't entrust it to Nutrisystem. Just an FYI and not a criticism! :)

    Fixed that

    LOL!
  • Terri70
    Terri70 Posts: 186 Member
    Makes sense. Thank you all for explaining.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Everything you do requires energy -SEX swimming, running, breathing, blinking, digesting food - everything. That energy comes from food and is theoretically broken down into little bits of energy that are called "calories."

    A "calorie deficit" means that you take in (eat) less energy than your body needs to carry out the millions of things it does every day. When you take in less energy than your body needs, it starts taking the energy from other places, like fat. So, you lose weight. :)

    I wouldn't rely too heavily on a Nutrisystem counselor for my health advice. They're not qualified to give it and I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts that you signed something that says you're aware of that. Be careful about your health and don't entrust it to Nutrisystem. Just an FYI and not a criticism! :)

    Fixed that
    I forget about that after I log it. ;)
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Everything you do requires energy -SEX swimming, running, breathing, blinking, digesting food - everything. That energy comes from food and is theoretically broken down into little bits of energy that are called "calories."

    A "calorie deficit" means that you take in (eat) less energy than your body needs to carry out the millions of things it does every day. When you take in less energy than your body needs, it starts taking the energy from other places, like fat. So, you lose weight. :)

    I wouldn't rely too heavily on a Nutrisystem counselor for my health advice. They're not qualified to give it and I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts that you signed something that says you're aware of that. Be careful about your health and don't entrust it to Nutrisystem. Just an FYI and not a criticism! :)

    Fixed that
    I forget about that after I log it. ;)

    Heh!
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Everything you do requires energy -SEX swimming, running, breathing, blinking, digesting food - everything. That energy comes from food and is theoretically broken down into little bits of energy that are called "calories."

    A "calorie deficit" means that you take in (eat) less energy than your body needs to carry out the millions of things it does every day. When you take in less energy than your body needs, it starts taking the energy from other places, like fat. So, you lose weight. :)

    I wouldn't rely too heavily on a Nutrisystem counselor for my health advice. They're not qualified to give it and I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts that you signed something that says you're aware of that. Be careful about your health and don't entrust it to Nutrisystem. Just an FYI and not a criticism! :)

    Fixed that
    I forget about that after I log it. ;)
    Yeah...that's a good one. Real good. :D
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