Explain eat at deficit
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beckylpifer
Posts: 4 Member
Hi there. I want to get a handle on how the app works. My daily is set at 1200 and I stick to that pretty strictly. What I don't understand is how to eat at a deficit with regard to the app. Do I eat LESS than the 1200, is that where the deficit occurs? How much of a deficit do I need to lose a pound in a week? How do the exercise calories that appear to add to that 1200 play into the deficit? I have my garmin attached and consistently get over 12000 steps per day so I always see those additional calories.
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When you entered your stats into MFP the calorie goal it gave you already has the deficit built in. Eat at that amount and you will lose weight. On top of that you can also eat your exercise calories back. Most people only eat about half of those just in case of logging or estimation errors.
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When you entered your stats into MFP the calorie goal it gave you already has the deficit built in. Eat at that amount and you will lose weight. On top of that you can also eat your exercise calories back. Most people only eat about half of those just in case of logging or estimation errors.
Since I'm brand new at this counting calories business, I have been treating them as my margin of error too. If I'm still hungry, I might eat a few of those calories, but if I think I can sleep without an empty stomach keeping me awake..
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beckylpifer wrote: »Hi there. I want to get a handle on how the app works. My daily is set at 1200 and I stick to that pretty strictly. What I don't understand is how to eat at a deficit with regard to the app. Do I eat LESS than the 1200, is that where the deficit occurs? How much of a deficit do I need to lose a pound in a week? How do the exercise calories that appear to add to that 1200 play into the deficit? I have my garmin attached and consistently get over 12000 steps per day so I always see those additional calories.
Your body is using calories 24/7. Your heart, lungs, brain, kidneys all need calories. 1200 net calories is the MINIMUM number of calories that MFP will give you....so no, you do not eat less than this. 1200 helps you meet minimum nutritional needs.
The calories your body uses 24/7 is called TDEE (total daily energy expenditure).....this is your body at rest + your activity level + your deliberate exercise. To create a calorie deficit you eat less than this number:
http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
This will vary by age, size, gender, etc.
MFP starts with your body at rest + your activity level .....then IF you exercise.....you add that back in. Logging exercise can be an incentive for people who do not exercise regularly. 1200 is a product of "I want to lose XX pounds per week." Not every woman will choose to eat just 1200 + exercise calories.0 -
Your body needs a certain amount of energy per day to function properly - that number is TDEE - Total Daily Energy Expenditure (there are tons of online calculators that can help you estimate your number). In order to lose weight, you need to eat at a deficit in regards to your TDEE. When you signed up with MFP and provided your stats - it calculated your TDEE and then reduced it according to your settings for weight loss - if you specified loss of 1lb per day - the MFP reduced your daily calories by 500 calories; if you specified 2lb per week loss - MFP reduced your calories by 1000 calories per day (but it will bottom out at 1200 for women and 1500 for men). So, when you eat the number of calories MFP calculated for you - you are eating at deficit in regards to your TDEE.
When on a deficit, your body has to "cover" the deficit and find the extra calories somewhere - that's when it goes to your backup reserve - the body fat.
If you find that 1200 calories is too hard for your, I'd recommend you re-setup your goal and chose 1 or 0.5 lb per week loss as it will give you more calories. Too large of a deficit is hard - it's hard physically and emotionally; it tends to lead to binges and quitting altogether. Slow and steady wins this race.
Hope this helps.0 -
As I understand it the deficit is what's left when the app has added up your food calories and those you've earned through exercise and subtracted this from your daily allowance. Keeping in deficit means you don't go above that. It's really important you record exercise as it's unhelpful to go hungry or lose weight too fast! However, this isn't an exact science. I adjusted how I recorded exercise when it became obvious that I was burning less calories than stated on MPF. I now find that if I stick to just below or just above the daily allowance (with food plus calories 'earned' through exercise), then I'm reaching my weekly target each week. I might be completely wrong - so look forward to reading other answers!!
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Your body needs a certain amount of energy per day to function properly - that number is TDEE - Total Daily Energy Expenditure (there are tons of online calculators that can help you estimate your number). In order to lose weight, you need to eat at a deficit in regards to your TDEE. When you signed up with MFP and provided your stats - it calculated your TDEE and then reduced it according to your settings for weight loss - if you specified loss of 1lb per day - the MFP reduced your daily calories by 250 calories; if you specified 2lb per week loss - MFP reduced your calories by 500 calories per day. So, when you eat the number of calories MFP calculated for you - you are eating at deficit in regards to your TDEE.
When on a deficit, your body has to "cover" the deficit and find the extra calories somewhere - that's when it goes to your backup reserve - the body fat.
If you find that 1200 calories is too hard for your, I'd recommend you re-setup your goal and chose 1 or 0.5 lb per week loss as it will give you more calories. Too large of a deficit is hard - it's hard physically and emotionally; it tends to lead to binges and quitting altogether. Slow and steady wins this race.
Hope this helps.
I thought that if you set it for 1 lb. per week it reduced your calories by 500 per day ... 3500 calories in 1 lb. of fat, divided by 7 days in a week equals 500 calories per day.0 -
Mindfullyjo wrote: »As I understand it the deficit is what's left when the app has added up your food calories and those you've earned through exercise and subtracted this from your daily allowance. Keeping in deficit means you don't go above that. It's really important you record exercise as it's unhelpful to go hungry or lose weight too fast! However, this isn't an exact science. I adjusted how I recorded exercise when it became obvious that I was burning less calories than stated on MPF. I now find that if I stick to just below or just above the daily allowance (with food plus calories 'earned' through exercise), then I'm reaching my weekly target each week. I might be completely wrong - so look forward to reading other answers!!
@Mindfullyjo, no, that's not what "at deficit" means. Please read couple of posts above yours.0 -
Your body needs a certain amount of energy per day to function properly - that number is TDEE - Total Daily Energy Expenditure (there are tons of online calculators that can help you estimate your number). In order to lose weight, you need to eat at a deficit in regards to your TDEE. When you signed up with MFP and provided your stats - it calculated your TDEE and then reduced it according to your settings for weight loss - if you specified loss of 1lb per day - the MFP reduced your daily calories by 250 calories; if you specified 2lb per week loss - MFP reduced your calories by 500 calories per day. So, when you eat the number of calories MFP calculated for you - you are eating at deficit in regards to your TDEE.
When on a deficit, your body has to "cover" the deficit and find the extra calories somewhere - that's when it goes to your backup reserve - the body fat.
If you find that 1200 calories is too hard for your, I'd recommend you re-setup your goal and chose 1 or 0.5 lb per week loss as it will give you more calories. Too large of a deficit is hard - it's hard physically and emotionally; it tends to lead to binges and quitting altogether. Slow and steady wins this race.
Hope this helps.
I thought that if you set it for 1 lb. per week it reduced your calories by 500 per day ... 3500 calories in 1 lb. of fat, divided by 7 days in a week equals 500 calories per day.
Correct, thank you for pointing out my typo - corrected0 -
Your body needs a certain amount of energy per day to function properly - that number is TDEE - Total Daily Energy Expenditure (there are tons of online calculators that can help you estimate your number). In order to lose weight, you need to eat at a deficit in regards to your TDEE. When you signed up with MFP and provided your stats - it calculated your TDEE and then reduced it according to your settings for weight loss - if you specified loss of 1lb per day - the MFP reduced your daily calories by 500 calories; if you specified 2lb per week loss - MFP reduced your calories by 1000 calories per day (but it will bottom out at 1200 for women and 1500 for men). So, when you eat the number of calories MFP calculated for you - you are eating at deficit in regards to your TDEE.
When on a deficit, your body has to "cover" the deficit and find the extra calories somewhere - that's when it goes to your backup reserve - the body fat.
If you find that 1200 calories is too hard for your, I'd recommend you re-setup your goal and chose 1 or 0.5 lb per week loss as it will give you more calories. Too large of a deficit is hard - it's hard physically and emotionally; it tends to lead to binges and quitting altogether. Slow and steady wins this race.
Hope this helps.
I would only clarify that your TDEE (by definition) includes any calories you burn through exercise.
Technically, MFP does not calculate your TDEE, because it does not take exercise into account, which is why you are supposed to eat (at least a portion) of your exercise calories burned when using the MFP method. MFP actually calculates NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis)
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OP -
1/2 pound is TDEE less 250
1 pound is TDEE less 500
1.5 pounds is TDEE less 750
2 pounds is TDEE less 1,000
The information on losing weight too fast still stands. Aggressive weight loss can lead to binges, lack of energy, and a larger percentage of lean muscle loss. Your body will not only burn fat....when desperate it will burn muscle too. Moderate calorie deficit, eating enough protein & strength training helps minimize muscle loss.
Everything you enter is an estimate......your activity (although a tracker is excellent).....your food consumption.....your exercise calories.....all estimations. Take a couple weeks to see if the settings work for you. Then tweak things as you go.0 -
beckylpifer wrote: »Hi there. I want to get a handle on how the app works. My daily is set at 1200 and I stick to that pretty strictly. What I don't understand is how to eat at a deficit with regard to the app. Do I eat LESS than the 1200, is that where the deficit occurs? How much of a deficit do I need to lose a pound in a week? How do the exercise calories that appear to add to that 1200 play into the deficit? I have my garmin attached and consistently get over 12000 steps per day so I always see those additional calories.
You eat whatever the app is set up at for your projected weight loss goal. If you exercise, you eat a portion of those calories back to properly fuel your body.
You can do this!
ETA: I looked at your profile. Since you have only 26 pounds left to lose, I'd up those calories by setting your goals to lose a half pound to one pound per week. 1200, or 2 pounds lost per week, is too aggressive because you have so little to lose.0 -
juggernaut1974 wrote: »I would only clarify that your TDEE (by definition) includes any calories you burn through exercise.
Technically, MFP does not calculate your TDEE, because it does not take exercise into account, which is why you are supposed to eat (at least a portion) of your exercise calories burned when using the MFP method. MFP actually calculates NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis)
Thank you, @juggernaut1974. I've purposefully omitted NEAT to not overwhelm the OP, but that's exactly what MFP does.0 -
Your body needs a certain amount of energy per day to function properly - that number is TDEE - Total Daily Energy Expenditure (there are tons of online calculators that can help you estimate your number). In order to lose weight, you need to eat at a deficit in regards to your TDEE. When you signed up with MFP and provided your stats - it calculated your TDEE and then reduced it according to your settings for weight loss - if you specified loss of 1lb per day - the MFP reduced your daily calories by 250 calories; if you specified 2lb per week loss - MFP reduced your calories by 500 calories per day. So, when you eat the number of calories MFP calculated for you - you are eating at deficit in regards to your TDEE.
When on a deficit, your body has to "cover" the deficit and find the extra calories somewhere - that's when it goes to your backup reserve - the body fat.
If you find that 1200 calories is too hard for your, I'd recommend you re-setup your goal and chose 1 or 0.5 lb per week loss as it will give you more calories. Too large of a deficit is hard - it's hard physically and emotionally; it tends to lead to binges and quitting altogether. Slow and steady wins this race.
Hope this helps.
Great answer.
Just to add, if you're eating only 1200 calories a day, you should think about eating at least some of your exercise calories back. It's not a great idea to net lower than 1200 on a consistent basis. The MFP goal does not take exercise into account.
ETA: Typed this up before the clarification of NEAT was brought up. That's what I meant when I said MFP doesn't take the exercise into account.0 -
I know everyone has already explained this, I just think sometimes other versions of the same information can help clarify. So here's my two cents.
There are really two methods you can use to eat to a calorie deficit: 1. the NEAT method (MFP uses this method) or 2. the TDEE method
If you are new, I suggest following MFP's method (NEAT).
To lose 1lb a week, you need a daily deficit of 500 calories
To lose 0.5 lb a week, you need a daily deficit of 250 calories
Since you have 26lbs to lose, you could go with either, but should switch to a 0.5lb a week for sure when you hit 15lbs left.
Put your stats with your appropriate goal into MFP and it will calculate a calorie goal for you with your deficit already built in. Beware that MFP won't go below 1200 calories (for good reasons), so if you deficit would put you at say 1050 calories, it will still give you 1200 calories. You just won't lose 1lb a week (or whatever your goal is).
With the MFP method, you want your "net calories" to match your MFP goal and your "calories remaining" to be as close to zero as you can. MFP calculates your goal assuming zero intentional exercise (your normal daily activities should be considered when setting your activity level). If you exercise, you should eat back those calories**. Remember that you want to have zero calories remaining.
**some people find that eating back all calories inhibits their loss because the exercise calories are estimated too high. I don't have this issue. I recommend starting out eating them all back and if you aren't losing, then try only eating half.
Basically, MFP already has your deficit built in. Eat how much it's telling you to eat. Make sure you're being accurate with your tracking, meaning use a food scale to weigh any solid food and measuring cups for any liquids. After 4-6 weeks, look at your progress and see if you need to adjust from there.0 -
Thanks everyone for clarifying this!0
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Thanks so much everyone. I have not been losing at 2 lbs a week which is what I had selected when I set up my profile. I attribute that to traveling for work constantly where I do not have the ability to measure. I have been on a solid downward trend though which makes me happy.
This helped so much and will greatly help me the days/weeks when I am home and can measure accurately. In those situations I will now eat at least the 1200 plus some of the exercise calories.
Curious though. Since I am not losing at the 2 pound goal I set, what benefit would I have by adjusting th weekly goal to be 1/2 pound once I reach the 15 pound left mark??0 -
Many women who are not obese do not have a TDEE high enough to lose 2 lbs a week consistently and safely.
Say your maintenance calories are 1800 without exercise. To lose 2 lbs a week, you need a 1000 calorie deficit. But MFP won't go under 1200, which is recognized by many sources to be the minimum at which most women can get all the macro and micro nutrients they need to stay healthy. So MFP will give you a goal of 1200, which is a 600 calorie deficit, not 1000. This would have you averaging a little over a lb a week.
Eat the calories MFP has set for you, plus about half your exercise calories. Evaluate after a month or two to see how you are progressing, and adjust from there.
Adjusting the weekly goal to 0.5 lbs a week when you get close to the end will help you preserve lean body mass. When you have less fat on you, there is a smaller "storage pool" to draw those extra calories you are burning from, so your body will burn muscle as well as fat. Slowing down helps keep as much muscle as possible, as does lifting weights.
Think of it this way...Say you have 60 lbs of fat on your body. You are not eating as much as you burn. Your body sees all that fat and knows you can spare some, so it burns the fat to release the extra calories. Now say you have 20 lbs of fat. You are still eating at a high deficit. Now your body says "Woah! I need some fat to survive! I can't use it all up!" So it burns some fat and some muscle to free up those extra calories. If you have a small deficit, your body only needs a little extra energy, so it thinks, "Ok, I can spare a bit of this fat", and burns that. Add in progressively overloading weight lifting, and you body starts thinking "I can't burn this muscle, I need it to lift all that heavy stuff! But I guess I can spare this fat just laying around..."
And that is my over-simplified analogy of why you should slow down your weight loss as you get close to your goal
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It means you're eating fewer calories than you're burning. People sometimes call it eating "in a deficit" or "at a deficit."0
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