Anybody create a deficit mostly through exercise?

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Sailor_Moon86
Sailor_Moon86 Posts: 48 Member
edited March 2016 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm 5'3.5 135-138 female looking to get down to 125. I run 35-40 miles per week and according to Scoobys calculator, I maintain at 1670. So because I run so much, I usually hit 1670 since I get hungry. Sometimes 1600. Sometimes, last week, I hit 1700-1800 twice. You can see my diary.

Anyway I've been losing about .75 a week on average when I do the math since 11 months ago. But I feel like these past 3 weeks have been kinda slow. I feel like I should be in lower 130s by now. Should I eat less calories?

Oh I also strength train for 40 min 3 X a week so that's about another 300 cals burned, plus about 3500 or so with running
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Replies

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    edited March 2016
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    It's easier to eat less food than to exercise more. My years of experience here.

    Weight loss is created by a calorie deficit and exercise is for health
  • Sailor_Moon86
    Sailor_Moon86 Posts: 48 Member
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    queenliz99 wrote: »
    It's easier to eat less food than to exercise more. My years of experience here.
    Well I am prepping for a half marathon and I like to run

    And I love to eat. Lol
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    It's easier to eat less food than to exercise more. My years of experience here.
    Well I am prepping for a half marathon and I like to run

    And I love to eat. Lol

    You quoted me before my edit
  • Sailor_Moon86
    Sailor_Moon86 Posts: 48 Member
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    queenliz99 wrote: »
    It's easier to eat less food than to exercise more. My years of experience here.

    Weight loss is created by a calorie deficit and exercise is for health
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    It's easier to eat less food than to exercise more. My years of experience here.

    Weight loss is created by a calorie deficit and exercise is for health

    What's the difference between calories not eaten and calories burned through exercise? I easily burn like 3500-4K a week. And don't often eat above maintenance.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    edited March 2016
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    I do. I usually eat above my BMR+NEAT+TEF and use exercise to create my deficit. On a good day I'll get in over 1000 kcal of intentional exercise.
  • 2fat4knees
    2fat4knees Posts: 25 Member
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    muscle weighs more than fat...are you measuring hips, waist, etc?? The scale is not the only measurement of fat loss. I always have a deficit from exercise but, if I "eat" it, I don't lose any weight....
  • algernon4231
    algernon4231 Posts: 33 Member
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    Sailor, you're fine. You are eating less than maintenance given how much you run. I checked your diary, you don't eat that much. I eat around the same amount on days I exercise a lot. :)
  • eclehn
    eclehn Posts: 1 Member
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    The last 10 pounds are always the hardest. Most people actually need to add calories at the end and maintain the high level of workouts. Try adding 200 calories from lean protein and vegetables.
  • KevinHolmes1
    KevinHolmes1 Posts: 1 Member
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    On rest days I eat at 10% deficit of my TDEE. On gym or ride days I know the approximate cal/min burn rate I hit. I then add those burn totals to my TDEE and eat at a 10% deficit of that. I log and weigh all food, over many months I have been able to get a very good idea of average burn rates.

    I have found the difference between a calorie not eaten, and a calorie burned is it's much easier to miscalculate how many calories you burn. The calorie labels on food are very accurate. The caloric burn rate varies wildly from person to person.
  • HorrorGeekLiz
    HorrorGeekLiz Posts: 195 Member
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    2fat4knees wrote: »
    muscle weighs more than fat...are you measuring hips, waist, etc?? The scale is not the only measurement of fat loss. I always have a deficit from exercise but, if I "eat" it, I don't lose any weight....

    This is a huge pet peeve of mine and I wish this phrase would die already. Muscle does not weigh more than fat. One pound is one pound whether it is muscle, fat, bricks, or feathers.

    Muscle is less dense than fat. It takes up less room. It still weighs the same.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10346155/cardio-isnt-for-fat-burning/p1
  • Sailor_Moon86
    Sailor_Moon86 Posts: 48 Member
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    queenliz99 wrote: »
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10346155/cardio-isnt-for-fat-burning/p1
    Uh that article pretty much proves my point dear.
  • Sailor_Moon86
    Sailor_Moon86 Posts: 48 Member
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    KevinHolmes1 wrote: »
    On rest days I eat at 10% deficit of my TDEE. On gym or ride days I know the approximate cal/min burn rate I hit. I then add those burn totals to my TDEE and eat at a 10% deficit of that. I log and weigh all food, over many months I have been able to get a very good idea of average burn rates.

    I have found the difference between a calorie not eaten, and a calorie burned is it's much easier to miscalculate how many calories you burn. The calorie labels on food are very accurate. The caloric burn rate varies wildly from person to person.

    Yup. That's why I redo calculations lol. I will multiply each mile by 90 calories- Mfp is far too generous.
  • Sailor_Moon86
    Sailor_Moon86 Posts: 48 Member
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    eclehn wrote: »
    The last 10 pounds are always the hardest. Most people actually need to add calories at the end and maintain the high level of workouts. Try adding 200 calories from lean protein and vegetables.

    Yup maybe that's what it is. Last 10 are the hardest. Started at 175
  • Sailor_Moon86
    Sailor_Moon86 Posts: 48 Member
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    2fat4knees wrote: »
    muscle weighs more than fat...are you measuring hips, waist, etc?? The scale is not the only measurement of fat loss. I always have a deficit from exercise but, if I "eat" it, I don't lose any weight....
    My measurements have gone down. Just want to get to a lighter weight ASAP so I can run faster.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10346155/cardio-isnt-for-fat-burning/p1
    Uh that article pretty much proves my point dear.

    The point being calorie intake
  • JoshLibby
    JoshLibby Posts: 214 Member
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    I prefer to use resistance training to create a deficit. It does depend on how much of a deficit though. I would never recommend just exercise for a person trying to lose 25-100 pounds. They should do both, reach a deficit by moving more, and eating quality foods while tracking them, once they get used to what they eat they can stop tracking if they like and measure inches to see if they are overdoing it. A lot easier in my opinion and less time involved.. I rarely track anymore I got used to what I was eating, common sense helps a lot.

    20-25 mins of jump rope for me burns about 200 calories (rough estimate.)
    It's really what fits your lifestyle, for me finding 30 mins to workout either HIT cardio or weight training every other day is pretty easy. A wise person said "it's what you do in the other 24 hours that really matter."

    The reality, if you can't sustain the "diet" it's pointless.

    The goal has to be a lifestyle change that is possible, feasible and not a choir.. Ask yourself this, will it be easier for you to count calories (eat less) or find extra time to move more? Then, how sustainable is this and how will effect your mood, enjoyment of life, stress. All these things matter. Eating less to me was more miserable when I tried it. I found that I could play with my son outside and get the results I need/want and made our bond stronger, it fit my lifestyle!


  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    Yes, I create my deficit through exercise.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    My deficit is created through exercise. I was only gaining at a rate of about 3 lbs per year so I only needed to burn a little more to change that to a deficit.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited March 2016
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    Sailor_Moon86 wrote: »
    I'm 5'3.5 135-138 female looking to get down to 125. I run 35-40 miles per week and according to Scoobys calculator, I maintain at 1670. So because I run so much, I usually hit 1670 since I get hungry. Sometimes 1600. Sometimes, last week, I hit 1700-1800 twice. You can see my diary.

    Anyway I've been losing about .75 a week on average when I do the math since 11 months ago. But I feel like these past 3 weeks have been kinda slow. I feel like I should be in lower 130s by now. Should I eat less calories?

    Oh I also strength train for 40 min 3 X a week so that's about another 300 cals burned, plus about 3500 or so with running

    I have sedentary maintenance of about 1600 or so (5'3, 125), and because I run a lot and do other exercise I should be able to lose at 1800, so kind of similar.

    Of course, lately I haven't been eating 1800, but I keep saying I'm going to make an effort to lose again one of these days. I'd stick with it and see how you do -- .75/week is great and 3 slow weeks isn't enough to worry about, IMO.

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