Calorie deficit and macro help!

Larrwein
Larrwein Posts: 24 Member
edited December 1 in Health and Weight Loss
I thought I had this calorie deficit thing figured out but now I think I confused myself. I see the number 500 a lot, does that mean I drop my calories to 500 a day?? Or I take 500 from my current calories? Also is anyone really good at figuring out macros? I feel like mine are way off. I want to burn fat. I guess I need help all around in figuring out what I need and what this all means! Thank you!!

Replies

  • MeganPecans
    MeganPecans Posts: 3 Member
    No one should try to eat only 500 calories a day. That would be starvation. I would subtract 250-500 from the calories you are averaging daily.
  • anthony150paolucci
    anthony150paolucci Posts: 85 Member
    The reason you see the number 500 frequently is because people usually create a 500 calorie deficit from their maintenance calories to lose 1lb at a weekly rate. You should never consume just 500 calories a day. As far as macros go, they will depend on your fitness and nutrition goals.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited May 2016
    When people aim to lose 1lb per week they need a calorie deficit of 500 calories a day (as in 500 x 7 days=3500 cals > 1lb loss)

    When you set up MFP to lose it will include the deficit calories so you will lose. For some 1lb/week is too high a deficit ie. when you have less than 20lbs to lose 250 deficit a day is enough/lose 1/2lb per week.

    1200 is the minimum calories that should be consumed for women/1500 for men and then eat back half to 75% of exercise calories.

    e.g I can lose 1/2lb per week eating 1900 calories per day gross. IF I wanted to lose 1lb per week I'd have to eat 1650 calories gross. In other words, I'd be losing but not half starving myself in the process.

    Hope this helps.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Larrwein wrote: »
    I thought I had this calorie deficit thing figured out but now I think I confused myself. I see the number 500 a lot, does that mean I drop my calories to 500 a day?? Or I take 500 from my current calories? Also is anyone really good at figuring out macros? I feel like mine are way off. I want to burn fat. I guess I need help all around in figuring out what I need and what this all means! Thank you!!

    Perhaps 500 calories X 7 days = 3500 calories which equals one pound.
  • SarahPeters3
    SarahPeters3 Posts: 100 Member
    I agree with everyone take the total calories you burn in a day and subtract 250-500 and that's how many you should be eating in a day. To touch on the macros they don't play a huge role in weight loss mostly a caloric deficit does but if you want to play around with them for fat loss decrease your carbs and increase fat and protein for the best results. Dietary fat will not actually make you fat processed foods and over eating will.
  • tdeaux
    tdeaux Posts: 36 Member
    If you're wanting to do macros, I suggested that more for people who are into bodybuilding and have a concern about not losing as much of their muscle mass when in a cut. It's important to figure out what your maintenance calories are and then try to reduce by 500 cals per day (if you want to lose 1 lb per week). This can be achieved through diet and exercise. So, you could cut 300 calories from food and try to burn 200 cals from exercise per day and have your deficit. Just don't eat back calories burnt through exercise. Or you could just cut from food only.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Larrwein wrote: »
    I thought I had this calorie deficit thing figured out but now I think I confused myself. I see the number 500 a lot, does that mean I drop my calories to 500 a day?? Or I take 500 from my current calories? Also is anyone really good at figuring out macros? I feel like mine are way off. I want to burn fat. I guess I need help all around in figuring out what I need and what this all means! Thank you!!

    Okay to not confuse you any further it goes like this.

    Maintenance calories are the amount you eat to not lose or gain.

    Subtract 500 Calories from that number to lose 1lb a week (on average)

    Macros are not for weight loss they are for body comp and health and fitness. However if you want to track macros the rule of thumb is this. 0.8 grams of protein for each lb of body weight and for fats 0.35 grams per lb of body weight rest are carbs. I currently aim for 115-120 grams of protein at 150lbs.

    Burning fat = losing weight but with that weight loss comes some muscle but you can minimize muscle loss by doing resistance training of some sort...either lifting weights or body weight exercises.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,009 Member
    edited May 2016
    Take your current weight and multiply by 12 and then again by 14. That will give you a pretty descent range of calories to lose weight. Start on the high end and see what happens, taper down if you have to. For protein, I like to take my weight in kilograms (Weight in pounds divided by 2.2) and multiply by 1.6.

    Example, I weight 183lbs (83kg).

    83 x 1.6 = 132.8 grams of protein.

    For fat, take your weight in pounds and multiply by .35, that would be your minimum.

    Mine is, 183 x .35 = 64.05 grams fat per day minimum.

    For fiber, I try to get 15 grams per 1000 calories.

    I fill in the rest of my calories from carbs.

    Note: with this method you do not need to subtract any "deficit" calories as they is part of the equation...
This discussion has been closed.

Categories