how to exactly lose weight.

limzzz
limzzz Posts: 21 Member
edited December 2 in Health and Weight Loss
I know you can lose weight by eating healthy and working out but, I was wondering if you had to eat your calories but lose more than you eat?

(I'm sorry if that doesn't sound right I'm confused.)

Replies

  • MissusMoon
    MissusMoon Posts: 1,900 Member
    You need to consumer fewer calories than you burn. Working out helps create the caloric deficit needed to lose fat, but your focus should be on calories consumed. The goals given when you set up your profile reflect that.
  • Brocksterdanza
    Brocksterdanza Posts: 208 Member
    From what i experienced... diet is 90% of it. The exercise is just icing on the cake. Burn more than you take in. If you do that, you will lose weight.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    MissusMoon wrote: »
    You need to consumer fewer calories than you burn. Working out helps create the caloric deficit needed to lose fat, but your focus should be on calories consumed. The goals given when you set up your profile reflect that.

    This.

    Just keep in mind that your body burns calories all day long, not just while you are exercising. A few quick definitions:

    BMR - basal metabolic rate - # of calories your body burns just to keep you alive. Think of these as "coma calories" or what you'd burn just lying in bed all day long.

    NEAT - non-exercise activity thermogenesis - # calories your body burns while doing activity other than exercise. Think of these as your lifestyle calories--what you burn while brushing your teeth, washing dishes, walking to your car, etc.

    TDEE - total daily energy expenditure - total # calories your body burns all day long. This includes the above plus exercise. This is the calorie number you need to eat less than in order to lose weight.
  • itsthehumidity
    itsthehumidity Posts: 351 Member
    To lose weight you have to consume fewer calories than you burn. This does not require exercise, even though exercise is good for you for health reasons.

    Find your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (Google "TDEE Calculator"). Use several different calculators and see if they generally agree. Be conservative with your "activity level." Most people select "sedentary." I do, and I walk 10,000 steps a day.

    Subtract 20% from this number, and eat that much per day. Reevaluate every 10 pounds lost.

    If you do exercise, I recommend you don't factor that in to the above. Ignore the estimated calories burned.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    Eat less, move more. :)
  • anitagirl8
    anitagirl8 Posts: 9 Member
    So eat less than your TDEE but not lower than your BMR? With my calculations that is only a deficit of 250 cal a day. I was hoping for a larger deficit :(
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    You lose weight by eating less. Eating healthy doesn't guarantee it unless you're in a calorie deficit.
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    anitagirl8 wrote: »
    So eat less than your TDEE but not lower than your BMR? With my calculations that is only a deficit of 250 cal a day. I was hoping for a larger deficit :(

    If you don't have a lot to lose then a 250cal deficit seems right. The less you have to lose, the smaller the deficit is.

    You can also help create a bigger one by exercising, if you'd like.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    anitagirl8 wrote: »
    So eat less than your TDEE but not lower than your BMR? With my calculations that is only a deficit of 250 cal a day. I was hoping for a larger deficit :(

    You are most likely right. But this would also mean that you don't have a lot to lose. The smaller amount of fat, the slower it will go off.
  • mankars
    mankars Posts: 115 Member
    Your body burns calories through out the day.. even while are reading my post. ;-)
    This site has a tool that can compute how many calories you need to eat & burn to lose certain pounds (2 lbs is max) per day. Take this number as a reference only.

    Spread your food intake through the day as your body gets fed continously. Make it a point to exercise daily, even brisk walks are fine during those days when you have a tight schedules & can't spare a minute for actual exercise.

    Finally as your body sheds pounds it needs lesser pounds than before, hence adjust your calories as you drop few pounds... I adjust every 7-10 lbs lost. All the best.
  • limzzz
    limzzz Posts: 21 Member
    So my BMR is 2169 and my TDEE is 2601. I divide my TDEE by 20% and eat that many calories?
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    limzzz wrote: »
    So my BMR is 2169 and my TDEE is 2601. I divide my TDEE by 20% and eat that many calories?

    Minus 20%, don't divide.

    With the numbers you gave, your calorie allowance would be 2080.

    If you plug your information into MFP, the number may differ because the TDEE - 20% amount already takes your exercise into consideration whereas MFP's formula does not.
  • limzzz
    limzzz Posts: 21 Member
    So basically then just lose 2080 calories a day and I'll lose the weight? :smiley:
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    @limzzz If you keep to 2080 calories a day, you should lose the weight.

    However, you need to log your food and weigh it. This is when a food scale comes in handy.

    Loads of people really suck at eyeballing and always underestimate sizes.
  • ammo7
    ammo7 Posts: 188 Member
    limzzz wrote: »
    So basically then just lose 2080 calories a day and I'll lose the weight? :smiley:

    Yep, if your TDEE is around 2601 and you eat around 2080 calories per day, then your weight loss should likely be on average 1 lb per week. Note that this number varies from week to week: you might lose 4lb in the first week, nothing in the 2nd week, etc. Just stick with it and be patient, and you will lose the weight.
  • limzzz
    limzzz Posts: 21 Member
    samanthaluangphixay wrote: »
    @limzzz If you keep to 2080 calories a day, you should lose the weight.

    However, you need to log your food and weigh it. This is when a food scale comes in handy.

    Loads of people really suck at eyeballing and always underestimate sizes.

    Thank you, I understand now. I do have a scale I bought about three days ago and have used it every meal.

  • ogtmama
    ogtmama Posts: 1,403 Member
    Also...if you want extra calories, you can exercise and then eat back half the calories you burn.
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