Caloric deficit of 1000 vs 500

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ange9482
ange9482 Posts: 12 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey yall!

I wanted to get your opinion on how large you think my caloric deficit should be. Im 206lbs and want to get down to 145lbs. Would also appreciate your story on how you went about loosing the weight, experiences, benefits. ect.

Thanks in advance!!

-Ange
«1

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    1-1.5lbs per week
  • BobbyTone
    BobbyTone Posts: 5 Member
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    I would suggest starting off at 500 first.

    Your metabolism will start adapting to the deficit and the weight loss will start to taper off or even plateau.

    When that happens, you can try something different.

  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    When in doubt always do the method that allows you to eat more and lose weight in a sustainable and healthy way. The 1 pound or 1.5 max is what I would do. Also do not forget to change your calorie goals in MFP at every 10 pounds loss.

    To aggressive a deficit then have higher potential for losing valuable (lean mass) muscle along side fat and water. You always want to concentrate of muscle sparing..
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    With 60lbs to lose I would go for 1000 cal deficit. Then as you get closer to goal, reduce it. Don't forget that your maintenance calories will be significantly lower at 145lbs.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    trigden1991 wrote: »
    With 60lbs to lose I would go for 1000 cal deficit. Then as you get closer to goal, reduce it. Don't forget that your maintenance calories will be significantly lower at 145lbs.

    I'm not sure that would be a good idea. I weigh 209 and MFP has my maintenance at 2080. Doing 1000 would have me (and most probably her) netting under 1200.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited September 2016
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    trigden1991 wrote: »
    With 60lbs to lose I would go for 1000 cal deficit. Then as you get closer to goal, reduce it. Don't forget that your maintenance calories will be significantly lower at 145lbs.

    Out of curiosity why do you suggest the aggressive approach?
  • beccie1789
    beccie1789 Posts: 3 Member
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    I'm 136lb and need 3lb to goal. I need 1200 to lose and 1400 to maintain. It's trial and error. 1500 and gain.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    beccie1789 wrote: »
    I'm 136lb and need 3lb to goal. I need 1200 to lose and 1400 to maintain. It's trial and error. 1500 and gain.

    that's interesting, i am the same height and losing 0.5lbs per week on net 1550 cals
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    ange9482 wrote: »
    Hey yall!

    I wanted to get your opinion on how large you think my caloric deficit should be. Im 206lbs and want to get down to 145lbs. Would also appreciate your story on how you went about loosing the weight, experiences, benefits. ect.

    Thanks in advance!!

    -Ange

    I'd suggest a pound a week (500) or 20%. If you were a man I might suggest more because you'd have more calories to play with from the start. But I tend to use 75 lbs as the cutoff between 1 and 1.5 lbs for women.
  • Seffell
    Seffell Posts: 2,222 Member
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    500

    The bigger the deficit, the harder to sustain.
  • nosebag1212
    nosebag1212 Posts: 621 Member
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    beccie1789 wrote: »
    I'm 136lb and need 3lb to goal. I need 1200 to lose and 1400 to maintain. It's trial and error. 1500 and gain.

    That doesn't sound right at all, unless you're literally bedridden
  • CasperNaegle
    CasperNaegle Posts: 936 Member
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    I stay at 20% deficit when cutting and it works well. I'm not sure I'd do more than that.
  • unnichaacko
    unnichaacko Posts: 116 Member
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    nosebag1212 wrote: »
    beccie1789 wrote: »
    I'm 136lb and need 3lb to goal. I need 1200 to lose and 1400 to maintain. It's trial and error. 1500 and gain.

    That doesn't sound right at all, unless you're literally bedridden

    I agree. I am only five feet and my maintenance calorie is 1845-2010 depending on my weekly schedule.
  • conniehv40
    conniehv40 Posts: 442 Member
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    great post! great responses! Good luck--just log everything you eat, drink that water, and stay positive! The 500 cal a week seems to be easier to maintain. See how that goes--
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    amusedmonkey wrote: »
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    With 60lbs to lose I would go for 1000 cal deficit. Then as you get closer to goal, reduce it. Don't forget that your maintenance calories will be significantly lower at 145lbs.

    I'm not sure that would be a good idea. I weigh 209 and MFP has my maintenance at 2080. Doing 1000 would have me (and most probably her) netting under 1200.

    This may have been an oversite on my behalf; without doing the maths I assumed that someone over 200lbs and active would have a higher TDEE than 2000 calories. However with 60lbs to lose and being obese, the benefits of getting down to a healthy bodyweigh and bodyfat percentage are numerous. I should maybe have added that one should not go below minimum recommended values without medical supervision.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited September 2016
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    trigden1991 wrote: »
    amusedmonkey wrote: »
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    With 60lbs to lose I would go for 1000 cal deficit. Then as you get closer to goal, reduce it. Don't forget that your maintenance calories will be significantly lower at 145lbs.

    I'm not sure that would be a good idea. I weigh 209 and MFP has my maintenance at 2080. Doing 1000 would have me (and most probably her) netting under 1200.

    This may have been an oversite on my behalf; without doing the maths I assumed that someone over 200lbs and active would have a higher TDEE than 2000 calories. However with 60lbs to lose and being obese, the benefits of getting down to a healthy bodyweigh and bodyfat percentage are numerous. I should maybe have added that one should not go below minimum recommended values without medical supervision.

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75lbs to lose 1.5lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40lbs to lose 1lb/week is ideal
    If you have less than 25lbs to lose .5lb/week is ideal

    this is helpful too..

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/61706/guide-to-calorie-deficits/p1
  • solieco1
    solieco1 Posts: 1,559 Member
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    Consistency is the key. For me 1000 is too hard to stay consistent. I would set MFP for 1 lb per week and be in it for the long haul more confidently and comfortably.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    I was all about losing weight as painlessly as possible...also, having a smaller deficit helped me stay consistent which is ultimately the most important thing. Almost everyone I've known who tried to lose weight aggressively has struggled with consistency and thus things just take a lot longer...more falling off the wagon, etc. A 500 calorie deficit is pretty easy and I was never hungry.

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