How much is too much deficit at the end of the day?

SR1986
SR1986 Posts: 92 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
How many calories burned do you guys leave at the end of the day? Like I'll eat most of them today was like 144 left. It's not necessary to eat them all right? I don't want to screw up my progress eating too little you know?

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    edited February 2017
    If you're set to lose weight, the deficit has already been figured out and you should ideally have 0 calories left over. But there are some who don't eat all of their calories for certain reasons:
    -they only eat back a certain amount of their exercise calories/leave room for underestimation of what they ate
    -they follow a weekly deficit where they save calories from some days to eat higher than their goal on other days

    As long as you aren't leaving a huge deficit/eating below 1200 calories every single day, you should be fine.
  • SR1986
    SR1986 Posts: 92 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    If you're set to lose weight, the deficit has already been figured out and you should ideally have 0 calories left over. But there are some who don't eat all of their calories for certain reasons:
    -they only eat back a certain amount of their exercise calories/leave room for underestimation of what they ate
    -they follow a weekly deficit where they save calories from some days to eat higher than their goal on other days

    As long as you aren't leaving a huge deficit/eating below 1200 calories every single day, you should be fine.

    Thanks for the insight! I definitely eat back most of my calories. I do think I tend to underestimate how much of something I ate (not purposely) and I definitely eat more that 1200 a day. I think I would be super weak and frail if I ate any less and tried to work out. I think I'm definitely doing OK as far as what you've said. I'm NEVER under the calories allowed by more that 200. 1300 or 1400 a day or more depending on what kind of workout I'm doing. I just don't want to create a plateau for myself without realizing it!
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    You won't create a plateau unless you lose enough weight to be at maintenance at whatever your calorie level is. If you're eating fewer calories than you burn you'll continue to lose weight.

    Rather than worry about a plateau I'd focus more on your overall energy level/satiety/weight loss rate to determine if your daily deficit is too large.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    I generally aim for +/- 100 calories.
  • tigerblood6
    tigerblood6 Posts: 65 Member
    i usually eat my calories and left it ideally with 100.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    I used a fixed TDEE for calculation and goal macros - but my goal is =/- 10g of carbs/protein (+/- 80 cal) and +/-5g of fat (45cal) - so +/- 125cal
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    I'll say it kinda depends. I'm at a NEAT of 1600 (what MFP gives me before exercising). I try to eat ~ 2,000. If my exercises take me over 2,000, I don't fuss with not eating them all back. But that is a lot different from someone aiming for 1200.
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