What is your ideal calorie deficit?

cmbx2mom
cmbx2mom Posts: 56 Member
edited November 20 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm having a really hard time figuring out the best calorie deficit I should focus on to lose fat. Some info:
Started Cross fit about 5 weeks ago, go about 3 to 4 times a week
Run 1.5 miles about twice a week

I have a fit bit charge and trying to use that to determine calorie output.
I have been trying to stay about 1000 calorie deficit a day for almost 3 weeks now and have not lost a single pound in 5 weeks. I measure/count most of my food with some exceptions such as buying a salad and guessing on cups of lettuce etc. I tried to go lower carbs a few days here and there as my body let's me without getting super tired.

I was trying to focus on 1500 to 1700 calories a day which worked for me some years ago but not now.

I'm 42 and currently weigh 187lb which is the most I've weighed since having kids (11 years ago).
I'm trying to figure out if fit bit is not accurately calculating my calorie output. I'm not sure if I should go lower calorie or slightly higher.
I'm been trying to lose weight for about 2 years now and nothing is working. Went to dr and endocrinologist. Negative for thyroid antibodies and normal tsh.

Last time I tried eat more to weigh less(last fall) all I did was gain weight.

Replies

  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    So you've been in a deficit for 3 weeks. If it's a 1000 calorie deficit you probably should have lost something. Weigh your food. Log every single bite, condiment, slip up, drink, cooking oil, ect.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    2 pounds a week (1,000 calorie deficit ) is best when you have > 75 pounds to lose. As we get smaller, weight loss slows.

    That said, are you doing everything you can to make sure food entries are accurate? Food scale, double check database entries (plenty are wrong). I agree with bbell1985, you should have lost something.

    Keep in mind water weight fluctuations. Sore muscles - water weight, higher sodium - water weight, time of month - water weight. Weight loss won't be linear.

    Beginning low carb makes many people tired (low carb flu).....this passes That's your muscles wringing out glycogen stores. That's why water weight loss is usually impressive with low carb (at the beginning at least).

    Weight loss is still calories in vs. calories out.
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
    Everything TeaBea said. Also fitness trackers are frequently wrong. I have had 3 different Garmin devices that all underestimate my burns. It goes the other way too. If you are sure your logging is accurate try eating less of your Fitbit calories.
  • cmbx2mom
    cmbx2mom Posts: 56 Member
    Just fyi, I'm 5'7" and maintenance with sedentary lifestyle on MFP gives me about 1900 calories. I was hoping 1500 to 1700 calories would be a good goal. I tend to be at least 10000 steps most days with rest days being closer to 6000 steps.
  • cmbx2mom
    cmbx2mom Posts: 56 Member
    I've been reading a lot about hormones in addition to calories/calories out. I'm still on bcp but hoping to get off on a few months and see if that has any impact.
  • gamerbabe14
    gamerbabe14 Posts: 876 Member
    cmbx2mom wrote: »
    I've been reading a lot about hormones in addition to calories/calories out. I'm still on bcp but hoping to get off on a few months and see if that has any impact.

    Did you read any of the other posts? Your problem probably isn't bcp or hormones.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    I'm older than you and I don't do nearly as much exercise. When I was at 180 (also 5'7") I lost at 1500 (plus exercise calories, so more like 1800 daily.)

    I'm now at goal weight of 142 and I maintain at 1800-2300, Net. I've used a flat 300 calories per hour for purposeful moderate exercise for years and that works for me. MFP tells me I maintain at 1500. I beg to differ. :wink:

    I don't know how long you've been doing the routine you've posted. Hang in there, keep good records.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    cmbx2mom wrote: »
    Just fyi, I'm 5'7" and maintenance with sedentary lifestyle on MFP gives me about 1900 calories. I was hoping 1500 to 1700 calories would be a good goal. I tend to be at least 10000 steps most days with rest days being closer to 6000 steps.

    10,000 steps isn't sedentary, so your maintenance would be higher on those days.....
    http://www.fitnessforweightloss.com/rate-your-activity-level-based-on-steps-per-day/

    You could also try upping your activity level from sedentary to active and find the "difference" in calories. That's another estimate beyond your FitBit. Sometimes devices aren't a good fit for the exercise you do.
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10098937/faq-syncing-logging-food-exercise-calorie-adjustments-activity-levels-accuracy/p1
  • cmbx2mom
    cmbx2mom Posts: 56 Member
    So this is why I'm wondering if there is something more going on because my calorie deficit should have me losing weight. I am logging my food quite accurately and I tend to over estimate.
    It's been about 2 1/2 years that this is going on. I talked to my Dr and she suggests going vegetarian....
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    Well, I got up to 254 lbs (at 5'3", female) eating vegetarian and I've lost 70 lbs in 8 months eating vegetarian. There's nothing 'magical' about a veg diet, but if it helps you eat fewer calories, more power to you.
  • noirelb
    noirelb Posts: 216 Member
    Is there a possibility that you didn't exercise 5 weeks ago and now the exercise is increasing your muscle and decreasing your fat? Have you measured yourself and how do you feel in your clothes?
  • macchiatto
    macchiatto Posts: 2,890 Member
    I agree with trying 1500 cals/day and using a food scale.
    I'm 5'7" and lost weight eating 1350-1550 cals/day (generally more on days I worked out).
    Are you also tracking measurements? When you first start strength training or similar workouts, your weight sometimes bounces up as much as 4 lbs so that could be masking some weight loss.
  • Seffell
    Seffell Posts: 2,244 Member
    I'm 5'7 and 136lbs. So far I've lost 30lbs at 200-250cal deficit. I'll lose the rest at this deficit or smaller.
  • cmbx2mom
    cmbx2mom Posts: 56 Member
    Thanks all. I did some cooking today for the weekly lunches and weighed/measured Everything! We'll see if this makes any difference....
  • cmbx2mom
    cmbx2mom Posts: 56 Member
    Also I do intermittent fasting most days....just skip breakfast.
  • ThatFrigginGuy99
    ThatFrigginGuy99 Posts: 46 Member
    I keep between 750-1250 depending on what I'm doing that day. 750 for more activity and 1250 for less. Good luck.
  • mom2my4boys
    mom2my4boys Posts: 148 Member
    Hi! I'm 36/f/5'5/175lbs/with a baseball team of preteen/teens. I have a fit bit Alta and used to use a charge. If I eat the nearly 3000calories a day that fit bit gives me I gain weight. (I average 22000 steps daily) I have to cut my fitbit adjustment in half. I usually get an adjustment of 1200calories daily so I quick add 600calories.(fit bit and MyFitnesspal are set at sedentary) And even doing that i'm still only loosing to the tune of 1.5-2lbs/month. (I'm down from 300lbs so I'm anxious to finally get to goal at this point!)
    If your a new fit bit user I suggest you read up on tips and tricks to use with them. Like wearing it on your non dominate hand (so it's less sensitive) but telling fit bit it's on your dominant hand.

    I target 1700-1800 net calories daily for a 0.5lb/week. I run, so I'm starving with anything less than that. You've (and I) already tried the eating more to loose more without success, so the answer is eat less. Good luck to you :) My last 25lbs is proving WAY, WAY harder than first 125lbs!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    mom2my4boys wrote: »
    <snip>
    My last 25lbs is proving WAY, WAY harder than first 125lbs!

    This is really the bottom line. That's why dialing in your food logging and getting close on the exercise is so important. The last 20 pounds took me nine months to lose, when the first 50 took less than eight months all together. It's just difficult to maintain a deficit due to hunger issues, plus it's so easy to make mistakes on both the CI and CO side. That's why meticulous records are so important.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    gebeziseva wrote: »
    I'm 5'7 and 136lbs. So far I've lost 30lbs at 200-250cal deficit. I'll lose the rest at this deficit or smaller.

    This is me too, except I'm 142. -250 leaves a very small margin of error, but if you track properly, it's far better than trying to live on a 1000 deficit. Just requires consistency.
  • paulwatts747
    paulwatts747 Posts: 60 Member
    edited July 2017
    I have a Fitbit Alta HR. Although it is acceptably accurate (even a tad low perhaps which if trying to run a calorie deficit is not such a bad thing) in calculating calories when outdoor cycling, it wildly overstates walking calories. Well over 10 calories/minute which is just silly. Talking to Fitbit about it they are in denial that there is any anomaly. One thing they did tell me is that when using a Fitbit to estimate calorie burns the estimate given includes your Basic Metabolic Rate (BMR) for the time involved, so you need to subtract this if entering the burn figure into MFP or it'll be counted twice.
  • duddysdad
    duddysdad Posts: 403 Member
    I eat at a 2k calorie deficit until I hit my goal weight. I am tall, so even at a healthy weight, my TDEE is over 2500.
This discussion has been closed.

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