Calorie Deficit

csacani99
csacani99 Posts: 14 Member
edited December 23 in Getting Started
Everyone talks about “calorie deficit” what does this really mean?
Thx

Replies

  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    It takes a certain amount of calories to run a body throughout the day doing things like digesting food and exercising.

    If you consume exactly the same amount of calories as your body uses, that's maintenance. You'll maintain your current weight.

    If you consume fewer calories than your body uses, that will put you at a calorie deficit. So, if your maintenance is 1950 calories and you consume 1450 calories, you have a 500 calorie deficit for that day.
  • csacani99
    csacani99 Posts: 14 Member
    Thank you, that’s very well explained. So how do I find out what is my maintenance calorie ?
  • JenniferM1234
    JenniferM1234 Posts: 173 Member
    It means basically that you eat less than you use. You eat energy in calories, and you burn energy in calories too -- including while sleeping, as our bodily functions require energy to work. So say that you rest all day and burn 1350 calories. If you eat 1349 calories, you are at a calorie deficit!
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    csacani99 wrote: »
    Thank you, that’s very well explained. So how do I find out what is my maintenance calorie ?

    MFP figures that all out for you. You put in your height and weight and whatever other stats it asks for, tell it you want to lose weight, tell it how many lbs per week you want to lose, and it tells you the calories you need to eat. If you switch your goal to "maintenance" it will increase your calorie goal to your maintenance calories.

    Keep in mind that all any calculator can do is generalize and estimate. The way to accurately determine your calories is to log accurately and consistently for months and compare it to what your weight does over that time.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    To add, MFP is different than any other calculator out there.

    All the others ask you to estimate how much exercise you are planning on doing each week (not even what type, just time) - nothing about daily life (desk jockey or mail carrier, difference?).
    Then it takes that weekly estimate of calories burned, divide by 7, and there's your daily goal to eat each day.

    You better do your workouts.

    MFP asks for level of daily activity - sedentary being desk job, no family/home responsibilities - bump on a log all night and weekend outside of exercise.
    (many find they are Lightly-Active)

    And then when you actually do workout - you log it.
    Eating goal changes.

    MFP is teaching the life-long lesson regarding weight control.
    You do more, you eat more.
    You do less, you eat less.

    In a diet eating at a deficit - a tad less in either case.
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