Switching to a deficit: trying for 6 weeks

Hi there! Wanted to share that after maintaining my weight since around October 2019, I’ve decided to take around a 250 calorie deficit for 6 weeks. I THINK I have detected a slight upward trend in my average weight over the past three months or so (around 126 on average in April, and now my average is around 128/129, and this morning it was 130 due to some crazy salty meal/Lots of food in system/Period coming soon/etc).

I had a lot of resistance in my brain going from a 2100 calorie maintenance level to 1850 (switched MFP manually this morning). It’s like I’m worried that I’ll never be able to eat 2100 average again. Maybe I won’t, or maybe my activity level will go up or down in future; there’s a lot I can’t predict). BUT trying to look at the deficit as a temporary positive practice in switching from maintenance to slight deficit back to maintenance, and also practice in not getting too attached to one particular calorie goal number.

Anyone else in a similar boat, or has some past experience to share related to this?

Thank you!
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Replies

  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,668 Member
    I've had periods where my weight was up a bit, usually after travelling. I didn't formally change my daily calorie goal, I just worked at limiting some of the treats etc. that I eat normally. I usually know where I've been lax and where I need to pay attention. It ends up being a cut of about 100-200 calories a day, but I'm flexible so if I eat at my usual goal, I don't worry about it. Generally the weight disappears pretty quickly.
  • gallicinvasion
    gallicinvasion Posts: 1,015 Member
    I've had periods where my weight was up a bit, usually after travelling. I didn't formally change my daily calorie goal, I just worked at limiting some of the treats etc. that I eat normally. I usually know where I've been lax and where I need to pay attention. It ends up being a cut of about 100-200 calories a day, but I'm flexible so if I eat at my usual goal, I don't worry about it. Generally the weight disappears pretty quickly.

    Yes, I think my 250 calorie deficit will help me be more mindful of those normal treats I go for. Maybe helping me get used to slightly smaller portions than I’ve been serving myself!

  • gallicinvasion
    gallicinvasion Posts: 1,015 Member
    For me, occasionally needing to go into a small deficit is just a normal part of maintenance. I allow myself a 5 pound buffer for my maintenance weight and if I go over that then I know I need to reel myself in and start logging again. Most recently I was carrying around 4 pounds I had gained last summer and then the lockdown added 2 more pounds so it was time to create a small deficit for myself to return to my goal weight. I set my rate at 0.5 lbs per week which for me means 1660 calories PLUS eating back ALL exercise calories earned. I was extremely “hangry” for the first 3 days but after that it was honestly really easy watching my portions and getting in a bit more exercise in the form of extra walks in addition to my regular running schedule. I lost exactly as MFP predicted and got there just in time for bikini season. It’s a good feeling knowing I can always find my way back to my goal weight again whenever necessary simply by logging and slightly upping my activity. I am middle aged, hypothyroid and have mild PCOS and this has worked for me to maintain my weight for almost 7 years now. I don’t follow any special diet, I just eat less and move more. Now I’m back to not needing to log, I just weigh myself once a week and if I go over my threshold of 5 lbs again then it’s back to logging, this seems to be necessary about every couple of years or so.

    I’m really glad you have this healthy groove! And if it’s a few weeks at a deficit/logging/moving a little more (out of a few years at maintenance), that doesn’t sound so bad at all. I have to get over this feeling that I’ll never get to go back to my 2100 calorie maintenance level. We’ll see!

  • gallicinvasion
    gallicinvasion Posts: 1,015 Member
    I did this not too long ago. I noticed that I was pretty consistently at the top of my maintenance weight range. I don't mind visiting there from time to time, but it's not where I wanted to hang out long term...too easy to keep going up from there.

    I don't log anymore, except roughly in my head, so I just made a conscious effort to make a few changes that I knew would reduce my calorie intake by a couple hundred a day. I just reduced my portion sizes a little, cut back a bit on the treats, had one glass of wine instead of two, etc.

    It worked, and I'm actually now hovering around the lower part of my acceptable range. I have some notions of keeping it going...I could stand to lose a few "vanity" pounds...but, then again, I kinda want that second glass of wine again. :D


    Yes, I kept thinking “I mean what’s the REAL difference (in quality of life) between 126 and 125?” But then when it started being 129 more often, I started to think that soon I’d need to go back to a slight deficit. But just temporarily 😂
  • gallicinvasion
    gallicinvasion Posts: 1,015 Member
    briscogun wrote: »
    For me, occasionally needing to go into a small deficit is just a normal part of maintenance.

    I have found this to be very true for me. It's more art than science, but if the scale goes up I pull back on portions or treats, whatever I need to do to move the needle downward a bit. If it starts going down TOO far, hey good news! I get ice cream that night or a beer! If I know I'm going to have a splurge coming up (like I am this weekend) I'll eat at a deficit for a few days and "bank" some calories for the coming festivities.

    Its all just managing the swings. I'm NEVER going to be that guy that can "intuitively" eat and just manage my weight. I'll need to weigh and log for a long time I suppose to keep from bouncing back to my old weight (once again).

    Yes same! I don’t think I can imagine myself trying to eat without logging. It’s too easy and the benefits are too clear. Plus, I like knowing EXACTLY what I’ve eaten so I can fit in as many treats as is reasonable 😂
  • gallicinvasion
    gallicinvasion Posts: 1,015 Member
    beulah81 wrote: »
    Hi friend! Did your NEAT change since April? Even if it a small change like 70 cals a day that could be a gain of couple of pounds over a course of 4 months. I hear ya in terms of being attached to an eating goal #. If I was in your shoes I would shave off a 100-150 cals for 6-8 weeks and see what happens. You've got this!!

    HEY GIRL!! 😊

    It’s possible (I’m thinking my body is slowly getting used to me doing the same-duration walks every day, and maybe my logging/weighting food is not as tight as it has been in the past).

    Yes I totally agree that I’m attached to that 2100 😂 but I need to get more flexible with that. It’s just a number.

  • gallicinvasion
    gallicinvasion Posts: 1,015 Member
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    You don't need to hit -250 to slowly drift down. You don't even need to cut food to do it.

    You CAN (just as if you were starting up) do +75 in activity and -75 in food.

    ~150 is about 15.6lbs a year or 1.3lbs a month. In 3-4 months that's a full 5 lbs of weight trend.

    If you've been occasionally skipping on your logging, tightening up logging can also take care of a few of the calories without changing your 2100.

    Or you can see what you've been averaging and just aim to leave a few on the table...

    If you've drifted up... how long did it take? Drift down as slow or slower! (Dampen any pendulums)

    Hmm all good plans! I don’t know why I gravitated immediately taking a limited-time 250 deficit, rather than an extended-time 150 deficit. Maybe I am impatient; maybe it seemed easier to adjust to a shorter time of lower calories. I think if this ends up being hard, I may go your route instead. Or learn from this 6-week trial, and the next time I have to trend downward, revise the plan slightly based on lessons-learned.

    I DO know why I didn’t add activity (because I’m not a huge fan of spending more time than I already do on purposeful exercise, and I feel like I already walk about an hour a day for mental health and NEAT purposes, and I don’t know if I have time to add more distance/duration without impacting work/sleep/rest).

    I don’t skip any logging, and I weigh most items, but I do estimate a little more now with certain things. This could be an area to check out. Thank you for these thoughts!

  • gallicinvasion
    gallicinvasion Posts: 1,015 Member
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    getting used to me doing the same-duration walks every day, and maybe my logging/weighting food is not as tight as it has been in the past

    Walk your route backwards? Change the route to something slightly more challenging (walk on grass, gravel, inclines, carry a small backpack--warning: danger to knees, increased risk of wiping-out and not being able to recover on the way down if the backpack is of substance... ask me how I know :lol: ), add a hop and a skip at every intersection and make sure logging is tight!

    Oooo I can get on board with carrying a backpack!
  • gallicinvasion
    gallicinvasion Posts: 1,015 Member
    mtaratoot wrote: »
    Everything that @AnnPT77 said with this caveat:

    It WILL be easy. At the same time, your silly brain will try to convince you it not only isn't easy, but that you're not succeeding. Step back and see that you ARE.

    You've got the right attitude about it. Something went wrong; it can be fixed. You don't even need any spare parts, just make subtle changes in the fuel you're using and how you burn it. Don't be surprised if it goes faster than you expect.

    Or slower.

    But look down the road, and your next way station on this journey is waiting for you to arrive, water your horses, and keep on along your journey.

    Thank you so much for this encouragement! I appreciate what you’re saying; this IS the process and i can trust myself to make it happen in a way I can feel good about.