can someone tell me if this is right?

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MelissaWI
MelissaWI Posts: 133 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Ok, so If I eat 1200 calories a day and burn lets say 600 a day and I burn 1700 just being alive every day would my deficit be 1100 a day??? I am so trying to get this right... lol please help me...

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  • dontwantausername1
    dontwantausername1 Posts: 120 Member
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    Ok, so If I eat 1200 calories a day and burn lets say 600 a day and I burn 1700 just being alive every day would my deficit be 1100 a day??? I am so trying to get this right... lol please help me...

    Yes, that would be your deficit. I wouldn't eat back the burned calories if I was you. I don't eat mine back. Of course, everyone is going to tell you something different.

    Read this:
    http://fattyfightsback.blogspot.com/2009/03/mtyhbusters-starvation-mode.html
  • mallory3411
    mallory3411 Posts: 839 Member
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    You have it right. Everyone is different. Some people will not lose on too much of a deficit. Some will. You should at least consume your min calories per day. Too much or too little of a deficit can hurt weight loss.
  • MelissaWI
    MelissaWI Posts: 133 Member
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    Thank you.. Woohoo I figured it out... YAY.. hahaha took me a while.. I have been eating pretty much like this for a while, but I started to work out and I am still loosing about 2-3 pounds a week, haven't stalled yet.. But I am sure one day that could happen, but I am still a good 50 pounds overweight.
  • dontwantausername1
    dontwantausername1 Posts: 120 Member
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    Thank you.. Woohoo I figured it out... YAY.. hahaha took me a while.. I have been eating pretty much like this for a while, but I started to work out and I am still loosing about 2-3 pounds a week, haven't stalled yet.. But I am sure one day that could happen, but I am still a good 50 pounds overweight.

    Good luck!
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    Ok, so If I eat 1200 calories a day and burn lets say 600 a day and I burn 1700 just being alive every day would my deficit be 1100 a day??? I am so trying to get this right... lol please help me...

    Yes, that would be your deficit. I wouldn't eat back the burned calories if I was you. I don't eat mine back. Of course, everyone is going to tell you something different.

    Read this:
    http://fattyfightsback.blogspot.com/2009/03/mtyhbusters-starvation-mode.html

    If you don't eat them back, that leaves you with a net intake of calories of 600 calories. That is the same idea as doing no exercise and only eating 600 calories. That is considered a VCLD (very low calorie diet). This type of diet should only be undertaken under medical supervision for specific reasons.
    Not to mention you will slow your metabolism in the process which could make it much more difficult in the long run to lose weight

    Think of this, when you plateau, people will often lower their calories a bit. You have no room to lower them anymore.

    Eat. Feed your body enough to be healthy and maintain a reasonable weight loss. 1-2 lbs a week is recommended. There is no need to completely starve your body. Even if it takes a little longer, it is much better for you in the long run.
  • carrie_eggo
    carrie_eggo Posts: 1,396 Member
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    Ok, so If I eat 1200 calories a day and burn lets say 600 a day and I burn 1700 just being alive every day would my deficit be 1100 a day??? I am so trying to get this right... lol please help me...

    Yes, that would be your deficit. I wouldn't eat back the burned calories if I was you. I don't eat mine back. Of course, everyone is going to tell you something different.

    Read this:
    http://fattyfightsback.blogspot.com/2009/03/mtyhbusters-starvation-mode.html

    If you don't eat them back, that leaves you with a net intake of calories of 600 calories. That is the same idea as doing no exercise and only eating 600 calories. That is considered a VCLD (very low calorie diet). This type of diet should only be undertaken under medical supervision.
    Not to mention you will slow your metabolism in the process which could make it much more difficult in the long run to lose weight

    Think of this, when you plateau, people will often lower their calories a bit. You have no room to lower them anymore.

    Eat. Feed your body enough to be healthy and maintain a reasonable weight loss. 1-2 lbs a week is recommended.


    I was going to comment on this too....BUT if my memory serves me right, I remember the OP from another thread and she's had weight loss surgery and has been advised by a physician to only eat 1200 calories. Am I correct?

    If not then, yes....what 3dogsrunnign said-exactly :)
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    I was going to comment on this too....BUT if my memory serves me right, I remember the OP from another thread and she's had weight loss surgery and has been advised by a physician to only eat 1200 calories. Am I correct?

    Ahh, I agree, if that is the case.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    Actually it depends.... is 1700 your BMR (the cals you burn just breathing and lying around in bed) or does that include an activity factor (the cals you burn walking around and doing your regular daily routines)?

    If your BMR is 1700 and you are sedentary then you multiply by 1.2 - to get 2040 cals. This would be your maintenance calories - the number you need to eat each day to stay the same weight.

    To lose weight you need to create a calorie deficit. MFP does this for you by taking away 500 cals (to lose 1 pound a week) or 1000 cals (to lose 2 pounds a week). So, for you to lose 1 pound a week, you should be eating 1540 cals/day. (2040 - 500 = 1540)

    If you exercise and burn off 600 cals then you can eat those back and you still have your 500 cal deficit and should still lose 1 pound a week. (2040 [maintenance] + 600 [exercise] - 500 [deficit] = 2140 cals to eat each day)

    Really though, you don't have to do the maths - MFP does it all for you. Just pay attention to getting the "calories remaining" number at the bottom of your diary close to 0 every day and you will do OK!
  • TinaLRoman
    TinaLRoman Posts: 41 Member
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    Just to add to this discussion. Keep in mind that all of these calories are estimations. Some people eat back their exercise calories, some don't. You have to find what works for you.

    As far as the minimum daily calories goes, again do what works best for you. Not everyone follows the guideline of having to eat a minimum of 1200 calories daily.
  • MelissaWI
    MelissaWI Posts: 133 Member
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    Yes I had weight loss surgery, I was actually living off of 600-800 calories for a long time, but with only small amounts of walking. But now that I am more physically able to move around more because of my weight loss I have picked up on working out a bit more.. I see a nurse every month and dietitian. 1200 calories is a great goal for me... And I do still have an average of 2 to 2 1/2 a week weightloss which is good... I am pretty new at all the stuff that comes along with it.. Deficit amounts and all the math calculated in it to make it what it is.. But I enjoy putting my journal on here instead of writing it on a piece of paper every day.. Much more easier to stay focused.. :) thanks for all your help.. appreciate it..
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    In that case disregard. As I mentioned it shouldn't be done unless medically supervised, which you are.

    Just a note to someone above, I agree 1200 isn't a magic minimum number for everyone. But netting 600 is too low for most anyone, with exceptions like this.
  • estherpab
    estherpab Posts: 59 Member
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    Actually it depends.... is 1700 your BMR (the cals you burn just breathing and lying around in bed) or does that include an activity factor (the cals you burn walking around and doing your regular daily routines)?

    If your BMR is 1700 and you are sedentary then you multiply by 1.2 - to get 2040 cals. This would be your maintenance calories - the number you need to eat each day to stay the same weight.

    To lose weight you need to create a calorie deficit. MFP does this for you by taking away 500 cals (to lose 1 pound a week) or 1000 cals (to lose 2 pounds a week). So, for you to lose 1 pound a week, you should be eating 1540 cals/day. (2040 - 500 = 1540)

    If you exercise and burn off 600 cals then you can eat those back and you still have your 500 cal deficit and should still lose 1 pound a week. (2040 [maintenance] + 600 [exercise] - 500 [deficit] = 2140 cals to eat each day)



    Yes, you are right, my BMR is 1930 so -500 = 1430; why does MFP have me at 1200 min to lose .5 lb a week. Shouldn't it be 1430?

    Really though, you don't have to do the maths - MFP does it all for you. Just pay attention to getting the "calories remaining" number at the bottom of your diary close to 0 every day and you will do OK!

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