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Why is it so bad...?

roguex_1979
roguex_1979 Posts: 247 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
...to eat under your calorie allowance?

By dieting, we are eating too little calories for our bodies to function anyway, so what is the difference if the deficit is 500 (as mine was when I first started, now it's only 100 - making it harder for me to lose the weight) or 600? Everyone says the minimum you should eat is 1200 cals, but my bmr was 1700 to begin with, and is now 1300, so if my initial deficit was 500, why can't my deficit still remain at 500? This is why people have difficulty losing weight the closer they get to their goal...because the deficit shrinks along with your waistline.

Anyone? I'm not being sarcastic or anything, I genuinely don't understand. I would continue to lose 1-2 lbs a week if my deficit was constantly at 500 calories. But as my BMR reaches 1200, I will end up not losing any weight if I keep eating minimum of 1200 cals.

Replies

  • Di3012
    Di3012 Posts: 2,247 Member
    I see what you mean about the BMR. Mine is just 1400, I have two choices, either stick to 1200 calories and lose weight or up the intake and lose next to nothing.

    I chose the former and am glad I did.

    Fully agree OP!
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    The more modest your caloric deficit, the less you will see your BMR decrease. It has little to nothing to do with lifting to 'maintain muscle mass'. The point is to eat enough so that your body CAN function normally, but doesn't have the opportunity to store fat. As you get leaner, your deficit will decrease, as it should. Don't forget that on top of your BMR are your calories from everyday activity along with exercise.
  • purpleipod
    purpleipod Posts: 1,147 Member
    You need to eat enough to fuel your body properly. Under eating screws with your metabolism. Once you got your BMR that low you could exercise in order to burn more calories and eat more.
  • cressievargo
    cressievargo Posts: 392 Member
    Because your body thinks you are starving, and goes into "starvation" mode, which alters your metabolism. (generally slows it down).

    It is also important what your caloric intake is made up of, what your activity level is, etc.
  • grinch031
    grinch031 Posts: 1,679
    The calorie IN / OUT ratio is largely dependent on one another. Eating more causes you to burn more (and want to burn more). Eating less causes you to burn less and feel more lethargic. The most influential factor in weight loss is NOT how much you eat, it is WHAT you eat. If you eat good food, your hunger and energy levels will be managed more properly, making weight loss easier. If you eat junk food, then no matter how you manipulate your calorie intake, you will have a hard time developing that caloric deficit and struggling with cravings all the time.
  • clarkc01
    clarkc01 Posts: 1 Member
    Your BMR is how many calories you'd burn if you stayed in bed all day — basically, how many calories you burn just to stay alive.

    Since you are actually active (i.e. not staying in bed) everyday, your deficit will be greater.

    If you add in exercise, then that will increase the deficit even more.
  • MrsRipdizzle
    MrsRipdizzle Posts: 490 Member
    Your BMR is what your body needs to function, say, if you were in a coma state. But as we are not in a coma, we are actually burning more than the BMR. So right there, you need to consider the extra calories your body is burning for you to get up and use the bathroom, make yourself some food, etc. Then, throw in some exercise (which you should do anyway because it's great for stress-relief, extra energy, beating off depression, and the list goes on and on and on)....and bam, you can eat plenty without needing to worry about going below 1200.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    Several reasons but as usual, context matters.

    Generally speaking, the larger the deficit the harder it becomes to retain lean mass as you lose weight. Losing muscle = not good.

    The lower your calorie intake goes, the less wiggle-room you have in terms of micronutrient (and macro!) sufficiency. Food selection starts to matter increasingly more as your intake goes down.

    Additionally, deficits should ideally be calculated in percentages and not flat amounts. People often say "subtract 500 from your maintenance" so that you can lose 1lb per week but this method fails to take into account the individuals base intake.

    The higher your TDEE, the more room you have to create a larger deficit. The lower this number goes, the less space you have to do this and percentages will take this into consideration.

    Adherence to diet is yet another consideration that is often overlooked.
  • KatieJane83
    KatieJane83 Posts: 2,002 Member
    Just to clarify this, you are not eating at a deficit to your bmr. Your bmr is the number of cals your body needs purely to sustain life, like heart beating, breathing, organ function, if you literally lay in a bed all day. Think bedridden or coma. You are eating at a deficit to your tdee (total daily energy expenditure) which is your bmr plus the cals you need for daily life like walking around, talking, eating, etc. Mfp calculates this based on what lifestyle you select, sedentary, lightly active, etc.
  • KristinLeAnn252
    KristinLeAnn252 Posts: 136 Member
    Oh wow! This just got me thinking and according to the BMR on here, at my goal, mine is only 1107!!! I'm not going to be able to eat anything :(
  • KatieJane83
    KatieJane83 Posts: 2,002 Member
    Oh wow! This just got me thinking and according to the BMR on here, at my goal, mine is only 1107!!! I'm not going to be able to eat anything :(

    You're not eating at a deficit to your bmr but to your tdee. See my above post
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Firstly your BMR and TDEE is completely different. In general you should eat at your BMR especially if you do not have a lot to lose.

    Your BMR is 1300, right? So
    Assuming you are sedentary your body needs 1560 Calories a day to maintain it's weight. You should be able to lose about .7 pounds per week safely if you consume 1200 calories daily.

    Like i said however i would suggest actually eating your BMR and any exercise calories you burn. The closer you get to your goal the closer to maintenance you want to be.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Have a little stroll through the faq....
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/474-unofficial-mfp-faq
  • tenax
    tenax Posts: 97
    i think there's some half truths about the whole body going into starvation mode thing. i've lost more weight when i know i've gone to bed a little hungry at night..then when i eat to the calories this tells me to eat..way more weight. until i stop losing weight. the system says i should eat 1600 calories a day and warns me when i eat any less. i can tell you, i don't lose nothin' at 1600 calories a day. i drop it to 1100 to 1300, i lose weight. that simple. i do think i can put my body into starvation mode. i don't believe i'm going to do it at 1100 to 1300 calories a day. i find i can quite easily eat that much food and feel pleasantly sated when i go to bed so why would i "force" another 300 to 500 calories?
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Just to clarify this, you are not eating at a deficit to your bmr. Your bmr is the number of cals your body needs purely to sustain life, like heart beating, breathing, organ function, if you literally lay in a bed all day. Think bedridden or coma. You are eating at a deficit to your tdee (total daily energy expenditure) which is your bmr plus the cals you need for daily life like walking around, talking, eating, etc. Mfp calculates this based on what lifestyle you select, sedentary, lightly active, etc.

    This. My BMR is low too and I'm on the sedentary setting, I still eat 1400 cals and lose. I don't lose quickly anymore, but this isn't a race, it's about long-term health.
  • EricMurano
    EricMurano Posts: 825 Member
    It's just about losing weight at a slower, healthier rate. It's also about how you eat long term.

    Ideally when you reach your target weight/body fat/waist size you won't have to increase your calorie intake because you would have been eating enough calories for that weight the whole time.

    You're free to do this how ever you wish just don't let it become an eating disorder. That's all I and I think everyone here ask.
  • deadstarsunburn
    deadstarsunburn Posts: 1,337 Member
    You really should be basing your deficit off your TDEE not your BMR.
  • nhendri
    nhendri Posts: 236 Member
    This is why I went and had a Resting Metabolic Rate test done. It was specific to me. It helped alot and I actualy found out that by eating the suggested 1200 a day I was not eating enough and causing issues to my metabolism and it caused me to platau and nothing I did fixed it. Since than I have increased my cals and I am losing weight (I would lose more if I wouldnt binge eat on the weekends). Losing weight is a numbers game and I am glad you are asking questions!! If you want to be successfull you must educate yourself and do it right :)
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