Calorie deficit!? HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Littlemissjackie1
Littlemissjackie1 Posts: 122 Member
edited 7:10AM in Health and Weight Loss
My goal is to eat 1200 calories a day, and burn 830 calories a week. My calorie deficit is 520.. Can some one please review my diary, am I eating too less or too much? In the pass I would loose three pounds and gain it all back the next day. I think I am a bit confused on how to approach my goal the correct way. Also can some one explain to me what a calorie deficit is? Thanks!!

Replies

  • Anna800
    Anna800 Posts: 639 Member
    You go over your sugar allowance everyday. No more minute maid, one dessert treat per day.
  • davidwh79
    davidwh79 Posts: 11 Member
    Whole foods. I'm recommending this to everyone. Drastically reduce or remove the meat from your diet. Eat fruits and vegetables, nuts, beans, lentils, whole grains. Reduce your dairy intake, drink almond milk instead of cow milk.
  • Autry403
    Autry403 Posts: 82 Member
    Ehh, you're fine.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    Calorie deficit of 520 means that you are consuming 520 less than it would take you to maintain your weight, neither changing or losing.

    The goal of 830 burnt doesn't matter for that *until* you burn it. The 520 deficit is without counting exercise.
  • andreamelo1
    andreamelo1 Posts: 161 Member
    i noticed you are either going over or staying way under your caloric goal the goal is just that a goal you must strive to reach this by making good food choices get rid of starbucks the popcorn the candy bars & aim for healthy fats such as instead of popsecret try smartpop no butter instead of starbucks try a low fat cafe latte make better choices is all
  • Sheila_Ann
    Sheila_Ann Posts: 365 Member
    Yup, too much sugar. What I do with the chobani yogurt is put the yogurt in a bowl and leave the fruit that's at the bottom in the container and not eat it. I still get the "flavor" of whatever chobani i'm eating but a lot less sugar. My nutritionist gave me that idea. I don't know what the new sugar % is without eating the bottom but in my mind when the number does go over I know it's not that bad because I didn't eat the bottom.

    Good Luck!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    My goal is to eat 1200 calories a day, and burn 830 calories a week. My calorie deficit is 520.. Can some one please review my diary, am I eating too less or too much? In the pass I would loose three pounds and gain it all back the next day. I think I am a bit confused on how to approach my goal the correct way. Also can some one explain to me what a calorie deficit is? Thanks!!

    If you are burning 830 and eating 1200, your net calories are 520, your deficit would be more like 1600. This is assuming your maintenance calories are around 2000 before adding exercise, then if you burn 800 maintenance would be 2800, so if you eat 1200, your deficit would be 1600 (2800-1200)

    If MFP gives you a goal of 1200, you should eat that 1200, plus everything you burn from exercise, so if you burn 800, eat 2000 to net 1200 (2000-800)
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    You go over your sugar allowance everyday. No more minute maid, one dessert treat per day.

    unless you are diabetic, sugar intake doesn't really matter, for weight loss sugar is just a carb, I would suggest not even tracking it.
  • wild_wild_life
    wild_wild_life Posts: 1,334 Member
    Calorie deficit is just how many calories you are eating below maintenance levels each day. If you are set to eat 1200 and your deficit is is 520, your maintenance calories (aka total daily energy expendature or TDEE) is probably around 1720 per day, although the only way to calculate it accurately requires your age, height, weight and activity level (look for TDEE calculators online).

    In general, if you eat what MFP tells you to (not too far over or under) you should be fine. If you're doing that and not losing for awhile, you may need to recalculate your numbers and/or change your deficit.
  • 75Juniper
    75Juniper Posts: 376
    If MFP gives you a goal of 1200, you should eat that 1200, plus everything you burn from exercise, so if you burn 800, eat 2000 to net 1200 (2000-800)


    I agree with this guy. In glancing at your diary, I don't think you are eating enough. Don't be afraid to eat your exercise calories.
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    You go over your sugar allowance everyday. No more minute maid, one dessert treat per day.

    unless you are diabetic, sugar intake doesn't really matter, for weight loss sugar is just a carb, I would suggest not even tracking it.

    I agree. Eat the mix of foods you want. There's no magic formula, besides calories.

    It doesn't matter if you don't hit your calorie goal dead-on each day, just that on average that's about how much you take in.
  • wild_wild_life
    wild_wild_life Posts: 1,334 Member
    My goal is to eat 1200 calories a day, and burn 830 calories a week. My calorie deficit is 520.. Can some one please review my diary, am I eating too less or too much? In the pass I would loose three pounds and gain it all back the next day. I think I am a bit confused on how to approach my goal the correct way. Also can some one explain to me what a calorie deficit is? Thanks!!

    If you are burning 830 and eating 1200, your net calories are 520, your deficit would be more like 1600. This is assuming your maintenance calories are around 2000 before adding exercise, then if you burn 800 maintenance would be 2800, so if you eat 1200, your deficit would be 1600 (2800-1200)

    If MFP gives you a goal of 1200, you should eat that 1200, plus everything you burn from exercise, so if you burn 800, eat 2000 to net 1200 (2000-800)

    She said 830 cals per week.

    MFP automatically adds your exercise calories in to make it "simpler" so just eat the green number and you should be ok.
  • instructor03
    instructor03 Posts: 56 Member
    3500 calories equals 1 pound of fat. So, if you eat 1200 calories a day, even without exercise, you are creating a deficite of at least 500 calories a day. Adding up 7 days..... 1 pound lost. 90% of losing weight is good, clean eating. I do see you eat Lean Cuisines, hot pockets and other processed foods. I would check the sodium in those. Also, your daily water intake should be at least 64oz a day.
    Good luck.
  • Anna800
    Anna800 Posts: 639 Member
    You go over your sugar allowance everyday. No more minute maid, one dessert treat per day.

    unless you are diabetic, sugar intake doesn't really matter, for weight loss sugar is just a carb, I would suggest not even tracking it.

    You're not going to have the body shape you want when consuming a lot of sugar. Sugar had no nutrition so you're better off consuming calories that benefit your body. I noticed you entered homemade carrot cake yesterday but didn't add any sugar calories for it. I agree that you need to cut back on the starbucks.
  • Sherie13
    Sherie13 Posts: 250 Member
    How much sodium are you getting? That 3lbs you are losing and gaining could all be water weight. Unless you have a problem with sugar, I would not bother to track that. Eating a couple of pieces of fruit or a yogurt will always put you over. I'd track sodium instead. Anytime I go over 2500mg of sodium, the scale shoots up 2 to 5 lbs! Drinking about 10 cups of water the next couple of days always makes the scale go back down.
  • 1RBelle512
    1RBelle512 Posts: 53 Member
    My goal is to eat 1200 calories a day, and burn 830 calories a week. My calorie deficit is 520.. Can some one please review my diary, am I eating too less or too much? In the pass I would loose three pounds and gain it all back the next day. I think I am a bit confused on how to approach my goal the correct way. Also can some one explain to me what a calorie deficit is? Thanks!!

    So, MFP should give you enough guidance that you don't have to worry about your calorie deficit. When you set your goal to lose x pounds per week, it automatically calculates what your net calories each day should be. Eat more than 1200 so you don't go into starvation mode, and exercise to burn off enough to hit your net calorie goal that MFP has provided. That means you can eat 1400 and burn 200 that day. If your goal is to burn 830 calories per week, that's great, but that's just your personal goal for exercise, not what the MFP calculator is taking into consideration.

    Essentially, I'd recommend for the goal of 1200 that MFP has given you (according to your diary): Eat 1500 calories per day and burn 300 through exercise (that's about 30 minutes of vigorous exercise) or eat about 1400 and burn about 200 (going on a 30 minute walk, maybe).

    Finally, I do have to say that your diary doesn't quite look like that of a person who says she "likes to cook"! Try making your own healthy recipes with fresh foods. You're more likely to be satisfied with less-calorie dense foods like veggies (roasted! in salad! in soup!) than you are with processed foods that are "low cal" or "low fat" (Lean Cuisine, Lean Pockets).

    Good luck to you! Feel free to add me :)
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    Eat more whole foods, less processed food.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    Whole foods. I'm recommending this to everyone. Drastically reduce or remove the meat from your diet. Eat fruits and vegetables, nuts, beans, lentils, whole grains. Reduce your dairy intake, drink almond milk instead of cow milk.

    Meat is the most efficient source of protein. That's why humans have been eating it for thousands upon thousands of years. Vegetarian sources of protein are too high in carbs for our modern, more sedentary lives.
  • moe0303
    moe0303 Posts: 934 Member
    Ehh, you're fine.
    ^^^This. You should be fine if you keep it up. Don't weigh yourself everyday. There's a lot that can happen in a day to cause to fluctuate 1-3 pounds. Weigh yourself in the mornings no more than once a week.
  • jotrier
    jotrier Posts: 7
    Whole foods. I'm recommending this to everyone. Drastically reduce or remove the meat from your diet. Eat fruits and vegetables, nuts, beans, lentils, whole grains. Reduce your dairy intake, drink almond milk instead of cow milk.
    No, don't drop the meat UNLESS you are getting protein elsewhere. Chicken, fish, eggs are great. Your body needs the protein to burn fat and build lean muscle. You should have 3-4 oz of protein at each meal to help sustain blood sugar and to slow digestion. Whole foods and reduced dairy YES!!! Watch the whole grains, hidden carbs. Carbs = sugar. Sugar is the enemy.
  • Littlemissjackie1
    Littlemissjackie1 Posts: 122 Member
    You go over your sugar allowance everyday. No more minute maid, one dessert treat per day.

    unless you are diabetic, sugar intake doesn't really matter, for weight loss sugar is just a carb, I would suggest not even tracking it.

    You're not going to have the body shape you want when consuming a lot of sugar. Sugar had no nutrition so you're better off consuming calories that benefit your body. I noticed you entered homemade carrot cake yesterday but didn't add any sugar calories for it. I agree that you need to cut back on the starbucks.



    I am not a diabetic although diabetes does run through my family. I definately plan on cutting back on the sugar, any Ideas of foods that are low in sugar?? or sugar subsitutes?
  • Littlemissjackie1
    Littlemissjackie1 Posts: 122 Member
    Ehh, you're fine.
    ^^^This. You should be fine if you keep it up. Don't weigh yourself everyday. There's a lot that can happen in a day to cause to fluctuate 1-3 pounds. Weigh yourself in the mornings no more than once a week.

    Thanks!! :D
  • Littlemissjackie1
    Littlemissjackie1 Posts: 122 Member
    My goal is to eat 1200 calories a day, and burn 830 calories a week. My calorie deficit is 520.. Can some one please review my diary, am I eating too less or too much? In the pass I would loose three pounds and gain it all back the next day. I think I am a bit confused on how to approach my goal the correct way. Also can some one explain to me what a calorie deficit is? Thanks!!

    So, MFP should give you enough guidance that you don't have to worry about your calorie deficit. When you set your goal to lose x pounds per week, it automatically calculates what your net calories each day should be. Eat more than 1200 so you don't go into starvation mode, and exercise to burn off enough to hit your net calorie goal that MFP has provided. That means you can eat 1400 and burn 200 that day. If your goal is to burn 830 calories per week, that's great, but that's just your personal goal for exercise, not what the MFP calculator is taking into consideration.

    Essentially, I'd recommend for the goal of 1200 that MFP has given you (according to your diary): Eat 1500 calories per day and burn 300 through exercise (that's about 30 minutes of vigorous exercise) or eat about 1400 and burn about 200 (going on a 30 minute walk, maybe).

    Finally, I do have to say that your diary doesn't quite look like that of a person who says she "likes to cook"! Try making your own healthy recipes with fresh foods. You're more likely to be satisfied with less-calorie dense foods like veggies (roasted! in salad! in soup!) than you are with processed foods that are "low cal" or "low fat" (Lean Cuisine, Lean Pockets).

    Good luck to you! Feel free to add me :)



    I'm totally going to add you, this info was extremly helpful. Sad truth is that I LOVE TO COOK. I just never have the time. :'( Eating lean cuisine seems like an easy way out for me. Maybe I should try preparing food ahead of time or something. If you have any reciepes for easy lunches please share with me :D
  • Littlemissjackie1
    Littlemissjackie1 Posts: 122 Member
    How much sodium are you getting? That 3lbs you are losing and gaining could all be water weight. Unless you have a problem with sugar, I would not bother to track that. Eating a couple of pieces of fruit or a yogurt will always put you over. I'd track sodium instead. Anytime I go over 2500mg of sodium, the scale shoots up 2 to 5 lbs! Drinking about 10 cups of water the next couple of days always makes the scale go back down.


    My sodium is generally real low, Looks like sugar is one of my worst enemies! Thanks! I need to drink more water, its been a problem thing for me
  • Littlemissjackie1
    Littlemissjackie1 Posts: 122 Member
    My goal is to eat 1200 calories a day, and burn 830 calories a week. My calorie deficit is 520.. Can some one please review my diary, am I eating too less or too much? In the pass I would loose three pounds and gain it all back the next day. I think I am a bit confused on how to approach my goal the correct way. Also can some one explain to me what a calorie deficit is? Thanks!!

    If you are burning 830 and eating 1200, your net calories are 520, your deficit would be more like 1600. This is assuming your maintenance calories are around 2000 before adding exercise, then if you burn 800 maintenance would be 2800, so if you eat 1200, your deficit would be 1600 (2800-1200)

    If MFP gives you a goal of 1200, you should eat that 1200, plus everything you burn from exercise, so if you burn 800, eat 2000 to net 1200 (2000-800)



    Thank you! this has been super helpful!!!
  • MizCJ84
    MizCJ84 Posts: 335 Member
    When I first started I got all hung up on my calorie deficit. I became borderline obsessed with dieting. Now I simply listen to my body. Some days I eat 1200 calories, some days I eat 2000 calories. My main focus is the quality of food I am eating. I try my best to eat clean instead of worrying about the calories. People who eat a mostly clean diet, usually lose weight and keep it off without even worrying about counting calories. I also feel a consistent exercise routine aids in weight loss in maintenance. Good luck and add me if you need support and/or motivation.

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  • jotrier
    jotrier Posts: 7
    Stevia is best sugar alt. it's actually an herb so it's not a man-made chemical. Much better for you and it's 0 cal.
    You go over your sugar allowance everyday. No more minute maid, one dessert treat per day.

    unless you are diabetic, sugar intake doesn't really matter, for weight loss sugar is just a carb, I would suggest not even tracking it.

    You're not going to have the body shape you want when consuming a lot of sugar. Sugar had no nutrition so you're better off consuming calories that benefit your body. I noticed you entered homemade carrot cake yesterday but didn't add any sugar calories for it. I agree that you need to cut back on the starbucks.



    I am not a diabetic although diabetes does run through my family. I definately plan on cutting back on the sugar, any Ideas of foods that are low in sugar?? or sugar subsitutes?
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