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How much calorie deficit should I be eating?

Lawrencepa

Lawrencepa

Well-Known Member
Messages
54
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
What's the best calorie deficit to have? These past few days it's been averaging a 600 deficit. Initially I thought it would be too low but now I'm worried it may be too high. I really want to get off to a good start but I know this is a marathon not a sprint. I was losing about a lb a week anyway before this diet. I feel like I eat a lot more now. Before the loss was purely accidental. Should I continue with a 600 calorie deficit and what's the recommended amount I should be doing. I've checked my tdee several places and it mainly says 2200 and I've been having about 1600 but this can go lower some days
 
That is a hard question to answer. Much depends on your life style - exercise, type of job, current weight, hoped for weight, and other factors. Are you using a calorie app?
 
Bluetit1802 said:
That is a hard question to answer. Much depends on your life style - exercise, type of job, current weight, hoped for weight, and other factors. Are you using a calorie app?
Click to expand...

Yeah I'm using myfitnesspal. I either think I'm eating too little or too much. To be honest it's such early days to say how many calories I've been having. But I don't know what to aim for really. If it's any help I exercise once a week for about 15 minutes but it's quite vigorous I'm 205lb/93kg I want to get down to about 11 stone
 
There are two schools of thought on this.. one the calories in calories out that say to loose weight you have to have a deficit. The other that says this is a bad idea as depriving the body of calories leads to slowing of your metabolism which stops you from loosing more weight.
For me I cut out carbs almost completely and stopped eating breakfast. Extended my overnight fast to lunchtime and didn't worry about calories and lost 5 stone in 8 months without really trying. After that I had a bit of a stall and started extending my fasting periods from 1 to a few days which then kicked off the weight loss again. So I recommend fasting rather than calorie restriction because it worked for me and still does. You are starting from my current weight (208.6 pounds this morning) so I reckon missing out a meal (and greatly reducing carb consumption) may kick start some loss for you without worrying too much. Might be worth a try for a month or so see how it goes.
 
For me calories don't matter. It's the quality of the calories and the macronutrient percentages. I can eat all the fat I want ( within reason of course) and keep my protein moderate but carbs are the killer for me.

I also try to keep animal fat on the low side as it does me far less favors than plant fats.

I never counted calories. Vlc, moderate protein and enough fat to satisfy. No more and no less has been my ticket
 
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