3,500 calorie deficit???

xj-esx

Silver Member
Hi all

I was wondering if anyone could help me out. I've lost touch with understanding how to make a 3,500 calorie deficit to loose a pound a week.

I worked out my BMR which is 1700 (inc the exercise formulation) and I've been trying to stick to 1200 calories a day. I've worked out that over the past 7 days I've consumed 8,000 calories rather than the 11,900 that I would have had if I had 1700 calories a day. Now I'm stuck. I'm not sure how to work out whether I've made a big enough deficit to loose a pound? If I take 8,000 away from the 11,900 it leaves me with the number 3,900, does this mean I've successfully made the deficit or am I working this out totally wrong?

xx
 
Blimey I'm confused lol
:)
I'll stick my glasses on and read it again :-D

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I would say .... But anyone can correct me as I could be wrong .... That you have successfully done what you set out to do ... To lose 1lb per week you need to eat 500 cals less per day than your BMR ... Which works out as 3500 per week ..!!! So you're a little bit over in fact at 3900 less than your weekly BMR ..!! :) If you see what I mean x

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Unfortunately, it's nowhere near as simple as that! It all depends on your BMI, age, activity level etc. There's a thread in the Stickies section of this forum which tells you in great detail how to calculate it. You may be able to lose weight on a much higher level if you have a lot of weight to lose, like me for instance. In any event, never regularly eat less than 1200 calories a day, and start off at a higher level so that you have some room to reduce your calories further down the line.

All the best. xx
 
TracyGWill said:
Unfortunately, it's nowhere near as simple as that! It all depends on your BMI, age, activity level etc. There's a thread in the Stickies section of this forum which tells you in great detail how to calculate it. You may be able to lose weight on a much higher level if you have a lot of weight to lose, like me for instance. In any event, never regularly eat less than 1200 calories a day, and start off at a higher level so that you have some room to reduce your calories further down the line.

All the best. xx

She did already calculate her BMR ... Including the activity level .!
Confusing I know
Xx

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She did already calculate her BMR ... Including the activity level .!
Confusing I know
Xx

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I know, but calculating your BMR doesn't tell you how many calories you need to eat to lose weight, the Harris Benedict Equation does that using your BMR. I don't bother with it myself, just estimate my own level, but I know a lot of people do. :)
 
TracyGWill said:
I know, but calculating your BMR doesn't tell you how many calories you need to eat to lose weight, the Harris Benedict Equation does that using your BMR. I don't bother with it myself, just estimate my own level, but I know a lot of people do. :)

I took it that is what she used and that it was all worked out but she was still confused lol .!
???

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Lol, I'm confused too! A lot of advice seems to be to not eat lower than your BMR, whereas others say to have a deficit etc. I think what I was trying to say, probably badly, is that there are no hard and fast rules, everyone will lose at different rates so find out what works for you. I started out on 1800 calories a day, and am now on 1500, and have lost 6 stone so far, so it looks like that's working for me. :) xx
 
TracyGWill said:
Lol, I'm confused too! A lot of advice seems to be to not eat lower than your BMR, whereas others say to have a deficit etc. I think what I was trying to say, probably badly, is that there are no hard and fast rules, everyone will lose at different rates so find out what works for you. I started out on 1800 calories a day, and am now on 1500, and have lost 6 stone so far, so it looks like that's working for me. :) xx

Do you know .. I agree ..!! But every time you read something it says so
Something different ..!!! Soooooo confusing ..!!!
I'm trying stuff by trial and error .!!! At the moment even eating back my exercise calories of at least back up to 1200 cals per day .. Coz there's a lot out there saybg you should eat exercise cals back ...!!
It is I think trying whatever and seeing what works for you .. It's all very very befuddling ..!! :)

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Why not just use my fitness pal, it'll work it out for you. Handy to have, I have the app on my iPhone and alway log what I've eaten and any exercise I've done.
 
The problem a lot of people seem to have with MFP is that it tends to set your calorie level too low, which is why I always override mine. Apart from that, it's a brilliant app. xx
 
TracyGWill said:
The problem a lot of people seem to have with MFP is that it tends to set your calorie level too low, which is why I always override mine. Apart from that, it's a brilliant app. xx

I'm the same ... It set mine at 1200 cals .. Just not enough for a runner, a busy emergency nurse and mother to three children lol .. So I override mine and set it to 1350 which is what I got after googling it x

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Lol, I'm only an accountant and mother of one who doesn't exercise due to disability, but I set mine to 1800 at first because I had 10 stone to lose. ;). xx
 
TracyGWill said:
Lol, I'm only an accountant and mother of one who doesn't exercise due to disability, but I set mine to 1800 at first because I had 10 stone to lose. ;). xx

Blimey ... Do you think I ought to set mine higher ..?? I have half a stone to lose ... Only had a stone in total to lose abd the first half a stone was easy ... But this half is soooo hard .... And I have thought that I'm still not eating enough ..!! But I'm scared to up my cals un case I'm wrong ..!

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