Confused about calorie Deficit

[FFSletmechangemyname]

I wonder if anyone can help me, I have read a lot recently about weight loss/getting lean and honestly I am so confused.

I work out a lot and have seen a big change in about 9 months but now seem to be at a stale mate where my body isn't changing and it's frustrating.

So calorie deficit, I understand that you need a calorie deficit to lose weight, however from what ? Is this the BEE which I think mine is 1400 approx or is it something else.
If I go with 1400 calories that gives me hardly anything to eat in a day, at the moment I only eat breakfast and dinner and I can hit 1400.

My typical Daily food is

Weetabix with banana
And dinner is normally salmon and salad /rice/quinoa or chicken with the same or omelette.

If I have anything at lunch it will be fruit and greek yogurt.

I do struggle with food as I have had eating disorders in the past and I am struggling at the moment as the only way I can see to lose is to not eat anything and I know that's not the path to be going down.

I am struggling with my body at the moment, which means i hate it in all honesty.

I'm 5 7 " and 10 st, have a 23% body fat percentage and muscle mass of 7st 2.
I realise this means others will assume I don't need to lose more but I would like to decrease my body fat % just really struggling.

TIA

[Dowser]

You sound perfect to me. I can't see how that very small amount of food is 1400 op but it into Mfp and I bet you are looking at a 200 breakfast and a 300 to 350 supper.

I only used 1000 cals yesterday and I had 3 meals of omelette with onion, home made veg soup with lentils and ham and a big steak, asparagus and sweet potato in the evening, 3 whole walnuts and 2 apples.

You need to eat more and so do I .

[stripytees]

You need to calculate your TDEE - sedentary TDEE is the calories you consume just by existing. You can set your TDEE according to your activity level if you exercise several times a week. Lots of calculators online, I like the one on the Fast Diet/5:2 website.

[ppeatfruit]

FFS IIWM I'd look at Paul Mckenna because he helps with the emotional aspect of eating. He helps you to accept yourself and just change a few habits. he re educates your attitude to food completely . Get his 'I Can Make You Thin' book or DVD and have a read, it's brilliant, it totally frees you from all the calorie counting, weighing foods , diet foods etc.

It also has resulted in me maintaining my target weight loss of 3 stone for well over a year now.

[Vivacia]

Have you read about bulk and cuts? Would meet your requirements of not eating too few calories and lowering your body fat.

[FFSletmechangemyname]

Vivica- I haven't read about that no, can I ask what it's is ?

To everyone else thank you, I just get so confused with all the info that is out there. It doesn't help that I can become obsessive about food though .

I may try the Paul McKenna book is it really any good ? I struggle with eating enough rather then too much.
I think what I need is perhaps to find out what a specific food does for my body and just look at it from a fuel point of view.

I have been struggling a lot these last few days with hating my body and I really don't like feeling this way.

[Vivacia]

"Bulk and cut" is a method people use to increase muscle mass and decrease body fat. You're aiming for definition/toning (people do it for bulking to, but that takes some commitment!).
You eat at a calorie surplus and lift heavy. This puts on mass (muscle, fat and other body tissues). Then you cut by eating at a deficit thus losing weight, trying to maintain as much of the muscle as you can. That's the outline, but people get very sophisticated by considering their macronutrients and weightlifting/exercise routine.

Given your concerns about disordered eating why not see a specialist with some knowledge to put your mind at rest?

[Vivacia]

I'd worry that what I said would lead to you obsessing about food and nutrition.

[eurochick]

A free trial of weight loss resources will give you your maintenance calorie level. For your height and weight if you have a non active job, I'd guess at 1700-1800. You add any exercise calories on to this. Then to lose a pound a week, you need a deficit of about 500 cals per day, so about 1300 plus exercise calories.

[Vivacia]

A free trial of weight loss resources
Or any of the free websites that offer this estimation.

[ppeatfruit]

Paul Mackenna addresses the way we eat, why we eat, and how we eat rather than WHAT we eat. So changing our relationship with food.

I eat when I'm hungry (importantly no skipping meals) BUT stop when I'm full and it's interesting because when we chew slowly and really taste and enjoy our food we get full much quicker. So we eat less at each meal but have more smaller meals. You could consciously put on weight too this way if you needed to.

I reckon I'll eat this way for the rest of my life because it's the natural way, how children eat. Or how they should eat.

[sleepwhenidie]

Listen to ppeat - particularly with a history of disordered eating, the last thing you want to be doing (as you yourself acknowledge) is following a diet or counting anything, be it calories, carbs or macros. You obviously don't need to lose weight, your BMI and bf% are very healthy, you work out so I assume you are fit. The truth is that no matter what those numbers are, you still won't like your body or be happy and it is that and the underlying reasons for it which you need to address, not your diet.

[StrangeGlue]

Hi op, what you eat your daily calories out of is important. We have a basal metabolic rate which is the calories we need if we were to do nothing in a day - But this is met through fats and protein so if you eat mainly carbs you don't meet your body's needs and all of the carbs are energy for you to burn off. I haven't explained it well but if you google the harcombe diet you'll find it explained.

But! Women are not designed to have less than 20% fat any less and things start shutting down. Men can have v low % and still be fine. We're v different in that way. Trying to get much lower than your current 23% and you saying you hate your body currently suggests to me your previous body issues have already restarted.

[Vivacia]

StrangeGlue are you saying that calories required for the BMR can only be met by calories that come from fat and protein, and calories for all other activity can only come from carbs?

[ppeatfruit]

Thanks Sleep How are you ?

[eurochick]

Indeed, vivacia. That's the one I use and I know does this. I'm not sure why you felt the need to make that point. I was trying to be helpful.

[Vivacia]

I felt the need to make that point so that the OP didn't feel that she had to sign up for a trial of something. Many people don't like signing up to websites or providing bank details etc.

[FFSletmechangemyname]

Thank you everyone for all your advise.

I think I may need to address the issues I have surrounding food tbh, I can feel myself slipping into old habits and obsessing about what I am eating.

I do a lot of exercise as my work involves exercise too, so I do something active 5-6 days a week, on a weds for example I do 4 hrs and 3 on a thurs, 2 on a Sunday, 3 on a tues Monday is only an hr. I try to have a rest day on a fri and a Saturday.
I am starting with a PT tomorrow to start on weights, I already do Pump 2 times a week but want to do weights so he is going to teach me more about this. He knows my issues surrounding food.

I enjoy the exercise I just know that fuelling my body for the exercise is the issue, I'm hoping I can get away from food making me 'fat' and look at it as I 'need' it, if that makes sense.

Sorry if I don't respond to each poster I'm in the app and cannot see who said what

[Vivacia]

I think you've done well to pick up on your signs so early. Who can you talk you?

I hope that weight lifting helps - I find it interesting trying to get enough protein in for muscle growth and enough carbs to fuel the workout in the morning. I lifted this morning for the first time in ages on no breakfast (big meal last night) and could really tell the difference (in a bad way).

[sleepwhenidie]

ffs that sounds sensible. I'd also recommend the following resources, think you might find the individuals' stories of chasing and achieving 'perfect' bodies resonate

Maddy Moon

Body Image movement

And take a look through the Eating Disorders threads, I'm sure you'll find people dealing with the same issues, even if you don't identify as having an eating disorder (many more people have disordered eating that causes them problems!)

[sleepwhenidie]

to ppeat, v good thanks - and you?

[ppeatfruit]

Yes I'm well thanks, I'd be even better if dh's back was better, it's a slow process.

[FFSletmechangemyname]

Vivacia - there isn't really anyone I can speak to about the food issues, my mum works in mental health but if I feel her then her and my dad start to 'monitor' me. I know their concerns I rally do as I was in a bad way when I was younger but I am 34 yrs old so just need support.

DH doesn't get it am just says 'there's nothing of you, you need to eat more '

I have sisters, one doesn't like it as she is on the bigger side so gets annoyed when I mention how I feel about my body, my other sister has often said ' I wish I had your problems with not eating '

Thank you for the luck with weights, my PT is known as being very tough and making sure you eat properly so hopefully will help.

Sleep - thank you for the links I will have a read, and will have a look at the DE threads, I know I have disordered eating and really really want to change my relationship with food and the way I look at my body. I honestly don't want to live my life hating myself.

I may visit my GP and see if I can be referred for counselling, you never know it may help.

[Vivacia]

I was thinking along the lines of a professional because you're right, asking loved ones for this kind of specialist support is fraught with problems.

[sleepwhenidie]

Oh - another one for you FFS

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