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Original poster

Calorie deficit, can you really have a 1000 deficit a day?!

64 replies

Blackbear10 · 16/02/2019 13:50

I noticed a post on an earlier thread and it got me thinking about calories and how many an average person actually uses every day.

So the poster said they have a calorie deficiency of 1000 calories a day, my question is how is this possible?

From researching it seems to be commonly regarded that an average woman doing an office job and then a small amount of exercise when you get home I.e. a two mile walk with dogs, uses 1600 calories a day (if you’re lucky)

Or a job that involves the majority of the day moving around then exercise after (like a 5 mile walk or decent run etc) uses 1800 calories per day.

The only way to use 2000 calories a day was to have a very active job (fireman/policeman, livestock farmer, labourer, yard work etc) and be moving constantly throughout the day doing physical lifting and breaking a sweat nearly all day, then run at least 5k 3 times a week and HITT type training the other days for 40 min at least.

I am seriously confused how anyone could have a 1000 calorie deficit a day, or am I missing something?

I do wonder if people have lost sight of how little calories a person actually uses per day on average.

Do you think making people more aware of average calories used would help with the obesity crisis?

Or have I missed son and actually it’s super easy to have a 1000 calorie deficit and I’m just fat and lazy compaired to normal people?

OP posts:
wonderingsoul · 16/02/2019 13:54

Well surely it depends on what you eat?

I can live on one 300 calories aday, and with little exercise. Other than working in a nursery. So active for most of the day but not breaking a sweat

YahBasic · 16/02/2019 13:56

It can depend on height and weight. If I walk 10,000 steps, I burn 2150 per day. A gym session on top of that would take me to 2400 ish.

I regularly eat between 1300-1600 so a deficit would be easy for me. A normal deficit is more likely to be 500 for me, so a 1lb loss.

melissasummerfield · 16/02/2019 13:57

Maybe she was very overweight? Im in a deficit eating 2k cals a day ( very overweight and exercising )

ChanklyBore · 16/02/2019 13:58

I think obsession with calories might be one the causes of her obesity crisis to be honest.

I don’t know how many calories I eat. The only thing I know is how many calories my Fitbit tells me, but I’d turn that bit off if I could. Still, it says 3,289 for Thursday and 2,826 for Friday. I have no idea how many I ate.

I don’t like eating out when menus have calories on either, its so off-putting.

Stinkytoe · 16/02/2019 13:59

I’m very obese, I did a little calculation online to attempt an estimate on how many calories I use per day, it seems to be around 2500- 2600. I’m currently eating around 1500 calories a day and losing roughly 2-3lbs per week

Tennesseewhiskey · 16/02/2019 14:00

I am 5ft 9. Work in an office but due to my job i am all over the building and go for a walk at lunch.

My fit bit says on a regular day I burn 2200 calories. I have quite a bit of weigh to lose though. I also try and do some exercise on top of that. I do a 1000cal deficit a day.

On 1200-1400 calories a day, I am not hungry and weigh is coming off on average of 2.5lbs a week.

SgtFredColon · 16/02/2019 14:00

My BMR is 1600 but that would be if I stayed in bed all day. AMR is more like 2200 and I don’t do much exercise just a bit of walking. So I could easily have a deficit of 1000 a day by eating 1200. It depends on your weight the heavier you are the more you use.

Original poster
Blackbear10 · 16/02/2019 14:01

I understand what everyone is saying but with the greatest respect are you absolutely sure you are all using the amount of calories daily you think you are?

I honestly think Fitbits and MFP don’t calculate the calories used correctly and seem to seriously overestimate!

As for only eating 300 calories a day, I honestly don’t think that’s terribly healthy or achievable for most people.

OP posts:
SprogletsMum · 16/02/2019 14:01

I'm very overweight now so my maintenance calories are around 2700 but even when I was skinny my maintenance calories are around 2100 because I'm tall. Being tall makes it fairly easy to get a 1000 calorie deficit per day.

SgtFredColon · 16/02/2019 14:02

I just used the online calculators which is what you used to get your figures!

Tennesseewhiskey · 16/02/2019 14:04

I understand what everyone is saying but with the greatest respect are you absolutely sure you are all using the amount of calories daily you think you are

It's not entirely accurate. However if I am eating 1000 less the what it tells me I burn and lose 2.5lb a week, it's not entirely off.

In fact, it would mean the calories burnt is under estimated slightly.

AJPTaylor · 16/02/2019 14:05

But if you are very large, you burn more calories just moving around.
I am overweight but a short arse. So I reckon at 11st 4 I run at around 1600/1700 calories. I couldn't do 1000 cals a day deficit. But if someone was say 18 st they could.

mynameiscalypso · 16/02/2019 14:07

I don't understand why you don't think it's possible? It's exactly what people way eating disorders do. I spent years eating less than 500 calories a day. It's fucking shit and terrible for you but it's possible.

ClashCityRocker · 16/02/2019 14:08

According to my pt, who had a special electrical machine doodah I could eat 1927 calories a day without doing a significant amount of exercise and maintain my current weight. (I'm overweight).

I can't vouch for the accuracy of this as it seems high too me, but then I only look at calories when I'm actively trying to lose weight.

Adding in say 500 cals of exercise, it would be relatively straightforward to eat 1500 cals a day and be in a 1000 deficit.

However, like you I'm quite sceptical of the accuracy of all these calorie counter things.

wowfudge · 16/02/2019 14:10

I'm doing the Blood Sugar Diet and eating 800 calories a day. The TDEE for my height, weight and activity level is 1600 and I'm losing weight. So you don't need 1000 calories a day deficit to lose weight.

Boobiliboobiliboo · 16/02/2019 14:11

The blood sugar diet is extremely successful (now being prescribed by the NHS to treat pre/diabetes) and involves 8-12 weeks of 800 cals per day. Thereafter the recommendation is 5 days of careful eating plus 2 days at 800 cals.

goodwinter · 16/02/2019 14:14

Ok, I just punched some numbers into an online TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) calculator. A 30y/o, 5'5" moderately active woman who weighs 200lb will burn around 2500 calories a day. Eat 1500 and there's your 1000 deficit.

If you're taller and/or weigh more and/or exercise more, you'll burn more. That's all there is to it.

goodwinter · 16/02/2019 14:14

Sorry, link to calculator with those results is here tdeecalculator.net/result.php?s=imperial&g=female&age=30&lbs=200&in=65&act=1.55&f=2

ChanklyBore · 16/02/2019 14:14

No, I’m not sure I’m using the calories per day I think I am.

I have not a clue how many calories I am using or eating, because I’ve never counted calories, and I don’t know how much I weigh, only a ballpark figure.

My Fitbit regularly says over 3,000 though and I’ve had it say over 5,000 before. Make of that what you will.

MrsPinkCock · 16/02/2019 14:16

800 cals a day is crazy low.

Even the nazi concentration camps allowed 900 calories a day for emaciated prisoners. Just to put that number into context.

The MINIMUM anyone should eat for healthy weight loss is 1,200 and even that is far too low for most people.

DH loses weight on about a 1,500 deficit (he’s classed as obese). He should be eating twice as much as he does as all he’s doing is fucking his metabolism, but he doesn’t listen to me!

Tennesseewhiskey · 16/02/2019 14:18

MrsPinkCock actually it doesn't ruin your metabolism. Lots of the old science is being disproved.

Just like there is no starvation mode, that you body goes into.

EdWinchester · 16/02/2019 14:21

I eat 600 calories 3 days a week. I find it incredibly easy, and it allows me to eat whatever I want 4 days per week, drink lots of wine and keep my weight on track.

heartshapedknob · 16/02/2019 14:23

I think you’re looking at it the wrong way around, it’s about the calories your body is using to maintain a certain weight rather than calories expended.

Using myself as an example: starting weight was 20st. I was eating 2500 calories a day to maintain that weight. I set my calorie allowance to 1500/day and that allowed for a 2lbs/week loss (1lb = 3500 calories not eaten.) That would be a massive amount of exercise to burn the 2lbs off instead and stick to eating 2500 calories a day.

peachgreen · 16/02/2019 14:26

I only lose weight if I eat 1000cal a day or less. I maintain at about 1500. According to a TDEE calculator my maintenance calories are 2500. Absolutely no way. If I ate 2500 calories a day I would balloon. I just don't think these things are active for everyone.

gobbin · 16/02/2019 14:34

Do you think making people more aware of average calories used would help with the obesity crisis

No, I think:

  • manufacturers should stop putting excess salt and unnecessary sugar in our processed food
  • people should be encouraged to eat basics - whatever desired combination suits them of meat, fish, dairy, veg, fruit, grains
  • such basics should be affordable
  • people should cintinue to be encouraged to move more in a way they might enjoy

We all end up in the ground one way or another, the diet industry is insidious.