Have you lost weight on a calorie deficit?

[hushelp]

I’ve heard soooo many good things about calorie deficits, but as someone who’s been on so many unhealthy diets it sounds bizarre to me.

I worked out my tdee is 2,112 so would 1500 calories a day suit me?

being honest I’ve absolutely no interest in working out or trying to get my 10k steps in, I’m 11 weeks pp and with my baby all day…

so is it true that in a calorie deficit you can eat whatever you want? So if I have 1500 I can eat whatever to make the 1500 up???

it sounds too good to be true?

have you lost weight on a calorie deficit ? & how much did you eat a day?

i love to snack, so realistically could I eat 1k calories in the day and then sit down at night to 500 worth of chocolate? I just mean if I REALLY wanted to?

Someone fill me in on calorie deficits and let me know if 1500 calories sounds okay for me

I’m 5’7 & weigh 15stone.

All diets are based on calorie intake e.g. Slimming World/Weight Watchers etc

A calorie is a calorie, no matter whether it comes from asparagus or chocolate.

The thing is, you'll be able to eat a lot more quantity wise if you eat lower calorie stuff. If you ate just chocolate (extreme example!) You may be able to have like 9/10 bars a day. But if you ate just chicken breast instead, you'd get to eat like 15 plus probably some veg for the same calorie count. Does that make sense?

Also, while you should lose weight eating 1,500 calories, you won't 'tone' anything without the exercise part. Often people lose weight but just end up smaller versions of themselves, still with the wobbly bits, just smaller than before. Totally get when PP, exercise isn't a priority but just to manage your expectations :)

The last bit is the varied diet is required for health piece. While you may loose weight, you might not help any cholesterol issues etc.

Good luck!

The ONLY way to lose weight is a calorie deficit. Doesn't matter how you get to that deficit, just that you do. Diet is more efficient than exercise - you can't burn off a bad diet.

I forgot my story, sorry ...

I lost 3.5 stone 4 years ago and have kept it off through tracking my calories. I use MFP. I did very little exercise during the loss but now do some exercise classes per months.

I'm taller than you at 5'10 and ate at roughly 1600 a day. One thing to look out for is to ensure you decrease your daily calories as your weight goes down so you don't slow down/stop losing.

No.

I done 1360 calories a day for months, and was utterly famished every waking moment with terrible headaches and felt awful. Never lost a thing, instead continued to gain 1-2lbs a week like clockwork.

Turns out I'm insulin resistant. Keto diet however has done wonders.

Controlled studies on insulin resistant Vs non insulin resistant people has shown no difference in weight loss when placed in the same calorie deficit.

Insulin resistant folks may be hungrier with the same level of deficit but that's the only difference observed and hunger is subjective anyway.

You gained weight because you were in a surplus you're not a unicorn who can break the laws of thermodynamics.

20kg lost so far in a calorie deficit. Yes i do workout (Weights) but i take that into account with my calorie deficit. If i work out, i eat more and so i have more calories to eat whilst still being in a deficit. As long as the balance per day/week/month is a deficit, im losing weight.

Its pretty easy, i could sit on my arse all day and eat less calories and still lose weight, or i can be active, walk 10,000 steps every day, work out with weights every other day and eat more food and lose the same amount of weight. Its all just about being in a calorie deficit.

The biggest lesson is finding something thats easily sustainable, healthy and works for you. If you find that its not a diet, its just normal day to day life.

Yes, I have but you will not last long if you just eat 1500 of unplanned random food and 1/3 of your allowance on chocolate as you will be so hungry and then not end up counting correctly and finding it hard.

It’s really hard to eat 100 calories of vegetables (potato is the exception) or 500 calories of chicken in one sitting so the secret is in the prep and planning of the filling kinds of foods and always having an idea of what you will eat that day. It may sound easy to eat 1500 calories but in reality it takes a while to get used to it, one meal out in a cafe/pub can contain your entire days allowance in one go! you have to count them properly and be honest but when you get used to it you will lose weight. It’s also the small things people forget to count like butter, Mayo, oil, milk that can add up. I use my fitness pal to log my meals and snacks.

I would have the chocolate once or twice a week and find something healthy to snack on during the day but eat good hearty meals to keep you going

I lost a stone in two months on Noom - 1500 calories a day. Did it July to September. I think it's easier in the summer months when your body isn't craving carbs!
Pleased to say that 14 months later I haven't put it back on :-)

I lost about 2.5 stone in 2012 over about 3 months through eating 1200 a day. I did exercise as well but ate back some of the exercise calories. I have kept it off since then by having a 'trigger weight' and if I hit that then I go back to calorie counting for about 6 weeks or so and get back down again.

I do count consistently but not religiously and sometimes use a 'best guess' from mfp. I still occasionally weigh food especially carbs just to keep in mind how big (or small) a portion of rice or pasta should be.

I still exercise regularly which helps to keep it under control. I usually hit my trigger weight about once a year.

There are some days when too many of my calories come from snacks so I don't feel like I'm depriving myself just limiting quantities.

Yes I have and the key is to log everything that enters your mouth and make sure you work out calories in the milk in your brew and butter on toast etc. I use the app lose it for tracking.

Yes, I eat a deficit of around the same and lost slowly and steadily 12kg. I took my eye off the hall and put 3kg back on. It's best to eat sensibly and fill up on protein. Greek yogurt in my favourite. But I eat whatever I fancy within my allowance and don't stress the days I go over as long as the trend on the scales are downwards. I don't do fads it low carb or high fat or whatever. I eat high carb, medium fat but I lose weight slowly and steadily. I also walk a lot. Like 3 hours a day at pace and up and down hills. It helps.

1500 calories a day won't leave you much room for sweets. You need to eat in a way that is sustainable longterm, or you will simply overeat. Sweets won't fill you up, they will make you want more sweets.

I mean this nicely OP because I’ve always struggled with it too, but you need to change your mindset.

Calorie deficit is the only thing that works for me. In three months, I’ve lost 2.5st and don’t struggle with hunger at all.

To lose one pound, you need a calorie deficit of about 3,500kcal. I aim to lose 2lbs a week so I need a deficit if 7,000kcals so 1,000 a day. I’ve calculated my BMR (base metabolic rate- basically how many calories your body burns if you literally just lie down and breathe for the day) and eat 1,000 less than that. In my case, 1,300kcals max a day.

I try to eat 80g+ of protein a day. I avoid high fat, sugar, salt. I eat three balanced and filling meals, and if I have to snack I go for very low calorie bulk (so a huge bowl of watermelon chunks with a fat-free protein yogurt. All within my daily calories.

If you’re planning on starving yourself so that you can binge on chocolate every evening, you won’t be able to stick to it at all. You’ll be miserable and unhealthy.

I absolutely LOVE chocolate (and crisps.. and cheese… and bread… and cake…) but it’s all just habit. I’d have previously eaten at least one bar of chocolate a day, but now I eat none. You really just get out of the habit of wanting it. I don’t buy chocolate or biscuits now, I can’t be trusted with them. I just keep plenty of filling food on hand and don’t let myself get so hungry that I’m stuffing sugary stuff into my mouth for a quick hunger fix.

Losing weight isn’t easy, but you have to be realistic.

Yes, 15lbs so far. I eat about 12,500 calories a week but also variable calories. 1000-1200 2 days a week, 3 days a week on about 2000, two days on about 1700.

Fitbit says I burn about 2,500 calories a day.

Lost loads in the first two weeks so have lost this in two months. Now losing 1lb a week which suits me fine as I'm about halfway to goal.