Calorie Deficit

Hixxy9241

Established Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2008
Messages
831
Reaction score
53
Points
194
Location
Uk
I was off work last year for 7 months due to having a operation which ended up with me putting on close to 3st

So this year I started watching what I eat (I shop at asda & only got for the meals with green health boxes) and really noticed that I don't eat that much lol

Around January I was approx 14st 2lb
Today's weight I am 13st 2lb
Height 5ft10
Age 34

The thing is I feel like I should be losing alot more weight as I do not eat anywhere near my 2500kcal a day

Just yesterday I probably had around 800kcal which was a sardines on toast breakfast and a healthy dinner and felt fine

Today it is 6pm and all I have eaten is scrambled egg on 2 pieces of toast and a cup of tea with 1 sugar

My main form of exercise is jumping rope and going for long walks, I do sit ups every other day

With my lack of calorie intake why isn't the weight just dropping off me? I read that for males to lose weight they should Nick their calorie intake down to around 1900kcal but I don't get half that some days

I am a active person sometimes I will go on walks for close to 2hrs

I do drink alot of water could it be water weight?

I recently went to the doctors for a check up and was told my ideal weight is 74kg and I guess I'm around 84kg
 
Last edited:
800kcals - o_Oo_O

Your body is in starvation mode, when you deprive your body of food it knows it is not getting enough food, so it conserves everything that you feed it. You seriously need to rethink your food intake. You can easily consume 1500-1800 cals a day and loose weight.

Your going to make yourself ill in the long term. Drop the pre-packed meals if that's what your buying in Asda. Toast and Sardines and a cup of tea is a shocking lack of any carbs/fats/protein etc.

You need to seriously go back to the drawing board and rethink your eating. There is a ton of information out there.

but the long and short of it is your basically starving yourself at the moment and your body is holding onto anything you eat.
 
You really don't need to go you them extremes try and create a 500 cal deficit per day that will drop 2 lbs per week, 8 and roughly 1 stone every 2 months, but be aware with the best diet in the world you can't expect to loose weight everyweek, as muscle mass increases as will your weight so, obviously there's a balance that has to be realised.
 
You really don't need to go you them extremes try and create a 500 cal deficit per day that will drop 2 lbs per week, 8 and roughly 1 stone every 2 months, but be aware with the best diet in the world you can't expect to loose weight everyweek, as muscle mass increases as will your weight so, obviously there's a balance that has to be realised.
The thing is I'm not making a conscious effort to keep my calories so low, I didmt realise I was getting less than 1000kcal a day till I counted them this week and I don't feel as if I'm starving myself

The only thing I watch is sugar and fat intake

Going by your numbers I should be losing 8lb+ a week which I am not
 
Last edited:
800kcals - o_Oo_O

Your body is in starvation mode, when you deprive your body of food it knows it is not getting enough food, so it conserves everything that you feed it. You seriously need to rethink your food intake. You can easily consume 1500-1800 cals a day and loose weight.

Your going to make yourself ill in the long term. Drop the pre-packed meals if that's what your buying in Asda. Toast and Sardines and a cup of tea is a shocking lack of any carbs/fats/protein etc.

You need to seriously go back to the drawing board and rethink your eating. There is a ton of information out there.

but the long and short of it is your basically starving yourself at the moment and your body is holding onto anything you eat.
I don't feel as tho im starving myself when i am hungry I eat

I went to McDonalds the other day and tbh I think that was all I ate that day as it filled me up

I do cook my owns meals also, I had cooked fish and cous cous the other day and like to have a steak night once a week
 
I think you have gotten a little confused by my post.

My bad I think my numbers where slightly off in my first post.:facepalm:

Minus 500cals per day creates 3500 cal deficit per week, 3500 cals to 1lbs of body weight, so roughly 4-5lbs per month, 1 stone in 2 months.


It's never an exact science and every persons body is different and response differently,
 
I think you have gotten a little confused by my post.

My bad I think my numbers where slightly off in my first post.:facepalm:

Minus 500cals per day creates 3500 cal deficit per week, 3500 cals to 1lbs of body weight, so roughly 4-5lbs per month, 1 stone in 2 months.


It's never an exact science and every persons body is different and response differently,
I would be surprised if I have over 1000kcal a day which is 10,500 a week deficit

I have even said to my gf I don't understand why obese people carnt stop eating so much as I find it very easy to the point I don't even notice how little I am eating [emoji848]
 
I went to McDonalds the other day and tbh I think that was all I ate that day as it filled me up

:facepalm:

Seriously bad - It's not just about calories - it's the type of calories you are eating. Eating a McDonalds and nothing else for the whole day is just wrong.

You need to look for a long term sustainable change in your eating to loose weight - You can easily eat 1500kcals a day and loose a 1lb/2lb a week. As above your body is in starvation and therefore is hanging on to even the little bit you are putting into your body. If your exercising as well that's even worse.

Eat - it's what you need to do. Loads of information/advice/books out there but 800kcals/single meal a day ain't going to do you any good long term from either a weight loss side of things or your long term health. No one in their right minds would only eat 800 kcals a day.
 
In ther
:facepalm:

Seriously bad - It's not just about calories - it's the type of calories you are eating. Eating a McDonalds and nothing else for the whole day is just wrong.

You need to look for a long term sustainable change in your eating to loose weight - You can easily eat 1500kcals a day and loose a 1lb/2lb a week. As above your body is in starvation and therefore is hanging on to even the little bit you are putting into your body. If your exercising as well that's even worse.

Eat - it's what you need to do. Loads of information/advice/books out there but 800kcals/single meal a day ain't going to do you any good long term from either a weight loss side of things or your long term health. No one in their right minds would only eat 800 kcals a day.

Agreed, starvation and very low cal intake will shift weight in the short term, but without doubt a distractious long term result.
 
I simply thought eating less calories will cause my body to use up the fat reserves which is just my podgy belly everywhere else is fine
 
In its simplest form, not accounting for any actual medical issues, calories in < calories out is all you need to lose weight. CICO Will get 90% of people 80/90% of their way to their weight lose goal. Macros are largely irrelevant when it comes to straight weight lose. If you eat mac Donald’s every day for a month but stick to a calorie deficit then you will lose weight, will it be a healthy diet? No. Conversely if you eat 3000 calories worth of salad every day for a month will you gain weight? Yes, because your calorie intake is far in excess of your calorie output, the fact it’s ‘healthy’ salad is irrelevant. From my own personal experience weight and log everything, it will open you eyes as to how many calories some foods contain by volume (I’m looking at you nuts),
 
I simply thought eating less calories will cause my body to use up the fat reserves which is just my podgy belly everywhere else is fine

You can’t spot reduce fat, anyone who tells you different is lying. We are ALL genetically predisposed to put on and take off fat differently and from different areas, although stomach fat is always the most difficult because it also builds up around your internal organs (visceral fat)
 
although stomach fat is always the most difficult because it also builds up around your internal organs (visceral fat)

I was doing sit ups every day but found that using a ab roller and jumping rope has been more effective [emoji106]
 
You can’t spot reduce fat, anyone who tells you different is lying. We are ALL genetically predisposed to put on and take off fat differently and from different areas, although stomach fat is always the most difficult because it also builds up around your internal organs (visceral fat)

In the 70's professional body builders did believe spot reduction training existed and trained for it, but this theory has been completely debunked long ago, and the abs as stated the lower ones especially for men is the last place that hangs on to fat and it would seem the first place it goes to also.
 
In the 70's professional body builders did believe spot reduction training existed and trained for it, but this theory has been completely debunked long ago, and the abs as stated the lower ones especially for men is the last place that hangs on to fat and it would seem the first place it goes to also.

Yeah, there’s a lot of myths still hanging around from the 70’s & 80’s
 
I simply thought eating less calories will

I always thought that you eat less calories than you need each day then you will lose weight?

As the op I often eat less than 1000 calories per day in food and seem to lose weight.

I am not hungry this is just what I tend to eat so like a chicken breast and a banana for lunch and some soup and bread for tea - keeps me full I don't need more food

I also go to the gym 3-4 times per week

I have lost half a stone since February, it is all very confusing - I should be eating more food / calories to lose weight?

This seems wrong?

You guys are saying my body is in starvation mode - nonsense

Am calling bs here I will keep doing what I am doing.

Not sure I would take advice on this sort of thing on a av forum where it is random members opinions etc...
 
Last edited:
I always thought that you eat less calories than you need each day then you will lose weight?

As the op I often eat less than 1000 calories per day in food and seem to lose weight.

I am not hungry this is just what I tend to eat so like a chicken breast and a banana for lunch and some soup and bread for tea - keeps me full I don't need more food

I also go to the gym 3-4 times per week

I have lost half a stone since February, it is all very confusing - I should be eating more food / calories to lose weight?

This seems wrong?

You guys are saying my body is in starvation mode but surely after a year or so it would get used to it?

Am calling bs here I will keep doing what I am doing.

Not sure I would take advice on this sort of thing on a av forum where it is random members opinions etc...
Thank God I'm not in my own bubble lol

Yesterday after reading all these comments I did alot of thinking & felt like I was unconsciously starving myself so had a Bbq pulled pork meal

Like you tho I do not feel like I have been starving myself I just haven't felt the need to eat alot like today I had 2 sausages on a bread roll for breakfast and for dinner a veggie spiced bean burger with spicy wedges for dinner and nothing since
 
Thank God I'm not in my own bubble lol

Yesterday after reading all these comments I did alot of thinking & felt like I was unconsciously starving myself so had a Bbq pulled pork meal

Like you tho I do not feel like I have been starving myself I just haven't felt the need to eat alot like today I had 2 sausages on a bread roll for breakfast and for dinner a veggie spiced bean burger with spicy wedges for dinner and nothing since

I am totally confused by it all, i think I eat pretty healthily so will carry on with what I am doing.

Pretty much vegetarian now - bought some burgers for my tea tonight but couldn't stomach them no bad thing I think?

I walk three miles every lunch time and get 3-4 gym sessions in per week where I totally push myself - still over weight maybe it is the beers I do on the weekend :)
 
I always thought that you eat less calories than you need each day then you will lose weight?

I also go to the gym 3-4 times per week

I have lost half a stone since February, it is all very confusing - I should be eating more food / calories to lose weight?

You guys are saying my body is in starvation mode - nonsense

Am calling bs here I will keep doing what I am doing.

Not sure I would take advice on this sort of thing on a av forum where it is random members opinions etc...

At the end of the day - you do what you want/believe in. Your choice.

I ain't no medical expert but I do know a fair bit of knowledge about diet, food intake, etc. I lost 5 stone over 18 months by simply reducing my intake to about 1800 kcals a day, cutting out sugar and alcohol. Lost 1 or 2lbs a week at most. Long term sustainable change. Short term "diets" or "fads" don't last and people put the weight back on. Look longer term.

Worth tracking your food with myfitness pal etc - gives you a very good idea of what your eating etc.

I eat 3000/3500 calories a day now and stay the same weight (i'm not trying to loose weight - happy as I am) - but I train hard 5-6 times a week, so my body needs that amount of food to cope with it.

I couldn't function on 800/1000 calories a day, let alone go to the gym etc.

No one is saying it's right or wrong to eating as little as 800/1000 calories a day but it's a fact that your body adapts to the small amount of food your eating and will do everything to hang on to the tiny amount your putting into it, thus your body won't shed weight as it's trying to store anything you put in it. Can you sustain 800 kcals for a month, a year??

I can't imagine that over 3-6 months or longer that that tiny amount of fuel for your body is good for your long term health.

But as I say - you do what you wish to do. No one is telling you otherwise.
 
I eat 3000/3500 calories a day now

Really? wow I cannot imagine where or how I would eat that amount of calories in a day.

Can you sustain 800 kcals for a month, a year??

Yes I can, I cannot remember the last time in the last few years I have eaten say over 1300 calories a day,

My health is just fine, I eat loads of vegetables and fruit - before I go to the gym I eat a protein bar or some chicken etc for fuel.

Yet I am still overweight I have lost 2 stone in the last year or so and could do with dropping another 1 which is gradually happening. My issue is with drinking beers on the weekends.....
 
Really? wow I cannot imagine where or how I would eat that amount of calories in a day.




Yes I can I cannot remember the last time in the last few years I have eaten say over 1300 calories a day,

My health is just fine, I eat loads of vegetables and fruit - before I go to the gym I eat a protein bar or some chicken etc for fuel.

This has slightly peaked my interest a little.lol.

There's nothing wrong with making a statement like this, and this may work for you, but to help the little less educated here.

Asumming you are man? There are few men at there who can survive on 1300 cals per day, they just can't, the average man is 5.10 tall and has a resting metabolic rate of roughly 1800 cals per day take the rest of the day in account then that roughly 2500 cals.

Now if you hit the gym and cardio fairly hard a good few times week, this in turn will increase your metabolic rate, so you naturally burn more cals, you gain larger muscle mass in turn need more calories, then there's the 1000 or so calories you could burn in the gym session, then suddenly the magic number of 3500 cals come in to play, and you would need that to maintain muscle mass.

Eating towards 3500 cals is easy also, 5 weekabix and milk is 500 cals alone, I would eat that 2-3 before a good session, or perhaps 100 gr of porridge 350 cals, both provide a good source of carbs, which creates energy.
The idea is when you hit the gym you want and need as much energy as possible, that way you make the best gains, I couldn't imagine hitting the gym tired and hungry.

Unfortunately a protein bar or piece of chicken will not fuel a gym session correctly, now that's not to say you do not get through a gym session because obviously your managing it, but carbs is energy food not protein you would typically take protein after a gym session for muscle recovery food.

This may be a techy forum but there are some good folk on here who appear very knowledgeable in the world of fitness and diet, who do appear to know their stuff.
 
Last edited:
This has slightly peaked my interest a little.lol.

There's nothing wrong with making a statement like this, and this may work for you, but to help the little less educated here.

Asumming you are man? There are few men at there who can survive on 1300 cals per day, they just can't, the average man is 5.10 tall and has a resting metabolic rate of roughly 1800 cals per day take the rest of the day in account then that roughly 2500 cals.

Now if you hit the gym and cardio fairly hard a good few times week, this in turn will increase your metabolic rate, so you naturally burn more cals, you gain larger muscle mass in turn need more calories, then there's the 1000 or so calories you could burn in the gym session, then suddenly the magic number of 3500 cals come in to play, and you would need that to maintain muscle mass.

Eating towards 3500 cals is easy also, 5 weekabix and milk is 500 cals alone, I would eat that 2-3 before a good session, or perhaps 100 gr of porridge 350 cals, both provide a good source of carbs, which creates energy.
The idea is when you hit the gym you want and need as much energy as possible, that way you make the best gains, I couldn't imagine hitting the gym tired and hungry.

This may be a techy forum but there are some good folk on here who appear very knowledgeable in the world of fitness and diet, who do appear to know their stuff.

3500 calories a day is an insane amount to me I cannot imagine ever eating that much how is it made up?

Days I go to the gym I do eat more but not high calorie foods - more high protein so like chicken / protein bars / bananas / cottage cheese / tuna etc.

I will start again to track my intake of calories again to see.

Male and 5 foot 10 here
 
The problem here is what your not telling anyone.

For all we know you could be a 5ft 8 stone man and there for require less.

On the other hand you could be 6ft.4, 15 stone, so then that cal intake is insane...!

Alot if it depends in what you want to achieve moving forward, get bigger more muscular, get aerobic fitness to run a marathon, or perhaps your happy looking in the mirror dressed thinking yeah you know I look ok, then clothes off you look, like skin and bone whereas ideally you'd like a more muscular build.

It's just never as simple as cutting calories, there s so much to learn, and then the real issue begins what works for You !unfortunately in the world of fitness and diet one shoes certainly does not fit all.

As Booyaka states 3500 cals per day or so is for them, that works, but as for you, You would likely have to eat several times aday to hit that cals, of course at that you would gain weight, but if you was wanting big muscles and more mass that's what you gotta do.
 
3500 calories a day is an insane amount to me I cannot imagine ever eating that much how is it made up?
A ball park day for me is

7.30am/8am Coffee plus 2 slice of wholemeal toast with banana & peanut butter (need something in my stomach before training - hate training on empty stomach but some people train better fasted)
9.30 - Crossfit for 60 mins
11am - 80-100grams of oats/porridge with fruit (blueberries/rasberries etc) plus protein shake
2pm - Wholemeal bagel with 3 or 4 scrambled eggs plus 3 or 4 slice of bacon. Or 2 wholemeal chicken wraps etc.
6pm - Dinner, Homemade chicken curry, chicken stirfry etc - not too many carbs
8/9pm - Dog walk for 30/45 mins then a Protein shake or protein bar before bed

Usually around 2 to 3 litres of water plus another coffee or so.

Easy 3000 kcals a day

On non training day - usually loose the toast in the morning and then a few handful of nuts etc as snacks.
 
A ball park day for me is

7.30am/8am Coffee plus 2 slice of wholemeal toast with banana & peanut butter (need something in my stomach before training - hate training on empty stomach but some people train better fasted)
9.30 - Crossfit for 60 mins
11am - 80-100grams of oats/porridge with fruit (blueberries/rasberries etc) plus protein shake
2pm - Wholemeal bagel with 3 or 4 scrambled eggs plus 3 or 4 slice of bacon. Or 2 wholemeal chicken wraps etc.
6pm - Dinner, Homemade chicken curry, chicken stirfry etc - not too many carbs
8/9pm - Dog walk for 30/45 mins then a Protein shake or protein bar before bed

Usually around 2 to 3 litres of water plus another coffee or so.

Easy 3000 kcals a day

On non training day - usually loose the toast in the morning and then a few handful of nuts etc as snacks.

Nice post, now people might realise just how easy it is to get through 3000 cals.
 

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom