Running up caloric deficit, is it safe?

[Rootman 1,101]

Occasionally I don't eat a whole lot and exercise quite a bit - big change for me - and according to the caloric / exercise records I have been keeping I run up a negative caloric count. Like today I ate 994 calories and supposedly burned off 1505 with 90 minutes of swimming, 30 minutes on a stationary bike and 30 minutes of weight training. That says I not only burned off ALL the calories I ate today AND 511 calories more.

I know the math but want to know if there is any consequences if I keep doing this. It isn't usually that high a deficit, typically 50 to 150 cals negative on 3 or 4 days a week is more typical. I know I should be eating a tad more but just can't seem to get any more down, don't desire any more and feel full when I do eat.

So does anyone have any pearls of wisdom about this?

[Lakelady 2]

All I can say is "Wow." I'm thinking because your food is providing a source of nutrients and immediate energy you're probably okay. If you don't feel weak and shaky I'd go with it! Wow.

[KellyL 173]

Idk, but you are doing great on the exercise!!! Way to go!

[mnbsleeve 87]

I'm not an expert but I believe that is what is called "burning fat." BTW, don't forget to include your resting metabolic rate, which is how much you burn just being alive, i.e., while you're sleeping or just resting, doing nothing. It could be as high as 1,000 + calories. It depends on body mass. It could be higher or lower. So if you count that in.... you should be burning like crazy!!! Good Job!!!! I suppose that at maintenance, you can eat all the cals you burn. But, again I'm no expert, I think the deficit is good. Congratulations on your progress!!!!!

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

Well, considering the folks on Biggest Loser do it for at least 6 month medically supervised and come out super healthy I can't imagine it's a bad thing. Congrats to you! That's pretty amazing. If you feel it's a big concern then maybe ask your nutritionist - however I suppose it's ok.

[Rootman 1,101]

@MNBSleeve, I understad that part of the process. I used a few Base Metabolic Rate ( MBR ) calculators to set a goal, or limit I should say, of calories for a daily limit at about 1760 calories, which is for a 50 year old male at 180 pounds would need just to stay alive. This is nothing more than an artificial limit I've set. I will HAVE to exceed this once I reach goal and have to find a level that I need to reach in order not to lose or gain any more weight. I realize too that at goal weight I will HAVE to replace the calories I burn if it makes me drop below the MBR rate plus the caloric needs of the days activities or again I will continue to lose weight.

As of now I rarely exceed 1000 calories a day, at close to 6 months post op I just can't seem to get in any more calories in my tummy in a day. I guess It's OK for now because I still am burning fat and losing weight. I really concentrate on Protein as I will need this to maintain the lean muscle mass I am hopefully gaining.

I was just worried about consistently burning off not only the BMR+Daily activities caloric needs but a few hundred more several days a week, running as I said a negative caloric total. I just didn't want to end up hurting myself for some stupid reason I didn't understand.

[lsereno 2,525]

Do you have your gall bladder? My doc put me on a gallbladder medication for the duration of my active weight loss period. Other than that, I don't know of any issues with burning substantially more calories than you are consuming.

Lynda

[coops 1,790]

Well done Rootman on your success and new found love of exercise... it is a great feeling isn't it!

I am going to jump in on this one... the whole BMR thing confuses the hell out of me!

I have been banging on about not losing much weight for months now... and wondered if BMR thing would shed any light on it... so, here is what I have worked out using the on line calc

My resting BMR, at this weight NOW is just over 1400 (I'm no maths expert so I rounded it down for ease!) that is with NO exercise.

over a week that means I can eat 9800 to stay the same weight.

If I eat 1000 cals a day, that means I can eat 7000 a week and have a deficit of 2800... not quite the 3500 to lose a pound. Now factor in my exercise; I go to a boxing gym twice a week, where I do an hour of boxing training, circuits, punch bag/mitts etc! It is hard and works every part of my body. Doing this burns off 947 and hour...which is 1897 twice a week ... giving me a deficit of 4694 a week... that means I should be losing at least a pound a week right?

If I go down to 800 cals a day, using the same exercise I am down to 6094 deficit... that should give me nearly 2lbs a week?

I haven't even put in the other exercise I do because it is not as regular, but I walk the dog for an hour 2-5 per week, I go to the gym in work once a week....

Hmmm... is there something I am doing wrong? Any thoughts would be appreciated as I would love to shift some more before my years anniversary next mth... =]

[warrior68 16]

Im not doctor, although I have played Doctor before, so my opinion not only counts, it is 100% non factual. That being said I was under the assumption that the only way to lose weight was to have a calorie deficit? I wear a body bug 24/7 and I know I eat between 600 to 1000 calories depending on the day. Each day When I plug in my body bug to down load the info I look at the calorie deficit, for some reason this is the number I find most important, I get very upset with myself if I am not at least at a 1500 calorie deficit, on days that I do my CrossFit workouts I am closer to a 2500 calorie deficit and sometimes higher. Now I will say that the body bug counts every calorie I burn, all of them, when I sleeping, working, sitting here typing, and working out. My daily goal is a calorie deficit of 2000, but I'm kinda ok with 1500 on some days. I'm not sure that I am right, but I like to think that the more of a calorie deficit you have each day, the faster the weight comes off. I have not had problems with feeling week, or getting dizzy while running these deficits, so I gotta think its ok, right?

[medmgr 4]

The principle that is being discussed is the "conservation of energy". Very simply:

If Energy In > Energy out … You will gain weight.

If Energy In < Energy out … You will lose weight.

From section 1.1 of Thermodynamics: An Engineering Approach by Cengel & Boles.

So quite simply, yes - to keep losing weight you must take in fewer calories than you expend (which includes your Basil Metabloic rate plus your activities).

The problem is, not all calories are the same. Calories are measured by "burning" and do not take into consideration the form those calories are in. Our bodies will react differently to a calorie from Protein vs. a sugar carb calorie. We need all the different groups, and with VSG we will be restricted in what we can get in so it is important we prioritize to make sure we are getting the correct amounts. Ever seen the effects of electrolytes in the movie Idiot Nation? If you haven’t seen the movie, be warned – it is bad tacky….

So the short answer is, you are doing the correct thing in having a caloric deficit - but you need to check you’re your Nutritionist to make sure you are getting all the stuff you need in the right quantities. They may tell you to increase caloric intake if you are missing some the components you need, or they may just say “Awesome Job!!!” Which in my very non-medical opinion, is what you are doing.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Hmmm... is there something I am doing wrong? Any thoughts would be appreciated as I would love to shift some more before my years anniversary next mth... =]

Girl! I think the sugar plum fairies must be sneaking in at night and feeding you treats while you sleep! It looks like you are doing everything right to me! Perhaps gaining muscle weight?

[coops 1,790]

Girl! I think the sugar plum fairies must be sneaking in at night and feeding you treats while you sleep! It looks like you are doing everything right to me! Perhaps gaining muscle weight?

Feedyoureye.... that made me chuckle!!!

I just think my wonderful body is super resiliant and doesn't want to get rid... it is like it is its comfort zone... but the last three weeks, I have lost a pound a week... not great but at least it is going down. It is gonna take me a long time to get to goal at this race; but I have come to the conclusion that there is no rush!! =]

[june13sleever 223]

This is what I don't like and don't want to do. If I did what you did I would make sure I was consuming around 150 grams of protien a day. I don't ever want to be in a deficit that is why I am not working out until I can consume more protien and calories. I am not sure this is really a good thing. This topic is one that isn't readily available. If you were in Hunter mode then you would be eating. Our bodies adjust to periods of not eating, but in the cave man days you were more sedentary during that time v. when you were hunting. You are doing a crazy workout. You need to eat!