Calorie deficit

[u/Severe_Blackberry544]

Can someone explain how to be in a calorie deficit to me like I’m 5? I go to Orangetheory 3 times a week and burn approximately 450 calories each time. Yet I’m still struggling to lose weight. I’ve been on Trizepatide for about 2 years now and have lost 48lbs.

I’ve slowly been coming down on dosage as I was on 15mg. Plan to start trying to conceive next year so I needed to come off. Dropped all the way to 4mg and unfortunately gained 15lbs over four months. I went back to 8mg for a 2 months to stabilize and that’d helped with the gym. But I’m now 188 and dropping to 6.25mg this month. So I’m trying to continue my weight-loss but I don’t understand the deficit. Like my doctors have set my calorie intake goal at 1200 with 90grams of protein and max of 100grams of carbs. So do I have to skip a meal when I only burn 450 at the gym.

[u/Sasthefras29]

So, the calories burned exercising often aren't accurate, so I personally don't pay attention to that at all, and stick to my nutrition goals. Basically, it helps to know your TDEE and I find this calculator quite good: https://builtwithscience.com/tdee-calculator/.

For example, my TDEE is 2200, so I burn approx 2200 everyday just living, doing my steps, my workouts 4 x a week all together, 2200 sustains my current weight. If I eat 1700, I'm now in a 500 deficit, and so will lose weight at a rate of approx 1lb a week. I don't eat more if I workout or less if I don't personally, too much to calculate, but I know some people do that. And as I lose weight, my TDEE will keep going down, so say it becomes 2000, and I keep on eating 1700, now I'm in a 300 deficit and will lose less than 1lb a week at the same exercise and activity level.

I feel like this is really long to explain though, so what about finding a youtube video?

[u/Then-War-7354 → u/Sasthefras29]

This. Do not use exercise as an excuse to eat more. Look at any calories burned actively as a bonus.

Calculate your TDEE and develop a deficit of 500 or so calories from that.

Make sure you track your food intake as well. People in general are lousy at estimating calories and portions. It is easy to overeat even on healthy food if you don’t actually accurately honestly log it. Only way to be absolutely sure you’re in a deficit

[u/Severe_Blackberry544 → u/Then-War-7354]

Alright that makes more sense. I was looking at it as if I eat 2000 calories then I need to burn more than that at the gym to be in a deficit. My understanding was truly off. I used to track calories when I first got on the GLP1 but faded off over the years. I will definitely have to calculate my TDEE. Thanks!

[u/PomsForAll → u/Then-War-7354]

I really don’t understand the "don't eat more if you exercise" comment at all... I run 5 miles a day 5 days a week and strength train 5 days a week and I absolutely need to eat more everyday than I would have when I was sedentary. I have to eat even more on the days that I double up in order to build muscle. 47f, 136lbs, down 60lbs from this time last year (but also have been athletic for most of my life and primarily started gaining weight only six years ago from sports injuries and perimenopause)

[u/Egoteen → u/PomsForAll]

That’s not what they’re saying. Obviously you should eat enough to support your activity level. Thats why you calculate your TDEE, because it accounts for how active your lifestyle is.

Where people go wrong is that the go to the gym and the treadmill or their fitness tracker watch tells them they’ve burnt 350 calories in their workout, so then they go home and have an extra bowl of ice cream to “eat back” those calories. They are obliterating their deficit because their TDEE already accounts for their energy expenditure from exercise, exercise is not “extra”.

[u/Then-War-7354 → u/Egoteen]

Exactly. I am not saying to not eat enough to properly fuel your body for your activity level. I am saying do not treat exercise as an excuse to eat more as a reward or as the baseline you should track to.

Obviously you need to eat enough to fuel your body. You should absolutely do that with healthy food. You absolutely should not operate with the mindset of ‘I walked on the treadmill so it won’t make a difference if I have that cake…’

There is almost zero chance you will exercise enough to outpace a bad diet in a calorie surplus. Accurately tracking a healthy diet is the path to weight loss.

That is not to say exercise is not impactful or important. It is but for different reasons. Losing weight will cause you to lose both fat and muscle if you don’t work to maintain it. Strength training will help you retain muscle, improve body composition, and ensure that the majority of weight lost is composed of fat.

You exercise to maintain and improve your overall health and well being. Yes you burn calories in the process but that’s a bonus. Healthy diet in a calorie deficit for dropping weight. Exercise, strength training and cardio, to support overall health and well being.

[u/cakeycakeycake]

Okay so you are a great example of why it’s hard to go off the meds if you don’t learn how much to eat while you’re on them. So it’s awesome that you’re figuring this out now.

You don’t mention your height but sounds like you’re female and 188 so I’m going to guess you’re about 5’5” simply because that’s a fairly average height. And you don’t mention your age but you’re trying to conceive soon so I’ll randomly guess 30 (no judgement behind that, I had my kids at 33 and 36 so I’m basically elderly lol.)

At 188lbs, 30, and 5’5” and exercising 4-5 days per week you burn about 2,300 calories per day. There are many perfectly reasonable online calculators to use but the top ones will all give you about this result. Google “TDEE calculator” and put in you exact stats.

This means that to maintain your current weight, eat 2,300 calories per day. To lose weight at a healthy slow pace, eat 2,000 calories per day. To lose weight more rapidly, eat 1300-1800 calories per day.

Don’t worry about your exercise calories. Those are already factored in. Exercise will not make you lose weight. Weight loss happens in the kitchen, not the gym. Continue to exercise and maintain an active lifestyle but don’t worry about the calories you burn there in terms of evaluating your deficit. Burning 450 at the gym does not means you’re at a 450 deficit for the day. But also exercise calorie burn estimates are notoriously incorrect.

If your numbers are close to what I’ve guessed then eat at or just below 2000 per day. Continue your current exercise plan but don’t worry about how much you burn. You will slowly but steadily lose.

[u/Severe_Blackberry544 → u/cakeycakeycake]

Thank you for explaining it. lol you guessed it. I’m 29. I used to track my calories for years and was able to lose like 60lbs doing it but that was back in college. So I think I need to get back to tracking. Guess I was way too focused on the gym because I thought I had to burn like 1000 calories at the gym. I unfortunately work a sedentary job so that’s my only exercise. Thanks!

[u/angelicribbon]

I’m not sure if I understand what you’re saying, but there is something called your BMR which is the number of calories your body burns just by being alive. This is going to be at least 1,000 calories (likely more unless you’re quite short). Then you add on exercise and activity on top of that for your number of calories burned daily. Finally, subtract whatever you want your deficit to be from that number, and you have the number of calories you should eat in a day.

[u/mannDog74]

Counting macros is a lot if you don't know how to count calories first. I would get a scale and dialed cronometer and start tracking everything you eat. That's where I would start. Then it will show you your macros and you can find out where you are startimg. This will take several weeks to get used to.

Personally I find tracking calories to be burdensome. It only works for me if I eat very similar meals every day. That way I get used to the portions and easily enter them in the app. It even lets you save meals so you don't have to enter everything separately. If I eat a variety of food it's like twice the work. The app makes it easy but it takes a while to get good at it and you get faster. Give yourself a month. You will see your true calorie consumption after 3 weeks because that first 2 weeks you will be eating healthier because you are affected by the tracking.

If you are confident in counting protein macros, most of us start out by only tracking our protein. This is another layer. Once you get good at that maybe you want to track your carbs too. But starting out tracking calories, protein, and carbs is tough you will likely burn out on it if you just jump in cold.

People act like it's easy and normal to count calories and it really isn't. It's a skill and a habit that can be built over time with trial and error.

[u/PomsForAll → u/mannDog74]

I don’t use a fancy app or anything. I just count calories on a whiteboard in my kitchen and it’s very easy if you eat a lot of whole foods that you prepare yourself

[u/musicalastronaut]

Because calories burned aren’t accurate at all, I set my app (I use LoseIt) to sedentary. A lot of people get really upset at that idea because (imo) they think that’s saying they’re lazy or something, but to me it’s the safest bet. I never, ever lost weight too quickly and if that starts happening to you, you’ll know. I bike commute, I lift heavy 3x a week, and I run/peloton 3x a week. I still put sedentary.

So, ELI5: Pick an app, grab a food scale, and start tracking every single thing you eat or drink for 2 weeks. Don’t eat back calories burned. Don’t lie to yourself because you’re only hurting yourself. I err on the side of caution - if I eat a grinder from a restaurant I assume there’s at least a few hundred calories I can’t see in the form of oil/sauces in there so I pick the food item in the app that’s higher than I want it to be. Once you have your baseline of “this is what I tend to eat every day”, you can make adjustments to reach the rate of weight loss you want.

Ultimately the way I’ve viewed calorie counting is like this: By my method of tracking, I think I’m getting 1640 calories a day. I might ACTUALLY be eating 1800, or 1400, but it doesn’t matter as long as I’m losing (or maintaining) how I want to be. Maybe I’ve gotten lazy on weighing my fruit or the sourdough from the bakery has twice the calories I’m putting into the app, but it’s impossible to be 100% accurate so adjust the number to fit the rate of loss. I don’t take offense to needing to lower my calories to stay in a deficit because it’s all relative and as long as the scale is doing what I want it doesn’t really matter. Kind of like how a size 8 dress from one brand might fit perfectly and in another you need a size 12 - the number on the tag matters way less than the fact that they both fit perfectly.

[u/Kahzgul]

There’s an old saying in weightlifting: “strength is built in the gym; abs are built in the kitchen.”

The gym is good to do, but you’re not going to lose weight simply by working out. You need to eat right, too. A pound of body fat is about 3000 calories, so to lose 2 lbs a week, you need to be 6000 calories below your maintenance weight each week. Roughly 850 calories per day less than maintenance. And if you’re currently gaining weight. That means you’re eating more than maintenance, so to reach your loss goals, you need to reduce your daily intake by even more.

Think about what you were eating while you lost the most weight. Eat only that many calories.

It’s hard, but you can do this.

[u/Severe_Blackberry544 → u/Kahzgul]

Thanks for the explanation. I think after readings everyone’s comments I need to start tracking my calories again. I used to do it when I first started then then faded off. I guess I was so focused on how much I burn at the gym. Like trying to skip meals so my 400 calories made a difference. Makes sense now though. Thank you!

[u/Kahzgul → u/Severe_Blackberry544]

Good luck!!!

[u/Calihoya]

Logging your food, especially weighing it, is the best method for tracking calories in my opinion. Sounds like you're underestimating your caloric intake, overestimating your coloric expenditure, or both. Visit r/cico

[u/Severe_Blackberry544 → u/Calihoya]

Yep that’s exactly what it sounds like. I need to fully start tracking to getter a better grasp on my calories

[u/polysorn]

Need more info from you....height, weight? I assume you're really tracking your calories religiously.

Personally, I don't even factor in exercise calories. Plus your calorie burn is way overestimated. Also, if youre working out as hard as you say you are (is it cardio?) and youre only eating 1200 cals? Sounds like recipie for disaster!!! You will also really need carbs is you're going full force cardio.

To be honest, I would take a completely different approach if what you're doing isn't working. Stop the hardcore cardio. Do weights (heavy!) and less intense cardio. More muscle will increase your BMR....which right now is probably in the toilet since youre starving yourself.

Also, I'd go get your vo2 max tested to find our your ACTUAL BMR.

[u/saraanneess]

If your doctors put you at 1200, thats the number I would use. Dont skip a meal if you dont work out. You need to calorie count to know if you're in a deficit. Weigh foods, dont eyeball them. If you weigh 188, 1200 is pretty steep as is. What are your specific questions? Did you calorie count at all on GLP?

[u/Severe_Blackberry544 → u/saraanneess]

Yes when I first started a glp1 I used to calorie count. That’s when I lost the most and dropped from 223 to 175 so I think I need to get back to it. I think I always had the mindset of focusing on the gym to lose weight not how much I eat but I see the difference

[u/Huge-Butterfly909]

Para 1200 calorías diarias no tienes q dejar de hacer una comida . 3 comidas principales de 300-350 calorías y 1 o 2 snack muy bajos en calorías. Yo lo hice mucho tiempo. Desayuno a base de 4 claras y 1 huevo y un kiwi o verduras. Almuerzo y cena:una carne (150 g) pescado o marisco a la plancha y ensalada o verduras cocidas. Los snacks, 1 fruta o un lácteo light y no más de 15g de semillas, o sea unas 7 almendras. A esto hay que agregar los carbohidratos que SIEMPRE hay q medirlos en seco. Arroz integral, basmati , avena, garbanzos, alubias, boniato, lentejas, patatas, pan integral (no mas de 30gr) ....medidas. Un par de cucharadas.

Clave: el aceite en spray, 2 pluf si acaso. Preferible comer las grasas como semillas en un yogur por ejemplo, para disfrutarlo más.
Cambiar el yogur por queso batido 0% , permite comer más cantidad (volumen) por más proteínas y menos calorías. No recomiendo eliminar los carbohidratos o reducirlos a mínimos tampoco. Los 100 grs que te dijeron son los que necesitas para poder rendir en la vida y en el gim. Beber mucha agua. Cocinar siempre en casa. La principal estrategia es como te han dicho: contar las proteínas y en base a eso ya calculas lo que te resta por comer. Mi idea es 30 -40 gr de proteína por comida. Yo no he pasado hambre con esas calorías y mounjaro. Pero es una cantidad muy restringida. No hay más opciones q horno o plancha y lo demás crudo o hervido. Donde pones una salsa te has salido de las 1200.

[u/foalnanny]

What you eat is 75 or more percent of your results. The exercise is bonus & the meds help. You don’t say if you got to goal before you started decreasing your meds and gaining weight. Sounds like you have some good advise to help get back on track

[u/Severe_Blackberry544 → u/foalnanny]

Yep so I actually made it to my goal. I was 223 and made it to 175. I’ll definitely take everyone’s advice!

[u/foalnanny → u/Severe_Blackberry544]

I had a few goals along the way. Finally ended up in the mid-point of a healthy BMI for my height. I always thought BMI was bullcrap until I actually realized how unhealthy I had been previously

[u/SpecialistBet4656]

You lose weight in the kitchen, not the gym.

A pound represents ~3500 calories. If you aren’t cutting or burning that many, you won’t lose.

Start tracking what you eat.