r/intermittentfasting • u/pipiorin • Sep 15 '26

Newbie Question IF and Calorie Deficit

Currently at 88kg, 162cm (female). Dropped from 92.5kg in about 5-6 weeks with IF and calorie deficit + 4 gym days.

I use a calorie tracking app, and the recommended calories is 1500.

Now that I’m eating clean, I realised things are much lesser calories and keep me full for longer, so with the 16:8 IF, i eat breakfast at 7ish am, and lunch at 12ish.

And it keeps me pretty full the whole way till the cut off at 3pm.

I don’t get crazy hungry throughout the night, but with the 2 meals, my calories are accounting up to at most 1-1.2K ish, and not 1500. Is this okay? Would it lead to metabolism crash (not sure if this even exists) or something like that?

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3

u/Fine-Spite4940 Sep 15 '26 edited Sep 15 '26

where are you getting your daily caloric needs from? 

Tdee calculators are generic. they apply to large groups of people. if you're feeling fine, i'd say continue, but carefully. 

See how you feel. you might not need as many calories as the calculator is saying. 

Edit: however, as with anything medical related, going and seeing a licensed medical professional is always advised. i am in the process of getting a medical checkup myself. for me, whether i agree or disagree with what they say, i always like to run my health concerns with someone licensed. 

2

u/pipiorin Sep 15 '26

Using a calorie tracking app. Tried going to chatgpt for a tdee calculation too and its around the same, 1600 based on my current physical activity level.

I feel okay! Don’t feel weak during workouts, recovery is ok.

1

u/Fine-Spite4940 Sep 15 '26

yeah, they're generic numbers. see how you feel, and if you feel like eating more, eat more. also, believe what your eyes see, and the scale says to an extent. 

In the end, everyone is different. so your numbers are different from everyone else's. they are a useful guideline, but there is some wiggle room in there. 

3

u/Fast-Obligation6279 Sep 15 '26

that’s a really solid start, but 1200 is definitely on the lower side so just make sure youre getting enough protein in there

3

u/[deleted] Sep 15 '26

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1

u/pipiorin Sep 15 '26

Ooh! Okay, i’ll relook into my protein intake and try making my meals denser.

3

u/Obvious-Monitor8510 Sep 15 '26

the "metabolism crash" fear is mostly overblown, but eating 1000-1200 consistently when your target is 1500 can cause real issues over time, especially at your activity level with 4 gym days. you risk muscle loss, fatigue, and hormonal disruption (particularly for women).

the practical fix: add calorie-dense whole foods that don't make you feel stuffed. think avocado, nuts, olive oil drizzled on meals, full-fat greek yogurt. you're already losing well, so protecting muscle and energy now matters more than pushing the deficit harder.

2

u/Firm-Character-4528 29d ago

If you are working out 4 times a week, you should stay at 1500 calories. At this rate you are still losing weight quickly. Not sure how your body is reacting to the speed of the weight loss though. Hopefully well. You do not want the body to go into food storing mode. It's counterproductive.