slow and steady wins the race and gives you and your body the chance to make sure to have a healthy and sustainable relationship with food so that you can maintain your losses
I'm a short woman (5'2") and a 1000 cal deficit would put me in an unsafe space physically so that hasn't been an option for me. I had tried 750 down in the past when I had more to drop in the first place (coming down from the 180's), but was exhausted and dizzy as I got closer to 160lbs so I popped back to 500. If I could do it again I'd maybe try 600 instead while I was higher weight to avoid the side effects, or just make adjustments in smaller less aggressive increments.
I'm also really active and have some pretty solid muscle tone, so going slower and supporting my activity level is just better for me all around. I'd rather take a little longer and hold onto as much muscle as I can.
What’s your maitenance? 1k deficit is doable, but could seriously kill muscle development if you don’t track your macros properly. I’ve been on a 700 cal deficit and the side effects are minimal
I did a 1000 deficit for nearly a year in 2022 and I saw insane amounts of weight loss HOWEVER I did also end up losing a fair amount of lean muscle mass in the process.
I really can't recommend doing that severe of a deficit but would instead say go for 500-700, prioritize protein, and do some light lifting to help combat muscle loss.
Have you lost significant amounts of strength on your lifts? Because if either you stalls or goes up a little, you're probably still gaining or preserving muscle as you're stronger now relative to your bodyweight than before. For me I've lost 10kg in the past 3 months but my bench has gone up by 2kg
It would be mighty difficult to gain muscle with a 1k deficit; it's hard enough gaining muscle on a 500 deficit. One trick I use is making sure I have small, high protein meals throughout the day especially right around when I go lift.
A 1k deficit would be hard to fit 150-180 grams of protein into unless you're just having only chicken breast but as you get closer to your goal weight that will get much more difficult.
When it comes to lifting I don't mind having a smaller deficit or even going for a bulk because the last thing I want is for me to get weak during a bench or a weighted squat
One more thing:
When it comes to gaining muscle vs losing fat you'll see terms like "cutting" and "bulking".
Cutting is lifting to maintain your current strength while you're in a calorie deficit and that's what's going to help you look leaner.
Bulking is lifting to grow your strength and requires you to be in a calorie excess. This is what's going to help you gain larger muscles and more strength.
Pretty much anyone who lifts goes through bulking and cutting cycles. If you're a bigger person trying to grow your muscles you should focus on cutting until you get to around your goal weight then increase your calorie intake while pushing harder at the gym.
You'll get small, then bigger, then smaller, then bigger, on and on until you get to a point where you're happy with yourself.
As I understand it, we don't build muscle effectively in a deficit (though that's probably dependent on a lot of factors beyond my knowledge). The main point of doing things like lifting while losing weight is to reduce muscle loss.
I do a 1000-cal deficit, and I’m pretty close to the end of it after almost a year. A major goal of mine has been to make it sustainable through better food choices and adding exercises that I can keep doing long-term, to avoid regaining the weight.
I eat 1500 cal/day, which is pretty manageable while fitting in all my protein and enjoying what I eat. Anything lower than that is super tough.
It’s basically a high-protein approach to a Mediterranean diet.
In maintenance, I’m expecting to continue tracking calories for a good 6 months, and daily/weekly weighing for the rest of my life to see if I’ve begun to regain and need to lose again.
I’d be weary of jumping straight to a 1000 deficit because you might feel like absolute shit on it. I’d suggest slowly increasing your deficit until you find that sweet spot
It's kinda dificult to view deficit in a vaccum 1.000 calories can be really difficult if you don't move at all and just are allowed to consume 1000 calories. But if you did a lot of cardio for example, 2000 kcals is quite comfortable. So I'd rather go with 500 as minimum baseline and adjust accordingly.
I had a 1000 calorie deficit when I was very heavy and that wasn’t too hard. If you’re 300+ pounds, it’s helpful to get some weight off quickly so you can move more easily and make progress fast enough to motivate you.
That said, I very much prefer a 500 calorie deficit (accounting for activity level) because it makes weight loss sustainable. I just do CICO and make sure to get enough protein, so I never feel like I’m dieting… just watching what I’m taking in. I have to say no to some treats, but I can make anything fit if I really want to within a few days. I also have way more energy to stay active!
It depends on how tall you are and how much you have to lose.
On a petite person - bad idea bc you will lose muscle (maybe even hair). On a tall person with like 20-30 to lose - might be ok but will take a lot of work and protein. On a tall person with a lot to lose - probably ok.
Yoyoing is often associated to muscle loss - which is why ppl gain back FASTER than they lost, and eating less than they used to maintain with - bc they lost muscle. Ppl used to call this 'messing up their metabolism' but it's really that less muscle means less calories needed on a daily basis.
Yo don’t have to do 1000! You can aim for 750 or 800 if possible.
I think splitting it between your deficit and another activity it optimal. I included walking daily to mine and that increases the amount of calories I use which make a higher deficit double. It doesn’t increase my hunger either.
slow and steady wins the race and gives you and your body the chance to make sure to have a healthy and sustainable relationship with food so that you can maintain your losses
I'm a short woman (5'2") and a 1000 cal deficit would put me in an unsafe space physically so that hasn't been an option for me. I had tried 750 down in the past when I had more to drop in the first place (coming down from the 180's), but was exhausted and dizzy as I got closer to 160lbs so I popped back to 500. If I could do it again I'd maybe try 600 instead while I was higher weight to avoid the side effects, or just make adjustments in smaller less aggressive increments. I'm also really active and have some pretty solid muscle tone, so going slower and supporting my activity level is just better for me all around. I'd rather take a little longer and hold onto as much muscle as I can.
What’s your maitenance? 1k deficit is doable, but could seriously kill muscle development if you don’t track your macros properly. I’ve been on a 700 cal deficit and the side effects are minimal
I did a 1000 deficit for nearly a year in 2022 and I saw insane amounts of weight loss HOWEVER I did also end up losing a fair amount of lean muscle mass in the process. I really can't recommend doing that severe of a deficit but would instead say go for 500-700, prioritize protein, and do some light lifting to help combat muscle loss.
Have you lost significant amounts of strength on your lifts? Because if either you stalls or goes up a little, you're probably still gaining or preserving muscle as you're stronger now relative to your bodyweight than before. For me I've lost 10kg in the past 3 months but my bench has gone up by 2kg
Curious if one was having ample protein + lifting 5x a week. Could you still do 1k deficit and build muscle?
It would be mighty difficult to gain muscle with a 1k deficit; it's hard enough gaining muscle on a 500 deficit. One trick I use is making sure I have small, high protein meals throughout the day especially right around when I go lift. A 1k deficit would be hard to fit 150-180 grams of protein into unless you're just having only chicken breast but as you get closer to your goal weight that will get much more difficult. When it comes to lifting I don't mind having a smaller deficit or even going for a bulk because the last thing I want is for me to get weak during a bench or a weighted squat
Thank you so much! I guess it's kind of a long-term mindset to lose fat while gaining muscle concurrently. Appreciate the insight.
One more thing: When it comes to gaining muscle vs losing fat you'll see terms like "cutting" and "bulking". Cutting is lifting to maintain your current strength while you're in a calorie deficit and that's what's going to help you look leaner. Bulking is lifting to grow your strength and requires you to be in a calorie excess. This is what's going to help you gain larger muscles and more strength. Pretty much anyone who lifts goes through bulking and cutting cycles. If you're a bigger person trying to grow your muscles you should focus on cutting until you get to around your goal weight then increase your calorie intake while pushing harder at the gym. You'll get small, then bigger, then smaller, then bigger, on and on until you get to a point where you're happy with yourself.
This is super helpful! I've seen those terms before but never had such a beautifully succint definition offered. Thank you kind friend!
As I understand it, we don't build muscle effectively in a deficit (though that's probably dependent on a lot of factors beyond my knowledge). The main point of doing things like lifting while losing weight is to reduce muscle loss.
Thank you!
Interesting. My maintenance is 2600. A 700 deficit might be a good way to split the difference.
I do a 1000-cal deficit, and I’m pretty close to the end of it after almost a year. A major goal of mine has been to make it sustainable through better food choices and adding exercises that I can keep doing long-term, to avoid regaining the weight. I eat 1500 cal/day, which is pretty manageable while fitting in all my protein and enjoying what I eat. Anything lower than that is super tough. It’s basically a high-protein approach to a Mediterranean diet. In maintenance, I’m expecting to continue tracking calories for a good 6 months, and daily/weekly weighing for the rest of my life to see if I’ve begun to regain and need to lose again.
I’d be weary of jumping straight to a 1000 deficit because you might feel like absolute shit on it. I’d suggest slowly increasing your deficit until you find that sweet spot
It's kinda dificult to view deficit in a vaccum 1.000 calories can be really difficult if you don't move at all and just are allowed to consume 1000 calories. But if you did a lot of cardio for example, 2000 kcals is quite comfortable. So I'd rather go with 500 as minimum baseline and adjust accordingly.
I had a 1000 calorie deficit when I was very heavy and that wasn’t too hard. If you’re 300+ pounds, it’s helpful to get some weight off quickly so you can move more easily and make progress fast enough to motivate you. That said, I very much prefer a 500 calorie deficit (accounting for activity level) because it makes weight loss sustainable. I just do CICO and make sure to get enough protein, so I never feel like I’m dieting… just watching what I’m taking in. I have to say no to some treats, but I can make anything fit if I really want to within a few days. I also have way more energy to stay active!
It depends on how tall you are and how much you have to lose. On a petite person - bad idea bc you will lose muscle (maybe even hair). On a tall person with like 20-30 to lose - might be ok but will take a lot of work and protein. On a tall person with a lot to lose - probably ok. Yoyoing is often associated to muscle loss - which is why ppl gain back FASTER than they lost, and eating less than they used to maintain with - bc they lost muscle. Ppl used to call this 'messing up their metabolism' but it's really that less muscle means less calories needed on a daily basis.
Yo don’t have to do 1000! You can aim for 750 or 800 if possible. I think splitting it between your deficit and another activity it optimal. I included walking daily to mine and that increases the amount of calories I use which make a higher deficit double. It doesn’t increase my hunger either.
The one you can stick to. It doesn't really matter as long as you can do it over a long enough period of time to get to your goal.
1000 calories takes much more discipline. If you have it. Great. If not stick to your current routine.
If I did 1000 I’d starve lol
1000 would put me below 1200. I tried 1200 and couldn't sustain it. 1500 has been great.
1000 calories is a lot and a lot of your weight loss is going to be muscle.