Calorie deficit NOT devoid of calories
It seems most people understand that they need to be eating less calories in order to lose weight.
But how do you know how many calories will literally cut it?
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My Fitness Pal
This is quite a heavy handed way to get started, but it works.
Bash into the app all your numbers and it will tell you what you need to do.
HOWEVER
MFP can take you pretty seriously.
And if you say you want quick weight loss that's what it will give you.
Why is that bad?
Well, do you really want to be so starving hungry that you only stick to the diet for a week and then the wheels come off?
And you quit.
Again.
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Example
Fiona gets started.
MFP numbers crunched.
Off she goes.
Calories allowance as calculated by the app = 1380 per day
Fiona is 27 and weighs 75kg
She wants to be 70kg
Day 1 1380 calories = nailed it
Day 2 1380 calories = killing it
Day 3 1380 calories = geeze didn't sleep so well
Day 4 1350 calories = go me I came in under target!
Day 5 1380 calories = really tired but did it
Day 6 1380 calories = stayed strong but feel weak
Day 7 1900 calories = probably ok, its just one day
Woohoo lost 1kg!!
Day 8 2200 calories = I think, I didn't really record properly
Day 9 1700 calories = back on it. I've got this
Day 10 nah forget it
Fiona's will power was pretty strong and she pushed through some serious hunger.
But the reality is her calorie intake was too low to be sustainable.
She was always going to fail.
If not in the first two weeks.
Then eventually.
Her deficit was just too severe.
At 75kg she probably requires something like 2000 cals a day for maintenance (very much an estimate as everyone is different).
To lose weight a sustainable deficit could be around 1700 cals.
She can probably run at 1700 cals for a decent amount of time while also not losing her mind and feeling like a failure.
Yes.
The weight will come off slower.
But.
What use is it losing 1kg in the first week if you don't make it through the second week??
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My Fitness Pal
Be nice to yourself.
Punch in numbers for slower weight loss.
Accept that weight loss will take longer.
Enjoy not being so hungry that you lose your temper with the old lady taking ages to cross the road.