If calorie intake is less than burn - should be losing weight correct?

I know this sounds pretty dumb.. but if my intake (say 1800 a day) is less than my burn rate (say 2800 day) I should be losing weight?

Is it that simple?  Could I possibly be gaining weight if the above is true?

thanks guys!  I'm a newbie dieter :)

 

Jim

Several possible reasons:

-It can take time to show on the scale.
-You could be overestimating burn/underestimating food
-Salt/water retention (can be caused by dehydration) can cause temporary weight gain
-Exercise can make weight loss not show up right away

I'm guessing Jim isn't female, so probably not that time of the month... :)

Give us some more info - your stats, how much you are eating, what you do during the day (active or sedentary), and what exercise you do. And how long you have been doing this. Also, double check portions, because people tend to underestimate what a cup of cereal (or whatever) looks like.

Your deficit is supposed to be 500-1000 a day. From what i have gleaned from this site is that I have a 500 cal deficit with zero exercise. If your deficit goes over 1000 than you are supposed to eat more cals. I think is how it all works. If you are gaining and you believe you have a deficit, make sure you are logging everything and if you can see a doc! Good luck.

Yes, for me anyway. My intake averages 1300-1500 calories and my burn rate is 2200-2400 calories. Since Jan 17 to Feb 21, I've lost 9lbs. I just started doing 30-40 min of cardio & light weights every other day. According to my pedometer, just normal walking around the house, checking the mail, going to class burns about 160 calories.

Thanks guys for all the info!

As far as my stats, I'm a 33 year old male, 6'1 and I weigh 229 and my target weight is 200 ish.  My activity level is sedentary which at my height weight burns about 2400 calories according to my burn rate.  I lift and/or walk/run every other day for 30 - 45 minutes and that burns usually another 300-400 or so.

My average intake for calories is about 1700 when I don't cheat :)  I'm pretty meticulous about logging everything. 

I have only been doing this for a week or so actually so I don't expect to lose weight right away.  I'm more curious that if I keep my calorie intake below my burn that I will eventually lose weight.  Say I ate 3 big macs for my calories in a day and that was less than burn, would I still lose weight?  (not that I would think to do that, just trying to understand). 

thanks again!

 

Jim

 

If you've checked all your numbers and volumes and everything is correct, then you could be losing fat but gaining muscle.  I have heard this is a common 'problem' among men.  Muscle weighs more than fat, you see, so if you're building muscle fast enough, you'll end up weighing more even though you're getting healthier.

Also, see everything everyone else said.  ;)

As far as losing weight eating Big Macs - yes, if you were under your calorie count you would probably still lose weight.  You could lose weight and eat nothing but butter all day, if you ate few enough calories of it.  Ideally, of course, you eat as healthy as you can while you lose weight, but the joy of calorie counting is you can eat *whatever you want* and still lose weight if you eat fewer calories than you burn.  It's just that usually the stuff you really enjoy eating has more calories.

I will say that personally, I *enjoy* eating healthy foods.  I have a whole pantry full of healthy food and a fridge full of healthy veggies and they're all yummy.  I don't force myself to eat food I don't like, and when people ask me how I keep up the willpower, I say - I put together meals I enjoy eating!  Then it's not really about willpower, it's just about whether I eat the yummy doritos or the yummy sweet potato.  After eating healthy for 3 months straight, my desire for less-healthy food has decreased dramatically.  It's really weird!  One day I walked into work, and there were two luscious chocolate cakes and a bowl of pistachios on the table, and I said 'ooh, pistachios!'

Muscle does not weigh more than fat, 1lb or rocks or feathers, they still weigh the same.  Muscle is denser and takes up less space.  Also if you are using weights your muscles will retain water to repair.  Not being rude but it irks me when I see that.  You should expect to see some kind of results right away.  The first few weeks are always the easiest.  Definately learn to recognize water weight and real weight its a real motivation downer.  Always recheck your calories burned for the day.  I often fall somewhere between light active and sedentary and usually add any exercise in.  If you are hungry with a 1000 deficit, go to a 750 deficit.  I see alot of times people start with a 1000 deficit in hopes of 2 pound loss and often it backfires and they are starving working hard and lose nothing.  If you body is hungry it will hate on you and start conserving its energy.  Ok, I think that is it. Good Luck

You guys are the best, thanks! I have actually already dropped a few lbs since I first posted that so it looks like all is working.

Like you all said, this is a great way to diet becuase you can basically eat what you want and counting the calories helps you do it in moderation. Of course I'm annoying my wife now always looking on the boxes and "measuring" portions :)

thanks again!

Jim