Am I eating enough?

[Alphagogo]

I recently started working at a job that requires a great deal of walking, anywhere from 10 -15 miles a day. 

My fit bit tells me that I'm burning at least 4000 calories everyday of work, meanwhile I'm just consuming around 2000. 

I don't feel hungry, but a 2000 calorie deficit seems like a lot, should I be consuming more calories if I want to lose fat?

I don't want to lose more muscle than fat, so what would be the optimal calorie deficit that I need to maintain?

I'm 198 pounds, 20% body fat percentage

[kurisutimasu]

As long as you're consuming adequate amounts of protein within those 2000 calories each day, you should be fine. I'm no professional though, so I might be wrong.

[SunsetRunner]

---

@Alphagogo wrote:

I recently started working at a job that requires a great deal of walking, anywhere from 10 -15 miles a day. 

My fit bit tells me that I'm burning at least 4000 calories everyday of work, meanwhile I'm just consuming around 2000. 

I don't feel hungry, but a 2000 calorie deficit seems like a lot, should I be consuming more calories if I want to lose fat?

I don't want to lose more muscle than fat, so what would be the optimal calorie deficit that I need to maintain?

I'm 198 pounds, 20% body fat percentage

---

There is no way to know if 198 lb. c/w 20% Body Fat is OK, unless you give your Height, and

say whether you are Male or Female. However, if you are going 2,000 cal./day short, then it is

certain that (over time) you will lose 4 lb./wk. Just guessing, but you could lose a bit of fat.

[Alphagogo]

Oh, sorry.
I'm male and 5'11

[Heybales]

---

@Alphagogo wrote:

I recently started working at a job that requires a great deal of walking, anywhere from 10 -15 miles a day. 

My fit bit tells me that I'm burning at least 4000 calories everyday of work, meanwhile I'm just consuming around 2000. 

I don't feel hungry, but a 2000 calorie deficit seems like a lot, should I be consuming more calories if I want to lose fat?

I don't want to lose more muscle than fat, so what would be the optimal calorie deficit that I need to maintain?

I'm 198 pounds, 20% body fat percentage

---

You feeling hungry and your body being fed well for level of activity are not related.

There are all kinds of reasons you could not feel hungry, but body is screaming out for more calories. Of course it eventually shows that fact down the road when negative stuff happens to the body.

Like vitamin or mineral deficiency don't show up quick either, usually. But eventually down the road some bad shows up, checked out, and lo and behold. Body never said it needed this in anyway, and most don't.

Body just makes do until the rights stress comes along and that deficiency shows up big time.

Same with too big a calorie deficit. Body will adapt by slowing you down, and therefore the deficit isn't that big.

That means you get to eat less and less. You may like that.

Most like getting to eat more, max they can while still losing fat weight. Because then the workouts can be big and strong.

I got done with a 3 hr ride last Sat, pretty intense but cooler. Seemed like minor sweat, so drank another bottle of water at home, and a bottle of Boost for the carbs/protein.

But wasn't hungry for a long time, probably could have gone to be early and skipped dinner.

Is my body burning 4500 calories that day going to be happy getting a 250 cal drink after a 3 hr 3000 calorie burn ride. Sure I could sleep. And what exactly is the body going to help recovery and heal with, with basically no food. It was not hungry though at all, I was just tired.

But I also have brain, and I know if I want it to repair well to give me another good bike ride later, and do a good workout tomorrow, I better eat. A good amount of food too.

How many pounds away from a healthy goal weight?

[SunsetRunner]

---

@Alphagogo wrote:
Oh, sorry.
I'm male and 5'11

---

At your height and sex, your weight (for an aerobic athlete, at 5% to 10% body fat)

should be 4 times height (in inches) minus 128. So that's 284 less 128 equals 156 lb.

If you eat natural (non manufactured) foods (like grains, tubers, fruit, vegetables and

a bit of meat), you will not lose muscle tissue. Your body will use your fat as fuel.

[Alphagogo]

My goal weight now would be 156 now,
I guess i could snag some free protein shakes and vegetable juices everyday at work to lower the deficit a bit and add some good vitamins and more protien
Would that work, it'd probably now be a 1500 calorie deficit with the way things are going

[SunsetRunner]

---

@Alphagogo wrote:
My goal weight now would be 156 now,
I guess i could snag some free protein shakes and vegetable juices everyday at work to lower the deficit a bit and add some good vitamins and more protien
Would that work, it'd probably now be a 1500 calorie deficit with the way things are going

---

Protein Shakes and Vegetable Juice are "junk food", manufactured and advertised.

Primarily, use real natural non-manufactured nutrition, if you want to be healthy.

[Alphagogo]

I meant from the juicers at work, they make it there

[SunsetRunner]

---

@Alphagogo wrote:
I meant from the juicers at work, they make it there

---

It's one way that people don't lose weight, because of the extra calories.

One glass of Orange Juice (even, "homemade") containing the equivalent of many oranges,

and if the pulp is removed, it removes the fibre content and all the good things it provides.

[josephz2va]

It depends on the quality of your calories. You can eat more as long as the quality is good. 

Nutrition 101: Eat To Build Lean Muscle. Eating poorly like Restaurants, Donuts, Candy, etc. increases body fat. Eating correctly such as the link posted is more effective in generating muscle mass.

I consume 1200 and burn 4000 to lose weight, but I have to be sure I consume the correct quality, burn efficiently, and build strength effectively.

[SunsetRunner]

---

@josephz2va wrote:

It depends on the quality of your calories. You can eat more as long as the quality is good. 

Nutrition 101: Eat To Build Lean Muscle. Eating poorly like Restaurants, Donuts, Candy, etc. increases body fat. Eating correctly such as the link posted is more effective in generating muscle mass.

I consume 1200 and burn 4000 to lose weight, but I have to be sure I consume the correct quality, burn efficiently, and build strength effectively.

---

A calorie is a calorie, good or bad.

More calories than used for BMR plus exercise gets stored as fat.

There is no scientific evidence of any kind for your "depends on what calories".

[Heybales]

---

@Alphagogo wrote:
My goal weight now would be 156 now,
I guess i could snag some free protein shakes and vegetable juices everyday at work to lower the deficit a bit and add some good vitamins and more protien
Would that work, it'd probably now be a 1500 calorie deficit with the way things are going

---

Since those calories aren't going to be taking away from a more balanced eating style - that's good method.

Drink the protein first, just in case easy carbs hitting your blood make you tired.

You might try timing it to prior to a workout too - so primed and ready to hit it as hard as it should be.

[josephz2va]

---

@yarddog wrote:

A calorie is a calorie, good or bad.

More calories than used for BMR plus exercise gets stored as fat.

There is no scientific evidence of any kind for your "depends on what calories".

---

How about from personal experience? I worked out from Saturday to Friday pump iron every single day and cardio in the afternoons when able. Focused on what I'm permitted to eat. Egg whites when hungry, 2 light and fit yogurts, 2 apples, and 3 prepared meals. I ditched peanuts, donuts, candy, powerbars, (by the way today's free donut day which I'm not attending), Dr. Oz's ads, and whey protein. I ditched that too. I don't drink Shakeology, Intra-Workout formulas, or anything else that costs $300 to buy into that. Just food that I concentrated on.

March 27, 2000 I was 302.4 lbs and 35%

Monday May 11, 2015 I was 196.5 lbs and 20.0%

Friday June 5, 2015 I am 192.6 lbs and 12.9%