How much higher is your maintenance allowance from your deficit allowance?
I have a lot of weight to lose and want to follow a CICO plan. I’m trying to figure out my calorie allotment but am confused about some conflicting things I know about cutting calories.
I understand the basics of CICO, but I’m confused by the reality of metabolic adaptation. I know once I get to my goal, my daily calorie needs will be drastically less than they were before weight loss. In other words, I know I can’t just cut calories for a little while then go back to what I was eating before.
I’d like to be aggressive in my deficit, but I’m worried if I cut to, say, 1,300 calories/day now, I’ll have to stick to that for the rest of my life. Folks who have had aggressive deficits AND maintained successfully, how many calories were you able to add back once you got to goal?
I’m also worried that if I go too slow, as I know doctors recommend, I won’t see the progress I need to stay motivated. I feel very deeply that this is an overlooked variable in the weight loss equation. It has to feel worth it pretty fast.
For reference, I’m a 5’3, 34yo woman with 50+ pounds to lose.