Is this fact or fiction?

I was reading the mydreamshape.com website and ran across this info.  But I was wondering is this fact or fiction.

If you cut your calories by 500 a day, you'll lose 1lb/week

If you cut your calories by 1000 a day, you'll lose 2lb/week

That would depend on how much you're eating in the first place.

Jane

In theory, one pound = 3,500 calories.  So, first you need to know your RMR (resting metabolic rate), then you need to total up all the calories you burn outside of existing (walking, exercise, talking, sex, etc).  Add your RMR to your total calories burned.  That is how much you need to simply stay the same weight.  If you want to loose, well, you  know the drill....calories in/calories out.

So, if you eat 500 calories less per day ...less than YOU BURN...you should average a loss of 1 per week.  But my body certainly does not regulate like a calculator.  But, on average, the numbers do work out for me.

YMMV

Anne

It's a rough rule of thumb.  

Assuming you're at a point where you're neither gaining nor losing... 

Better stated, if you create a 500 calorie deficit from your daily needs you may lose 1 lb per week.

Assuming you're not overeating carbs and spiking glucose which makes it hard to use fat supplies.

It rarely works out so neatly - weight loss is complicated, and people run into stalls, water retention, miracle days where one loses 5 lbs over night, etc.

However, in general, if you do things reasonably, you can, on average, lose the weight described.

During my post-surgery time when I averaged 600-800 calories per day, i was creating a roughly 2000 c/day deficit.  I lost, on average, 4.1 lbs per week for 22 weeks (90 lbs in 5 months)... I lost faster than that at the beginning, and slower than that near the end, but the average was pretty close to spot on.

Yes, I was reading on how sugary food spikes can spike your insulate which can cause you to be hungry.  I am trying to stay in a state of ketosis to keep burning fat and not kill my metabolism.  I am still pushing proteins, watching the calories/carbs.  But as I get closer to my goal I have been very aggressive with my work out routines.  I have been mixing cardio and with heavier weights.  Which is helping burn more calories even after work outs.  I eat about 500-600 calories/ 30-40 carbs a day, lots of water but I am wondering should I push up my calories.  I just don't want to stall or gain bls.

Well, on 600 c / day you shouldn't stall much.  I didn't.  You can have weeks maybe where things slow down - especially with aggressive workouts.  The stall is NOT an issue really.  I can assure you that if you're doing what you say, you'll be burning fat, you may also be adding muscle or retaining water to repair muscle.  I'd just keep doing what you're doing BUT get your body fat percent tested by a reliable method (Hydrostatic weighing, BodPod or DEXA scan). Your remaining body fat will tell you where you stand - the scale is only a crude instrument - body fat is really what you're trying to reduce, not "weight."

Test the body fat and it's easy to figure out what your goal should be - then get it tested again in a few months to see what's going on.  I stayed the same weight for 12 months after hitting maintenance, but my BF% continued to drop... 

-Tom

Great job getting to goal and maintaining.  I am a sucker for a spreadsheet and I really like your format.