If I keep my calories at a 500 deficit and also add intermittent fasting or weekend longer fasts in, does that lower the metabolism?
Edit: For context I’m 26F 5’5 and 157lbs wanting to get down to 140/130
Depends on what you’re eating. Staying very low carb will protect your metabolism. The Minnesota Starvation Study (men only) showed a lowered metabolism when they ate mostly carb (55-65% cals) at a 600 calorie deficit.
Up your protein and healthy fats and the deficit shouldn’t be an issue.
What’s the non-problem you are trying to fix?
Meaning even at maintenance you are already tapping your fat reserves very effectively. The likelihood is that you will not improve anything and could in fact came up worse.
Fast, eat (clean), exercise, sleep.
I do dinner OMAD and allocate about 1200 but I never reach past 700. Not because I deliberately chose not to but because of the low calorie food I eat never reach that high. I like counting calories because it makes me aware what goes in my body and also hold me accountable. I’m not obsess with it though, I usually try to be as accurate as possible but I won’t weight my food.