Once you decide you want to lose weight, it can be difficult to know what to do next. (For example, should you try keto or the DASH diet?) But no matter what type of eating plan you follow, there is one rule of weight loss that is the link: you need to create a calorie deficit, or if you consume more calories if you take in. Without it, you probably will not lose weight.
It sounds super simple, right? Now, there is first detective work to determine how many calories your body needs, followed by a little math to calculate what you need to consume to have a deficiency. And then of course you have to find out what it looks like in the food department to achieve your goals.
Of course, you were not born with the knowledge about calorie deficiencies, how to find out yours and what to do to put it all into action. However, do not be overwhelmed: there are many ways to approach it. Here’s everything you need to know.
First, what is a calorie deficit?
Some basics: A calorie is a measure of energy. The calories in food provide your body with the energy you need to survive. When you eat food, it is broken down by your body to release the energy to use or store immediately, depending on what you need at that moment.
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Your body needs to consume a certain amount of calories to maintain your weight, says Keri Gans, RD, author of The change money diet. And so, ‘a calorie deficit is when you consume fewer calories than your body needs to stay at its current weight,’ she explains. If you consume fewer calories than your body needs, your body will use up the calories you have stored to burn energy. As a result, you will lose weight.
Every person’s calorie needs and deficiencies differ and depend on a number of factors, such as how much you exercise, your genes, your hormones and your metabolism, says Sonya Angelone, RD, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
How much calorie deficit do you need to lose weight?
It can be a bit complicated to figure out your exact calorie deficit, but it is generally thought that shaving 500 calories from your daily intake should lead to weight loss per week.
“The classic definition is based on the fact that one pound of fat contains 3,500 calories,” says Angelone. “If you eat 500 calories less than the amount you need to maintain your weight, you will lose one pound within a week.” If you want to lose two kilograms a week, you can try a daily deficit of 1000 calories. You usually do not want to cut calories anymore. “Healthy weight loss is considered one to two pounds a week,” says Gans.
However, you do not necessarily have to drop 500 calories a day from your diet to lose weight. “Any deficiency will lead to weight loss,” says Angelone. “It will just take more or less time, depending on how big the deficit is.”
However, creating a calorie deficit is not a perfect science. The speed of your metabolism is a factor, along with the type of calories you consume, says Angelone. (Some nutrients, such as sugar, are consumed more easily and faster than those with fiber, she explains.) Your body also compensates for short-term calorie changes, which temporarily increase your metabolism if you eat a few more days and decrease it. if you eat less.
How can I find out my calorie deficit for weight loss?
There are many different ways to find out your calorie deficit, and some are more accurate than others. There are different ways to calculate calorie needs, but Angelone says she usually uses the Harris-Benedict comparison, Mifflin-St Jeor comparison or Katch-McArdle formula with clients. Here’s how you can find out your shortcomings in a few different situations.
Talk to your doctor or nutritionist
Every practitioner has a slightly different approach. Angelone will take calculations based on body dimensions such as weight and height, along with exercise level. And Goose prefers a lower key approach. “I try to keep math out of the equation and focus instead on my patient to make small changes that can naturally lead to weight loss,” she says.
But some practitioners may even send you for metabolic tests, which measure how many calories you burn at rest (such as when sitting) to get an accurate amount.
With a formula
There are various formulas that can help you calculate your calorie needs, but a study published by the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that the Mifflin-St. Jeor Comparison is very accurate. The equation calculates your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the minimum number of calories your body burns at rest.
For women, the Mifflin-St. Year comparison is: BMR = (10 x weight in kg) + (6.25 x height in cm) – (5 x age in years) – 161.
Thus, the BMR equation for a 25-year-old woman who is 5’4 “and weighs 150 pounds would be: BMR = (10 x 68) + (6.25 x163) – (5 x 25) -161 = 1,413 calories
The Harris Benedict Comparison is often used for comparison. The equation is: BMR = 655.1 + (9,563 x weight in kg) + (1,850 x height in cm) – (4,676 x age in years).
For the same 150-pound woman, the BMR using the Harris Benedict equation is: BMR = 655.1 + (9,563 x 68) + (1,850 x 163) – (4,676 x 25) = 1,490 calories
The results differ slightly depending on the formula you use. And Angelone emphasizes, “it’s still an estimate, since so many factors affect weight loss.”
With an online calculator
Do not feel like doing math? There are many online calculators that can help you. The bodyweight planner from the National Institutes of Health is a great way to try, says Angelone. It looks at your current weight and fitness level, along with your weight loss goals, and helps determine how many calories you need to consume to lose the weight during the period you specify. A good benefit: it also tells you how many calories you should aim for once you reach your goal weight to help maintain it.
Okay, so now how do I achieve this calorie deficit?
There are a few different ways you can create a calorie deficit, and it’s ideal to put together all of these changes:
- Do more strength training. Exercise in general can help you burn more calories, but strength training helps increase your body’s energy needs, and increases the amount of calories you burn at rest, Angelone says. Muscle needs 24/7 calories or energy, so if you have more lean muscle mass, you will need more calories to maintain weight. You therefore do not have to cut so much on food to create a shortage, ”she says.
- Reduce your carbohydrate intake. Your body converts most of the carbohydrates in your body into sugar, and those calories are always absorbed or stored in your body for later use, says Angelone. Reducing your carbohydrates means that your body will store less for the future.
- Add more protein, fiber and healthy fats to your diet. “Build your meals with high-fiber foods, such as fruits and vegetables, so that you are still satisfied, even though your starter is smaller than you were used to,” says Gans. Adding more fiber, protein and healthy fat to your meals will help you stay satisfied longer and eat less, ‘adds Angelone.
- Stop eating after dinner. Angelone says this is usually ‘the best way’ to get a deficit. “Most people had already met their calorie needs by then, so if they go to eat after dinner or before bed, only extra calories are added,” she says.
- Keep a food journal. Yes, you’ve heard it before, but it’s actually working. Regularly writing down what you eat can be noticeable and can also help you plan where you can cut back. “Keep track of the amount eaten,” Angelone says. “Slightly reduce it from there so as not to get too hungry, and then eat too much later.”
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