What Exactly is a Calorie Deficit?
A calorie deficit is when you consume (eat) less calories than your body expends (burns). Doing this consistently can lead to weight loss, as your body will need to used stored energy (fat) to make up the difference. You can create a calorie deficit in a variety of ways:
eating less food, which can be done by reducing portion sizes, choosing lower calorie foods and cutting out beverages with calories
increase movement, activity and exercise; this increases your overall calorie expenditure
What’s most important is that you create a calorie deficit that is SUSTAINABLE for you. Too often, we see people severely restrict calories, while depriving themselves of their favorite foods, which generally leads to overindulgence, overeating, and or binging. If you spend a considerable amount of time in an extreme calorie deficit, your metabolism may adapt to the calorie restriction, ultimately slowing it down. This is often why fad diets often result in a temporary weight loss - with participants often gaining that weight back, plus additional weight.
Prioritizing protein and choosing whole and minimally processed foods is ideal when trying to lose weight. Focusing on at least 80% of your diet coming from these types of foods, while hitting your daily protein goal while in a calorie deficit is what generally results in sustainable weight loss. Adding strength training to your routine will ensure you’re maintaining your lean muscle moss, and aren’t losing muscle during the process. Losing muscle while on a weight loss journey (this often happens when your calorie deficit is too extreme, and you’re not hitting your daily protein goals) slows down your Basal Metabolic Rate, which makes up more than half of your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), or daily calorie burn.
It’s important you’re creating a calorie deficit that is sustainable for you. If you’re not sure where to start, take your goal weight and multiply it by twelve (12). For example: if you’re currently 180lbs, and would like to lose 15lbs, multiply 165 (180lbs - 15lbs) by 12. This means you would want to eat 1,980 calories per day. Below are some tips while in a calorie deficit:
plan your meals around protein, eating at least 40-45 grams of protein per meal - choose lean meat, fish, beans, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, etc.
eat plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole grains - these are low in calories, and high in nutrients
minimize foods that are highly processed - coming from a bag, box or package
minimize sugary drinks
get plenty of movement per day - aim for at least 7,500 steps and incorporate strength training into your workout routine
If you have a history of yo-yo dieting, this may not work for you and the answer may be a bit more complicated (no worries - you’re in good company!). We would love to help you on your journey to reach your body composition goals - set up your free consultation today!