Everything you need to know about a calorie deficit
- Bianca Carbone
- Mar 15, 2021
- 5 min read
We have all fallen for the numerous myths "guiding" us on how to lose weight. First they said no carbohydrates, then they said no fat, then say said no bananas..... the list goes on and on.
Times are definitely changing and some of the information available on the internet is becoming more reliable. However, now instead of fad diets, you see "CALORIE DEFiCIT" everywhere! To lose weight you DO need to be in a calorie deficit, but simply stating "you need to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight" is not all that helpful.
So this is where I come in! This article will explain everything you need to know about a calorie deficit, and how to stick to it!
What is a calorie deficit?
A calorie deficit occurs when you consume less calories than you burn.
How do you know how many calories you burn daily?
There are three different energy components that contribute to your total daily energy expenditure.
Resting metabolic rate (RMR): Accounts for 70% of daily energy expenditure. This energy is used at rest for bodily functions such as blood circulation, respiration and more.
Thermic effect of food (TEF): Accounts for 6-10% of daily energy expenditure. In addition to RMR, our bodied use energy to process the food we eat.
Energy expended during physical activity: Accounts for 20% of daily energy expenditure. In addition to RMR and TEF, we use energy and burn calories for physical activity.
Therefore, it can be difficult to know your exact daily caloric expenditure based on all three components. It can vary day to day based on rest, how much you eat and what you eat, and your physical activity. But there are several ways to estimate your daily caloric expenditure. There are several calculators online, but you can also use the equation below:
Step 1: Weight (lbs) x 10 = RMR
Step 2: RMR x activity factor (see table below to determine factor) = Total Energy Expenditure
For example, if you weigh 152 pounds and you are active, your equation would look like this: (Step 1) 152 x 10 = 1520 RMR. (Step 2) 1520 x 1.6 = 2,432. This person burns on average 2,432 calories a day.
How many calories should you be consuming to be in a deficit?
First, you must determine what your daily expenditure is. You can use the equation above or any other calculator.
One pound of body fat contains roughly 3,500 calories. Depending on your starting point, you should aim to lose 0.5-2 pounds of fat a week until you reach your goal weight. For a person to lose 1 pound of fat a week, they must consume 3,500 calories less every week until they reach their goal weight. Divide 3,500 calories by 7 days, and the result is a caloric deficit of 500 calories per day. From the example above, a person who burns 2,432 calories a day would need to consume roughly 1,932 calories per day.
How do you monitor a calorie deficit?
I recommend recalculating your calorie expenditure every few weeks. This is because once you start losing weight, you will not need as many calories to sustain yourself on the regular. Eventually, your "deficit" caloric intake will become your "normal" caloric intake. This is also known as Metabolic Adaptation. If you are still not at your goal weight despite being in a "deficit", your metabolism may have already adapted to your new caloric intake.
This is why I believe you should recalculate your calories every so often - to ensure you do not hit a wall and can lose the weight efficiently!
Is being in a calorie deficit enough to lose weight?
Being in a calorie deficit is important to lose weight, but it is only one piece of the puzzle. Here are several reasons why:
Most of the time when people have excess weight, they have excess fat. There is a HUGE difference between loosing weight and burning fat. This part will mostly focus on burning fat as opposed to weight in general. Personally, I do not like when people say they want to lose weight. This is because muscle is included in the category of "weight"... and you should never want to lose muscle on purpose. But if you say you want to burn fat, then this means you want to keep your muscle mass or even GAIN muscle while losing body fat. Being in a calorie deficit alone WILL make you lose weight and fat. But this could also include muscle mass which is a no no .....
In addition to being in a caloric deficit, you MUST make sure you are hitting your macros!!! If you are in a caloric deficit but are only filling your calories with chips, french fries and toaster waffles, then you are doing much more harm than good. It is so important to eat from nutrient and protein dense sources whether you are in a caloric deficit or not.
How do you stay feeling full in a caloric deficit?
Since you are consuming less calories than your body is used to, you might feel hungrier. This goes hand in hand with what was mentioned above - you must be hitting your macros and eating nutrient and protein dense foods. Eating nutrient dense and protein dense foods will increase your feeling of fullness, also known as satiation. It is recommended to eat 45-65% of your calories from carbohydrates, 20-35% of your calories from fat and 10-35% of your calories from protein.
These percentages will range depending on your goals and personal preference. But the bottom line is, if you are eating your calories from high fueling sources, you should feel satisfied throughout the day.
Example person in a caloric deficit breakdown:
From the example above:
- Current weight: 152 pounds
- Goal weight: 140 pounds
- Fitness goals: Lose excess fat, maintain muscle mass
Determine daily caloric expenditure: 2,432 calories
Weekly calorie deficit to lose 1 pound of fat a week: 3,500 calories
Daily caloric deficit to lose 1 pound of fat a week: 500 calories
New daily caloric intake to reach goal: 1,932 calories
Number of weeks in caloric deficit to reach goal weight: 12 weeks
Throughout these 12 weeks, track weight change weekly and re-calculate calories every several weeks to stay on track.
This is a basic understanding of caloric deficit and how to stay on track. Of course there is more that can be discussed such as macronutrient sources, how to count calories, the science explaining how your body burns fat and so on.
But this article should set the record straight and provide helpful guidance regarding a caloric deficit!
If you would like to learn more about any of the topics listed above, please let me know in the comments!
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