What Is a Calorie Deficit, and Is It Safe

Are you looking to lose those excess pounds in the body? Then, a calorie deficit can help you achieve it. Instead of choosing fad diets that show temporary results, you need to put your body in a calorie shortfall. This will push your body to make use of the stored fat and convert it into fuel for running its normal activities. For deficiency of calories, you need to take the right steps. Else, you will burn muscle, which can result in temporary loss of weight. It will only result in gaining weight after you go off the diet. A sustainable weight loss can occur when you develop a diet and exercise routine causing the burning of excess calories. It will ensure you get all the nutrition needed for the body. If you are interested, then read ahead to know the right steps for shedding those stubborn pounds and keep them away.

Why Calorie Deficit Is Important For Weight Loss?

<span data-preserver-spaces=”true”>Weight loss is suggested for maintaining good health. If you suffer from metabolic diseases, then even a small weight loss can have a positive impact on your health. So, how does calorie deficit work? To understand it, you need to know about calories. Calories refer to the energy you receive from foods and drinks. When you burn more calories than what you consume, it can result in weight loss. The calories you burn throughout the day are referred to as calorie expenditure. It has three major components:

REE (Resting Energy Expenditure)

REE is the calories used by the body for rest. With these calories, you complete vital functions needed to keep you alive such as blood circulation and breathing.

Thermic Effect

It is the effect of food. It involves the calories needed by the body for digesting, absorbing, and metabolizing food.

Activity Energy Expenditure

It is the calories burned during activities like exercises or any other sports activities. It is also associated with non-exercise-related activities such as performing household chores or fidgeting.

Reduced calories provided to the body for supporting these components can result in a deficit of the calorie. Your body starts using the fat and converts it to energy when you put the body in this mode consistently. It results in weight loss. Similarly, you will gain weight when you put your body in a calorie surplus. It means you provide the body with more calories than required for completing these functions.

Calculating Calorie Needed For Daily Life

Almost all people can lose weight when they maintain a calorie deficit of 500 calories a day. This is the right calorie level that will not affect your hunger or energy levels. For creating this calorie deficit, you need to understand the concept of maintenance of calories. It is the accurate number of calories needed by your body for supporting energy expenditure. You have several tools available online to calculate the calories needed. Such calculators use information such as weight, age, sex, height, and a person’s activity level. While calorie calculators often provide you a good idea regarding the calorie needs you need to maintain, you will get an accurate number by tracking the weight and calorie intake for ten days.

Calculating The New Calorie Requirement For Calorie Deficit

For calculating the calorie intake, you need to divide the cumulative number of calories consumed for ten-day by ten. It will give you the average calorie intake. Now, subtract five hundred calories from the number. You will get the new daily calorie intake. It is a goal you need to reach weight loss. If it is not clear, here is an example.

If you have derived 2000 calories as the maintenance calories needed per day. Then, according to this formula, your changed daily calorie goal will around 1500 calories.

Once you start losing weight, the maintenance calories will reduce over time. So, you need to recalculate the new calorie intake based on the current weight and the weight loss goals. For healthy weight loss, you need to take the necessary nutrients. Women must consume at least 1,200 calories per day and men must consume at least 1,500 calories.

Ways To Achieve Calorie Deficit

How can you achieve a calorie deficit? It is possible to achieve it by consuming fewer calories than needed for your normal body functioning. You can also reach the goal by increasing physical activities. Combining both can offer effective results. Instead of drastic lowering of calories, if you achieve sustainable deficit with careful choices, then you can reach weight loss goals without complications. While exercise will help you create a calorie deficit, many people may not have the energy, time, or motivation to exercise daily. So, how can achieve this deficit of calories? Here are some of the effective methods to create a deficit of calories that will help you reach weight loss goals without facing issues.

Avoid Drinking Calories

Do you know that intake of sugary beverages can result in the piling of excess pounds? By eliminating sugary beverages from the diet, you can easily reduce your calorie count. Try to avoid sugary drinks such as fruit juices, soda, and specialty coffee drinks. Drinking alcoholic beverages can also increase the number of calories you consume. Drinking these calories will never make you feel full. Also, when you consume these beverages in excess, it can lead to several health problems like unnecessary weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease.

Exercise And Diet Combo To Achieve Calorie Deficit

Exercising can burn the calories in your body. So, it can result in a calorie deficit. But, exercising alone will not help you create a calorie deficit needed for sustainable weight loss. You need to consume fewer calories and include physical activity. It is recommended that adults must at least do 150 minutes to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise every week. Trying exercise or diet alone will not help lose weight sustainably. But, a calorie deficit diet along with physical activity will help shed the excess pounds.

Exercise To Try

So, what exercises can you include in your routine? It is necessary to have an active lifestyle for the low-calorie diet. If you have a sedentary lifestyle, you need to increase the daily activity level. You can include the following:

• Walking
• Hiking
• Taking stairs instead of the elevator
• Biking
• Play recreational sports

You can also try some of the activities suggested here to meet the moderate level of physical activities. The following offers moderate-intensity physical activities:

• Brisk walking
• Doing light yard work
• Light snow shoveling
• Playing with children actively
• Biking at a casual pace

When you become more physically active, the more calories you can burn. For performing these activities, you require calories. It can result in creating a deficit easier. Apart from these low and moderate activities, you can include muscle-strengthening activities. Such activities involve major muscle groups in the body. Such exercises will involve the chest, shoulders, back, arms, and legs. You can include at least two days of such exercises for engaging these muscles. Ultimately, it will result in loss of body fat compared to muscle mass.

Refrain From Consuming Highly Processed Food Items

Including highly processed foods in your diet can increase the total calorie count. Such processed foods contain a high amount of sugar, salt, and fat. These foods make you crave more food, increasing the calorie intake. Therefore, when you can trying to lower calorie intake, avoid the following food items:

• Fast foods
• Sugary beverages
• Breakfast cereals
• Desserts

One study conducted by researchers indicates the consumption of fewer calories when people avoid eating processed food. A diet rich in processed food resulted in the consumption of 500 calories more. People who ate a minimally processed diet tend to consume fewer calories. Minimally processed food has a high amount of vitamins, minerals, and essential fiber. Such a diet also contains foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, nuts, and legumes. When you consume a diet rich in minimally processed food, it will avoid overeating. So, you will get the necessary nutrients needed for the body without consuming more calories.

If your current diet consists of highly processed foods, then it is time to swap them with minimally processed ones. Here are some of the swaps you can make to see changes in your overall calorie consumption:

• Swap sugary breakfast cereals with oatmeal containing fruits
• Replace chips with lightly salted almonds

Eat Home Cooked Meals

Instead of eating out regularly, you need to focus on cooking at home. Home-cooked meals help you have control over the ingredients and portion sizes. So, preparing and eating meals at home helps you control calorie intake. According to one study, people who ate dinner at home at least six to seven times a week consumed a hundred calories less per day compared to people who cooked dinner at their homes only one time a week. Based on this study, we can safely say that preparing and eating food at home helps you limit calorie consumption.

Eating home-cooked meals are linked to better diet quality. It increases the intake of vegetables, fruits, and essential nutrients. Intake of such food will lower fat levels in the body and lower the risk of metabolic diseases like diabetes and heart problems. Another advantage of cooking at home is that you can save money. Since you know what goes into your food, you can count calories with ease. It will help you stay on a calorie deficit diet.

Drink Water Before Every Meal

Drinking water is the key to cutting calories and subsequent fat loss. So, you need to up your calorie intake. Drinking more water between the meals will help you achieve fast loss goals faster. You need to sub the sugary drinks with plain water. It is beneficial for your waistline. Our body is composed of more than 60% of the body’s weight. Maintaining a water balance is necessary for the transportation of necessary nutrients to different parts of the body. Water is also helpful in flushing out the toxins accumulated in the body. It can also support healthy mucous membranes.

Drinking water before a meal will help you feel full and satisfied. It makes you eat fewer calories. According to a study, people who drink at least two cups (500 ml) of water before a meal can see fewer calorie intake by at least 13%. It will help you lose weight.

Watch Your Portion Size

It is essential to watch your portion size. Limiting your portion can only help you reduce calorie consumption. Do you know that when you are confronted with large amounts of food, you have high chances of overeating? It is one of the major problems faced by people who attend all-you-can-eat-buffets. When you have no control over the portion, you tend to eat far more than you intend to. To avoid overeating, you need to measure your portions. You can use small plates for eating less.

Eat Without Distractions For Controlling Calories

Do you know the environment can play a significant part in the amount you consume each day? According to different studies, when you get distracted while you eat, you are more likely to overeat. This is applicable for even later meals. According to a recent review, researchers have found that people who become distracted while eating can consume up to 30% more food/snacks compared to people who focus on their meals. Unhealthy distractions such as watching a TV, using a mobile phone, reading a book, or sitting in front of the laptop/computer while eating can lead to overconsumption of food. Therefore, avoid them to restrict your calorie intake.

Include Zero-Calorie Foods

When you develop a calorie-deficit diet plan, make sure you include zero-calorie food items in the list. Zero-calorie does not mean these food have only zero calories. Every food item has some calories in it. But, your body uses some calories to burn the food item. When the amount you intake is less than the number of calories needed to digest, your body loses calories. Such food items can create a negative deficit. For example, certain foods like cucumber, celery, mushroom, etc. have low calories. But, your body uses more calories to burn it. So, mathematically the total calorie may fall below zero. That said, you must not include a diet only of negative calorie food.

Your body needs nutrition to function properly. A diet comprising only zero-calorie food will kill your metabolism. Include foods offering necessary vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Keep a healthy balance in your diet. Add zero-calorie food to this diet for reducing the calorie intake, increases burning of calories, and feel full for a long time. Such food items can reduce hunger pangs that can lead to excess eating.

Find Low-Calorie Alternative

You need to find a low-calorie alternative for the high-calorie foods in your diet. Dieticians always recommend low-carb food for losing weight with ease. If you are confused regarding the low-carb option you need to include in the diet, here are some of the suggestions you can include in the diet.

• Opt for sweet potato over potatoes
• Choose healthy brown rice over normal white rice
• Eat an egg, the superfood instead of cereals
• Drink almond milk instead of high-calorie regular milk
• Try fruit smoothie over canned juice
• Choose strawberry over banana

Reduce Snacking

Every time you consume food, the insulin levels in the body can get raised. The hormone insulin in the human body can regulate blood sugar and commands the body to store fat. Insulin is also responsible for preventing the breakdown of fat. Frequent snacking can increase the insulin levels in the body. When the body experiences too much insulin spikes throughout the day, it can lead to the development of new fat cells. This can happen even when you consume healthy snacks like walnuts or peanuts. You need to restrict eating snacks to only twice a day. Even when you snack, choose low-calorie options like apple or nuts instead of high-calorie options. Healthy options will overcome hunger pangs without increasing the calorie count.

Are Calorie Deficit Safe?

Here is the important question is it safe to restrict calories? Low-calorie diets are not safe for everyone. So, before beginning it, you need to make an appointment with the doctor to check if it is appropriate for your body and well-being. For people who come under the obese categories (the BMI is greater than 30), then the low calories in the diet may not affect their health adversely. To prevent any problem, medical monitoring can help. Such people can reduce their weight under medical supervision without any complications. But, for obese people (their BMI is around 27 to 30), doctors recommend the diet only when they face medical problems due to excess weight and need to have constant medical supervision while on diet.

Calorie Deficit Diet Not Ideal For Some People

The doctor suggests not trying this diet in specific people. Such people must stay away from trying it as it causes harm than good to their body. So, who must never consider the diet? Pregnant and breastfeeding women need nutrients for their baby. Hence, it is a big no to try these diets. Also, this diet is not ideal for growing children and teens. Since their growth requires all the necessary nutrients, following this diet may only cause hindrance to it. Doctors recommend it only if a child or teen undergoes specialized treatment programs. Older people of age above fifty years must never follow calorie deficit. It is because they need medications for the pre-existing medical condition, which can become worse with a lack of nutrients due to this diet. It is also not recommended due to the side effects linked to the diet.

What Are the Side Effects Of Calorie Deficit Diet?

A calorie deficit can trigger side effects. It is important to know these adverse effects before jumping into the diet. Only after careful consideration, you must opt for the diet. Here are some of the problems linked to the low-calorie diet.

Minor Side Effects

When a person continues to follow a low-calorie diet for four to sixteen week can suffer from minor side effects such as:

• Constipation
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Diarrhea

These signs usually improve within a few weeks. In most cases, these signs may not prevent people from completing the program.

Gallstones

A low-calorie diet can result in rapid weight loss in some people. Such drastic loss of weight can result in the development of gallstones. It is one of the serious side effects associated with this type of diet. Why do you develop gallstone? When the body experiences a deficit of calories, it starts to break down fat for getting energy. While the breaking of fat is necessary for weight loss, it can result in the liver secreting excess cholesterol. When cholesterol combines with bile, it results in the formation of gallstones.

Deprive Brain Of Necessary Energy

When you cut too many calories, it means your body does not get enough nutrients needed for its normal functioning. Vital organs such as the brain can experience short of calories needed for its proper functioning.

Decreasing Metabolism

A calorie-restricted diet can reduce your metabolism. Due to consuming fewer calories, your body becomes forced to break down the muscles for generating energy. It results in low muscle mass. It will drastically cause a drop in your metabolism. With low muscle mass and slow metabolism, it becomes easier to accumulate fat when you come out of the diet. So, you will have no long-term results from following the low-calorie diet. Whatever weight you lose during the diet will come back after coming off the diet.

Trouble Getting Energy For Daily Functions

Not getting enough nutrients due to low-calorie can interfere with gaining or maintaining bone mass. It can also pose several other problems. You need to eat foods from different food groups for maintaining a balance and feel healthy. On a low-calorie diet, you may not get nutrition and will make you feel dissatisfied. Try not to consume less than800 calories as you feel exhausted and fatigued. Such low calories will not provide you enough energy even to complete the daily functions. Eating the same food every day will make you feel bored.

Other Issues Associated With Calorie Deficit

Due to not consuming enough calories, you can suffer from other physical signs that can affect your daily life:

• Difficulty to lose weight
• Getting sick frequently
• Experience negative changes in mood or behavior
• Trouble sleeping
• Suffer from constipation

Talk to a doctor or dietician before you start following a calorie deficit diet. It is important to make sure you get all nutrients even on a low-calorie diet. Your doctor or nutritionist can offer guidance in developing a diet plan to get all the nutrients even on low calories. When you suffer from underlying health conditions like heart problems or diabetes, you need guidance from your doctor to manage the condition. In such cases, taking professional advice becomes essential.

Conclusion

A calorie deficit occurs when your body expends more calories than you eat. You cannot achieve it with diet alone. For successful results, you need to eat few calories and include exercise for weight loss. This combination can only result in healthy and sustainable weight loss. Following a low-calorie diet alone can lead to lead to serious health issues. By following some of the tips suggested here, you can reach the goal with ease. People suffering from health conditions need to consult their doctor before embarking on such a diet. With professional assistance, you can ensure you follow a low-calorie diet with fewer side effects.

References

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a35116575/what-is-calorie-deficit/

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/calorie-deficit#bottom-line

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/calorie-deficit