No matter how old you are, staying fit and healthy is the key mantra for your overall wellbeing. With more and more people growing mindful about their health status, they are looking for various means to lose weight instantly. There are numerous diet fads and trends that guarantee you to lose those stubborn pounds; however, these plans are not sustainable in the long run.
Well, health experts recommend a calorie deficit diet as one of the most reliable methods to lose weight effectively. This diet has gained huge popularity among fitness enthusiasts in recent times.
Read through this article to know about a calorie deficit diet, how it affects weight loss and how efficiently it works in your weight loss journey in a healthy, sustainable way.
What Is A Calorie Deficit Diet?
Calories are units of energy that you derive from foods and drinks and when you take fewer calories than you burn, you attain a calorie deficit.
The calories one burns or spends each day are known as calorie expenditure which includes the following components:
Resting Energy Expenditure (REE): This refers to the calories the body uses at rest for carrying out functions such as breathing and blood circulation.
Thermic Effect Of Food: This comprises the calories spent during digestion, absorption and metabolism of food.
Activity Energy Expenditure: This indicates the calories one utilizes during activities like exercise and non-exercise-related activities like doing household chores.
If a person provides the body with fewer calories than it needs to support these vital components of calorie expenditure, you set your body into a calorie deficit state. Doing so regularly for long duration results in weight loss. On the contrary, one will gain weight if you consistently give the body more calories than it requires to support these vital functions. This is called a calorie surplus state.
Calculating Calorie Needs
Generally, for most people, a calorie deficit of 500 calories per day is adequate for weight loss and this does not remarkably affect their hunger or energy levels. To create this calorie deficit, one needs to know what your maintenance calorie is. Maintenance calories are the number of calories the body needs to provide for energy expenditure, which is based on a person's weight, sex, age, height, and physical activity level.
To maintain the same level of activity, one can use a calorie tracking app to monitor calorie intake and weigh oneself daily. For precise results, use the same scale, at the same time of day and wearing the same clothes. Generally, your weight may fluctuate from day to day, but in case your weight has remained steady over the 10 days, the average number of calories you consumed in a day is a better picture of your maintenance calories. One must divide the total number of calories consumed for 10 days by 10 to get the mean daily calorie intake. Finally, subtract 500 calories from this number to get your new daily calorie intake goal for weight loss. For example, if a person's maintenance calorie is 2000 per day, then the new daily calorie goal would be 1500 calories.
However, to support healthy weight loss and adequate nutrient intake, women should not take fewer than 1200 calories per day and men no less than 1500 calories.
Also Read: Top 5 Super Foods To Achieve Weight Loss - Infographic
Ways To Accomplish A Calorie Deficit Diet
One can attain a calorie deficit either by taking fewer calories or increasing physical activity levels or doing both. Having said that, it is easier and more reliable to create a calorie deficit through diet rather than exercise alone. Moreover, exercise doesn’t burn as many calories as it believes. Nevertheless, it’s still suggested that people to involved in strengthening and aerobic exercises for uplifting their overall physical well-being.
The physical activity guidelines recommended for adults is 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (including brisk walking, and light bicycling) or 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity (including jogging and fast bicycling) exercise per week. Additionally, doing muscle-strengthening activities like engaging the muscles in the back, shoulders, chest, arms, and legs for two days a week, may help you to lose more fat than muscle mass.
Also Read: Lost Weight? Here Are Tips To Sustain It
Healthy Guidelines For Eating Fewer Calories
You may be surprised to know that cutting calories from the diet to create a calorie deficit doesn’t need drastic modifications. Simple and easy strategies can greatly help one to reduce calorie intake to lose and maintain weight and they don’t even need calorie counting.
Steer Clear Sugary Drinks
One may be able to cut off several hundred calories from their diet simply by avoiding the intake of sugar-laden beverages like soda, fruit juices, and hot beverages like coffee or tea. Alcoholic drinks also count for a significant number of calories. These are regarded as empty calories that do not offer any fullness or nutrient, but can lead to excess weight gain, and increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes
Avoid Processed Foods
Remember sugar, fat, and salt in highly processed foods like sugary beverages, fast foods, junk foods, desserts, ice-creams, sweets, chocolates, and breakfast cereals, will make high-calorie foods highly appetising and support excess intake.
Include minimally processed foods that are loaded with vitamins, minerals and fibre like fruits, vegetables, nuts, lean proteins, and legumes. A diet abundant in minimally processed foods will prevent one from overeating and help one get all the essential nutrients the body needs.
One can swap sugary cereals with oatmeal topped with fruit or chips with baked almonds, ice-creams with fruit pudding, or chocolates with dry fruits.
Relish Home-cooked Meals
Preparing and eating meals cooked at home can help one to have control over the ingredients, and maintain portion size and calorie intake. Moreover, having home-cooked fresh meals is also linked with better diet quality, higher intake of fruits and vegetables, reduced body fat levels and also the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
A Sample 1200 Calories Meal Plan
Early Morning: Cucumber, ginger, lemon detox water – 1 glass
Breakfast: Oats Porridge with Nuts – 1 small bowl
Mid-day: Skimmed milk yogurt -1 cup
Lunch: Dal – 1 katori + Green Vegetable salad or sauteed vegetable – 1 small bowl + Hand Pound Rice -1/2 katori + ½ tsp ghee
Mid-evening: Guava – 1
Evening: Green Tea- 1 cup
Dinner: Roti -1 + Tawa Paneer -1 katori + Carrot, tomato salad – 1 bowl
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Figure Out My Calorie Deficit?
To determine your calorie deficit, you need to calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), which is the number of calories you burn in a day. This should be subtracted from the number of calories you consume from your TDEE. You can go into a calorie deficit state when you consume lesser calories than your TDEE. A safe calorie deficit limit is 500–750 calories per day, leading to a sustained weight loss of about 0.5–1 kg per week.
Is 1200 Good For A Calorie Deficit?
Yes, 1200 calories can create a calorie deficit for most people, but it's crucial to consider individual factors like age, gender, activity level, and health conditions. For most women, 1200 calories may be too low, potentially causing nutrient deficiencies or slowing down metabolism. It's best to consult a healthcare professional or nutritionist to determine the right calorie intake for your needs.
How To Burn 500 Calories A Day?
To burn 500 calories a day, you can get actively involved in various activities depending on your fitness level. Some examples include:
Running (30 minutes) at a moderate pace (about 6 mph)
Cycling (45 minutes) at a moderate pace
Swimming (30-45 minutes)
HIIT workout (30-40 minutes)
Brisk walking (90 minutes) The exact number of calories burned will vary based on your weight, intensity, and duration of activity.
How To Lose Weight Quickly?
To lose weight effectively, consider these steps:
Follow a calorie-deficit diet by cutting down your calorie intake and increasing your physical activity.
Eat wholesome foods like vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains.
Exercise consistently by combining cardio and strength training.
Maintain good hydration and avoid sugary and carbonated drinks.
Get sound sleep to support your metabolism.
Consider intermittent fasting or time-restricted eating (consult a professional before trying it).
(This article is reviewed by Kalyani Krishna, Chief Content Editor)
Author Profile
M Sowmya Binu:
With over 15 years of expertise and a Postgraduate degree in Nutrition, M Sowmya Binu is a seasoned professional in the field of nutrition. Specializing in tailoring personalized diet plans, she underscores the significance of a balanced approach to health, emphasizing the integration of medication with dietary intake for holistic wellness. Passionate about equipping individuals with the knowledge to make informed decisions, Sowmya adeptly develops insightful content encompassing a wide array of topics including food, nutrition, supplements, and overall health.
References
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/11646629_Low-Calorie_Diets_and_Sustained_Weight_Loss
Optimal Diet Strategies for Weight Loss and Weight Loss Maintenance
Ju Young Kim 1,*
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8017325/
https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-023-02869-9
