What is Calorie Deficit?

How to Lose Weight and Keep if Off

Dennis M. Loya, JD.

There are millions of opinions on the subject of losing weight and I didnt think I would feel the need to add to them until I was talking to someone about losing weight and what they can do to drop a few pounds. I discussed with this friend the issue of eating and exercising at a calorie deficit, and when her eyes glossed over I knew at that point that what I was saying was not making sense to her. So I decided to write this article to try to educate and inspire others to participate in a healthy lifestyle.

People will try anything to lose weight. I know people who are having their stomachs for the most part sewn shut so that they can only eat a few ounces at a time. I have seen and been part of a whole industry of drugs for helping individuals find the magic solution to being the right weight. I have participated in the infamous Atkins Diet that advocates eating few carbohydrates and plenty of protein and fats. Mostly I lament over the people making money from the obsession of losing weight and placing unsuspecting/trusting individuals in harms way, at the same time stealing their money by promising some talismanic cure for obesity. The answer to losing weight for the average healthy person seems so simple but is obfuscated by the self-appointed self-serving pseudo-intellectual weight loss gurus. Here is the answer and you do not have to climb a mountain to find itone must eat and exercise at a calorie deficit.

Eat less and exercise. I said this seemed simple, but not easy. To lose weight requires this proven magic formula: you must burn more calories than you take in. There is your magic formula in one sentence. There is literally an industry of books, gadgets and videos that tell you what kind of calories you should take in (low fat, low carbo, high protein, high fat, eat in The Zone, eat for your body type, etc.). All of this is nonsense and pointless if you are still eating more calories than you burn. One way to facilitate calorie burning is to take in fewer calories and exercise to augment the calorie burning process. Eat a balanced diet (remember that Twinkies, cupcakes, and donuts are NOT part of any known food group) consisting of less calories than you are burning during the day and you will lose weight. The important thing to remember is that you eat less, not nothing. You will lose weight slowly and safely but you must eat so that your metabolism does not slow to the point where you are not burning enough calories to lose weight sending your metabolism into starvation mode. If your body perceives a consistent large calorie deficit as a threat, it begins to store fat to combat the famine conditions.

Have you ever seen a fat triathlete or marathon runner? Probably not. The basic premise is that whatever activity level you are at, increase it. If you are a couch potato, start by walking around the block on a regular basis. For your weight-loss workout, choose an activity or activities that you enjoy. Options like walking, bicycling, aerobic dancing, stair climbing, golf, tennis, jogging, and swimming are all great. Walking is a good option for many people, and its inexpensive and readily available to most and does not place a lot of stress on your joints. When exercising, increase slowly and gently and try to do enjoyable things because this is a total lifestyle change and not some fad. The pivotal trait for success? Consistency. Weight loss is best achieved by making long-term changes in diet and exercise that become part of a healthy lifestyle. Small changes that cause few disruptions in life are more sustainable and more likely to help you keep those unwanted pounds from returning home to roost. In addition, adding resistance training will help maintain the metabolic rate as discussed earlier. A simple weight lifting program two to three times a week should make a world of difference aesthetically and psychologically to encourage further weight loss. Exercise also improves self-esteem, which may help you stick with your healthy lifestyle habits. Finally, physical activity helps you feel better regardless of how much weight you lose.

To burn more calories, those who currently exercise 3 days a week should try adding a fourth day, exercising longer each day, or doing both. In addition to your planned daily exercise and healthy diet, you can lose extra pounds by adding more physical activity in general to your daily lifestyle, for instance, take the stairs instead of the elevator; walk to the store around the corner instead of drive.

If you want to lose fat, a useful guideline for lowering your calorie intake is to reduce your calories by at least 500 kcal, but not more than 1000 kcal below your maintenance level. For people with only a small amount of weight to lose, 1000 kcal will be too much of a deficit. As a guide to minimum calorie intake, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that calorie levels never drop below 1200 calories per day for women or 1800 kcal per day for men. Even these calorie levels are quite low.

A complete program includes resistance training, aerobic training, interval training (get winded and recover, get winded and recover), cross training (alternating two different exercises on different days, e.g. treadmill and exercise cycle), small frequent meals (5-6 small meals per day; or a meal every two hours) containing high-quality protein and carbohydrate, and low-glycemic nutrition (avoid a lot of refined sugar, white flour, and highly processed carbs - focus on carbs that exist in nature). Proper supplementation, particularly post-workout whey protein or leucine, is helpful. Lots of water and sufficient rest are also a must.

These are proven techniques that can transform your body and improve your fitness level over the long-term. Unfortunately many so-called weight loss strategies are really muscle loss strategies. These include severe restriction of carbohydrates (the Atkins diet, for example) and excessive training without proper post-exercise nutrition. Eating too much in the way of simple, processed carbohydrates (white flour, sugar) also kicks up insulin, which prevents fat burning until the insulin clears the system (which can take a while if youve got insulin regulation problems).

Many of us still eschew serious weight training even though experts insist its necessary for optimal body composition. More muscle equals less body fat over time. A pound of muscle requires at least 35 calories a day to function; a pound of fat only needs 1 or 2 calories. When you build muscle, you boost your resting metabolic rate (RMR), so your body burns more calories, even when youre asleep.

There are approximately 3500 calories in a pound of stored body fat. So, if you create a 3500-calorie deficit through diet, exercise or a combination of both, you will lose one pound of body weight. If you create a 7000 calorie deficit you will lose two pounds and so on. The calorie deficit can be achieved either by calorie-restriction alone, or by a combination of fewer calories-in (diet) and more calories-out (exercise). This combination of diet and exercise is best for lasting weight loss. Indeed, sustained weight loss is difficult or impossible without increased regular exercise.

Accept that healthy and thin are not equal or go hand in hand. Does anyone think that someone who is anorexic is a good role model for a healthy look? Realize that genetics are a very important factor in this equation. If your mother and father were obese, you probably will be too, however that does not mean something cannot be done to change that, nor does it mean you cannot live a healthy lifestyle that is inherent to a quality life. Just remember that simply because a food exists does not mean we are obligated to eat it. Really, if you looked at it, there is no reason for a donut to exist, especially a chemical laden low-fat donut. Do not be a slave to the scale, listen to your body and know your body, see if it feels healthy. Embrace yourself and get healthy.

Throw away the over-the-counter diet drugs, they are not healthy. Many weight loss diets and diet plans involving weight loss pills or supplements encourage very fast weight loss, often in excess of three to four pounds per week. This is both unhealthy and ineffective. The average healthy human body simply will not shed more than about 2 pounds of fat  per week. But it will shed water, which is what most fast weight loss isWATER LOSS!

If your goal is fat loss, the scale is an extremely poor tool for measuring progress, particularly when you are doing any kind of weight training. Also, there is so much variation in water retention and digestive contents that you really cannot get a useful reading until your fat loss is significant as a percentage of your body weight. The mirror is another poor measuring tool. Fat never spot-reduces. It comes off in proportion to the existing fat layer. Usually, the shoulders and upper body are the first to show visual improvement, since these are the areas where the fat layer is thinnest. Your problem areas are virtually never the first to show improvement. But the progress will come if you dont give up.

For the first few weeks, write down everything you eat - youll learn a lot about yourself, and your daily estimates may not even be close otherwise. If you follow roughly the same meal plan every week, it is definitely worth the effort to carefully and honestly estimate the calories of your usual meals using a measuring cup and an inexpensive food scale. If you do this even once, youll find that its much easier to track your daily intake accurately.

Here is a checklist of things that can be done:

1. Replace full-calorie food with low-calorie options (skim milk vs. whole milk, low-calorie dressing vs. high-calorie dressing)

2. Replace high-calorie condiments with low-calorie choices (mustard instead of mayonnaise, salsa instead of cream-based sauces)

3. Choose small servings (large portions may contain twice the calories)

4. Eat slow-down foods (for example, an orange instead of orange juice)

5. Drink lots of water

6. Follow a daily food plan (impulsive choices tend to be high in calories)

In short, get active, eat healthy, be at peace with yourself, and learn to accept yourself. The foregoing is the secret formula for weight loss which is really not a secret at all. Do not be disappointed, it is not easy, just get to work. Stop putting it off until a tomorrow that will never come. The sooner we take a healthy view to weight and fitness, the better off we will all be. By counting calories every day, you can expect to achieve effective long-term results. Moreover, a complete record of your daily calories allows you to use your feedback to more effectively control your weight loss experience in many other beneficial ways.

Few people lose weight without occasional periods of discouragement and frustration. Create an attitude of persistence during times that you reach a weight plateau. In addition, some people benefit from the motivation provided by weight-loss support groups. Exercise, like a healthy diet, is a lifestyle adaptation that should persist throughout life.

My disclaimer: I do not recommend undertaking any new exercise or diet program without getting solid medical advice from a trained professional. While what I am going to tell you will probably come under the heading of common sense, if you know or even suspect you have some unique health circumstance, talk to your doctor first.

Counting calories and creating a calorie deficit is a very specific mathematical formula, a very complicated one. I did not want to complicate this writing by including the specific formula. What I do encourage is contacting a fitness professional i.e. personal trainer, dietitian etc. to figure out your daily caloric intake and create a plan for lifestyle change and weight-loss program. Having your body composition tested regularly and your calorie needs adjusted to your new training load is the best way to stay lean and fit.

Article Index