Question 1

What if you think you're in a calorie deficit but you’re not losing weight?

Accepted Answer

If you believe you’re in a caloric deficit but are not seeing results, it may be time to observe what you’re eating a little more carefully. The best way of doing this is to create a food journal or get a reputable app to help you log your daily calories.

After all, as most of us don’t generally know how many calories everything contains, you may find out that you’ve been eating more than you think. If this is not the case, the answer may be one of the above-mentioned reasons.

Question 2

What should my calorie deficit be?

Accepted Answer

To find out what your calorie deficit should be, you must first determine how many calories you consume per day. This can easily be done by downloading a highly-rated calorie app from App Store or Play Store.

Once you have done this, eat as you normally would and log everything on the app. This will give you a good estimate of your daily intake. After this, you should realize that for healthy and sustainable weight loss, you should be in a calorie deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories a day (a 3,500 to 7,000-calorie energy deficit a week).

This will help you lose 1 to 2 pounds a week (9). A calorie deficit is also determined by age and the amount of physical activity you do in a day. The less active you are, the less you eat. Input all these details into your calorie counter and you will find out what your deficit should be.

Question 3

What is a good calorie deficit for weight loss?

Accepted Answer

A good energy deficit for weight loss is cutting anything between 500 and 1,000 calories a day. While you may be tempted to cut more, it is not worth it as this can lead to nutrient deficiencies, heart problems, and digestive issues(22) and may even cause eating disorders (21).

Question 4

How much of a calorie deficit is too much?

Accepted Answer

Cutting anything more than 1,000 calories a day is considered to be too much. However, the lowest amounts of calories that should be consumed in a day are (32):

Women – 1,000 to 1,200 calories
Men – 1,200 to 1,600 calories

As calorie intake is dependent on many factors, it is always a good idea to consult your doctor before you cut any calories, work out, or start any kind of weight loss program.

Question 5

How can I create a calorie deficit?

Accepted Answer

Creating a calorie deficit for weight loss is fairly easy. Here’s what you would need to do:

Consume less food

As stated above, logging your food will give you a good idea of how much food you consume each day. With this number, cut anything from 500 to 1,000 calories, and you will effectively be in a deficit. Replace your normal foods with healthier and low-dense calorie options.

Portion control is also essential. Reduce the number of times you eat out or order out, use smaller plates at home, and stop eating meals in front of your TV or computer (19).

Work out more

Physical activity is also essential for a calorie deficit, but eating less will only take you so far. Working out will help burn even more calories, boost metabolism, and build muscle through burning calories while at rest.

Combine fewer calories and exercising

While cutting calories is more effective for promoting weight loss than working out, exercise will help you keep the weight off (16). If you don’t work out, you may regain all the excess weight you lost after you’ve finished dieting.

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