{"id":19513,"date":"2021-03-12T19:57:40","date_gmt":"2021-03-12T19:57:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/?p=19513"},"modified":"2024-12-16T08:35:01","modified_gmt":"2024-12-16T08:35:01","slug":"caloric-deficit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/","title":{"rendered":"Caloric Deficit: What Is It And How To Create One Safely"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_75 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#Get_your_personalized\" >Get your personalized<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#What_Is_A_Caloric_Deficit\" >What Is A Caloric Deficit?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#Resting_Energy_Expenditure_REE\" >Resting Energy Expenditure (REE)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#Thermic_Effect_Of_Food\" >Thermic Effect Of Food<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#Activity_Energy_Expenditure\" >Activity Energy Expenditure<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#How_To_Calculate_Caloric_Deficit\" >How To Calculate Caloric Deficit?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#1_Weight_Maintenance_Calculations\" >1. Weight Maintenance Calculations<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#2_Calorie_Calculators_And_Tracking_Apps\" >2. Calorie Calculators And Tracking Apps<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#3_Harris-Benedict_Equation\" >3. Harris-Benedict Equation<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#How_To_Create_A_Caloric_Deficit\" >How To Create A Caloric Deficit?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#Through_Diet\" >Through Diet<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#Tips_For_Eating_Fewer_Calories\" >Tips For Eating Fewer Calories<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#Through_Exercise\" >Through Exercise<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#A_Combination_Of_Both\" >A Combination Of Both<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#How_Do_You_Feel_In_A_Caloric_Deficit\" >How Do You Feel In A Caloric Deficit?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#Can_You_Build_Muscle_On_A_Caloric_Deficit\" >Can You Build Muscle On A Caloric Deficit?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#Why_A_Caloric_Deficit_Does_Not_Always_Work\" >Why A Caloric Deficit Does Not Always Work?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#Overestimating_Your_Burned_Calories\" >Overestimating Your Burned Calories<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#Underestimating_Your_Calorie_Intake\" >Underestimating Your Calorie Intake<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#Eating_Disorders\" >Eating Disorders<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#Lifestyle_Changes\" >Lifestyle Changes<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#DISCLAIMER\" >DISCLAIMER:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#SOURCES\" >SOURCES:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&#8217;re looking for solutions to <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/3-day-split-workout\/\">lose weight<\/a>, then you&#8217;ve probably heard about caloric deficit. The latter means you feed your body fewer calories than it needs so it can use your body fats as an alternative source of energy. While that may be true, it&#8217;s not all you need to know about this weight loss technique.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n    <section class=\"ad-single-wrapper\">\n        <div class=\"ad-single-text ad-title-wrapper\">\n            <h3 class=\"ad-single-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Get_your_personalized\"><\/span>Get your personalized<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n            <span class=\"ad-single-sub-title color-green\">\n                <svg class=\"icon-sparkle\" width=\"36\" height=\"21\" viewBox=\"0 0 36 21\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\"\n                          d=\"M34.6837 0.515943C34.8247 0.835947 34.9421 1.16291 34.9891 1.48987C35.1417 2.64466 35.3179 6.51949 35.2592 7.29863C35.2592 7.53515 35.1887 7.7995 35.0243 8.01516C34.7307 8.39777 33.9791 8.4256 33.5681 8.07081C33.4154 7.94559 33.3215 7.77863 33.2745 7.61863C33.1453 7.15254 33.0396 6.68645 32.9809 6.22035C32.8165 4.81512 32.6638 3.40293 32.5581 1.9977C32.5229 1.53161 32.6051 1.05856 32.6991 0.592466C32.7695 0.244637 33.251 -0.0197144 33.6973 0.00115537C34.2257 0.0289818 34.5546 0.230723 34.6837 0.515943ZM18.6184 9.78225C18.5734 9.67557 18.5344 9.57528 18.4971 9.47956C18.4178 9.27568 18.3465 9.09257 18.2426 8.91267C16.7159 6.24133 14.2615 3.86217 11.4665 1.60128C11.1377 1.33693 10.7267 1.08649 10.2687 0.919531C10.0221 0.829095 9.52885 0.843009 9.247 0.933445C9.03562 1.00301 8.88295 1.27432 8.92992 1.42736C9.01213 1.71954 9.18828 2.01868 9.4349 2.28303C11.0555 4.02913 12.6879 5.76829 14.3437 7.50048C14.8308 8.0068 15.3395 8.50887 15.8473 9.01L15.8473 9.01001C15.9883 9.14921 16.1293 9.28833 16.2697 9.42746C16.4811 9.64311 16.7159 9.85181 16.9626 10.0466C17.2327 10.2692 17.6437 10.4014 18.0547 10.2553C18.0691 10.2501 18.0836 10.245 18.0981 10.2399C18.1097 10.2358 18.1213 10.2318 18.1329 10.2278C18.3785 10.1424 18.6184 10.0589 18.6184 9.78225ZM1.98942 20.1407C2.17783 20.1221 2.37674 20.105 2.58175 20.0875C2.99012 20.0525 3.42272 20.0154 3.84492 19.9598C6.34632 19.6259 8.84771 19.292 11.3374 18.9442C11.8776 18.8676 12.406 18.7355 12.8875 18.5824C13.5334 18.3807 13.7566 18.0954 13.6509 17.7824C13.5452 17.4694 13.1224 17.2746 12.3826 17.2676C11.8776 17.2607 11.3374 17.2676 10.8559 17.3372C7.69683 17.8102 4.5378 18.2972 1.3905 18.7911C1.03819 18.8468 0.674137 18.9442 0.404034 19.0833C-0.2771 19.4242 -0.065712 19.9598 0.803314 20.092C1.01858 20.1228 1.25262 20.1258 1.51135 20.1291C1.66195 20.131 1.82092 20.133 1.98942 20.1407Z\"\n                          fill=\"#17B991\"\/>\n                <\/svg>\n               meal plan!\n            <\/span>\n        <\/div>\n    \n        <div class=\"ad-single-text ad-desc-wrapper\">\n            <p class=\"ad-single-desc\">What's your main health goal?<\/p>\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/first-page-generated?flow=2228&utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Caloric_Deficit\" class=\"btn-ad btn-green\">Lose weight<\/a>\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/first-page-generated?flow=2228&utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Caloric_Deficit\" class=\"btn-ad btn-green\">Feel great<\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <img class=\"ad-single-img\" alt=\"health-food\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"395\" height=\"383\" src=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/themes\/gridlove-child\/assets\/img\/ad\/health-food.webp\">\n    <\/section>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Caloric deficit affects everyone differently. It has benefits and risks, and more importantly, some people opt for extreme deficiency, which isn&#8217;t healthy. Below are facts about caloric deficit and how you can create one safely.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_A_Caloric_Deficit\"><\/span><b>What Is A Caloric Deficit?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A caloric deficit is where you consume fewer calories than what your body uses or burns. Every day, you consume calories, food with energy value needed to boost your <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/3-day-split-workout\/\">body&#8217;s activities<\/a>. Then, there&#8217;s what your body expends or burns, which is called calorie expenditure. When your calorie expenditure exceeds your calorie intake, you&#8217;re in a caloric deficit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your calorie expenditure has three components. They include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 Resting energy expenditure<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 Thermic effect of food<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 Activity energy expenditure<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Resting_Energy_Expenditure_REE\"><\/span><b>Resting Energy Expenditure (REE)<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">REE, also known as the basal metabolic rate(BMR), refers to the calories your body uses at rest for functions that keep you alive. This expenditure accounts for about 50-70% of your calorie intake as bodily functions such as breathing and blood circulation happen 24\/7. The percentage isn&#8217;t always accurate since the BMR is different for everyone based on age, sex, gender, weight, and body composition.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Thermic_Effect_Of_Food\"><\/span><b>Thermic Effect Of Food<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Next up is thermal expenditure, which refers to the energy your body expends in activities such as food metabolism, digestion, and absorption. It only accounts for between 5 &#8211; 10% of your calorie needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Activity_Energy_Expenditure\"><\/span><b>Activity Energy Expenditure<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lastly, activity energy expenditure is burned during exercise and non-exercise-related activities. They can be sports or household chores. It accounts for the remaining 25 &#8211; 40% of your energy usage. In short, whatever else your body does.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Read More: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/how-many-exercises-per-workout\/\">How Many Exercises Per Workout For Weight Loss: Making The Most Out Of Your Gym Time<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_To_Calculate_Caloric_Deficit\"><\/span><b><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/first-page-generated?flow=2228&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Caloric_Deficit\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-30883 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Frame-4128-1024x576.png\" alt=\"caloric deficit\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Frame-4128.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Frame-4128-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Frame-4128.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Frame-4128.png 1344w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a>How To Calculate Caloric Deficit?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To calculate caloric deficit, you first have to calculate your present calorie needs or maintenance calories; then, you can reduce that amount to obtain a calorie deficit. Below are three methods you can use to calculate caloric deficit.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Weight_Maintenance_Calculations\"><\/span><b>1. Weight Maintenance Calculations<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can use this formula to determine how many calories you need to maintain your current weight. That calls for<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.harvard.edu\/staying-healthy\/calorie-counting-made-easy\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">calorie counting<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You need to multiply your current weight by 15 to give you a rough estimate of the number of calories per pound of bodyweight required to maintain your current weight (if you\u2019re moderately active).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moderately active means you spend about 30 minutes doing physical activity such as walking, gardening, or using the stairs. The formula for this calculation is;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Current weight \u00d7 15 = total maintenance calories<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is important to note that this formula <\/span>is meant for moderately active people.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Calorie_Calculators_And_Tracking_Apps\"><\/span><b>2. Calorie Calculators And Tracking Apps<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can opt for calorie calculators online like the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.niddk.nih.gov\/bwp\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Body Weight Planner<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from the National Institute of Health. The planner estimates your calorie needs based on physical activity levels, sex, age, weight, and height.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weight tracking apps are also available online. They&#8217;re more precise as you track your daily calorie intake and weight for a specified period, after which they&#8217;ll give you your medium-maintenance calories.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For those of you using these tracking apps, you need to track your results daily at the same time, using the same scale, and wearing the same clothes. That&#8217;s how you&#8217;ll get accurate results.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Harris-Benedict_Equation\"><\/span><b>3. Harris-Benedict Equation<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The formula used often by professionals is the<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www-users.med.cornell.edu\/~spon\/picu\/calc\/beecalc.htm\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Harris-Benedict Equation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You begin by calculating your BMR, then multiply it by an activity factor based on your activity levels. That should give you your daily calorie needs. Follow either of these formulas below.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adult male &#8211; 66 + (6.3 x body weight in lb) + (12.9 x height in inches) \u2013 (6.8 x age in years) = BMR<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adult female &#8211; 655 + (4.3 x weight in lb) + (4.7 x height in inches) \u2013 (4.7 x age in years) = BMR<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you acquire your BMR, use it in the following equation (based on your activity levels).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sedentary meaning little or no exercise = BMR x 1.2<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Minimally active &#8211; one to three days per week of exercise or activity = BMR x 1.375<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moderately active &#8211; three to five days per week of moderate activity or sports = BMR x 1.55<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Very active &#8211; six to seven days per week of strenuous exercise = BMR x 1.725<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Extremely active &#8211; athletes who train even twice per day = BMR x 1.9\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In case none of these calculations get you the accurate results you&#8217;re looking for, you can consult with your doctor or nutritionist for better results.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, if you&#8217;re on a caloric deficit to lose weight, here&#8217;s how you can calculate yours. Take your maintenance calories from the above formulas and reduce your calories by 500 to 1000. In general, if you cut 500 to 1,000 calories a day from your typical diet, you could lose about one pound (0.5 kilograms) a week (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/healthy-lifestyle\/weight-loss\/in-depth\/art-20048065\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_To_Create_A_Caloric_Deficit\"><\/span><b><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/first-page-generated?flow=2228&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Caloric_Deficit\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-30903 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Frame-4143-1024x576.png\" alt=\"tack your calories \" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Frame-4143.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Frame-4143-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Frame-4143.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Frame-4143-1636x920.png 1636w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Frame-4143.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a>How To Create A Caloric Deficit?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To create a caloric deficit you have to ensure you expend or burn more calories than consumed. To do so, here are two ways:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consume fewer calories on a regular basis<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Increase your daily physical activity through exercise<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It is tremendous to combine both if you want better and long-term results.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Through_Diet\"><\/span><b>Through Diet<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dieting takes the first place since it&#8217;s way easier to cut back on 500 calories than it is to burn it off. Dieting doesn&#8217;t mean that you automatically eat less; it means you eat more strategically. For example, you may need to swap out your favorite Latte for a cup of black <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/does-coffee-break-a-fast\/\">coffee<\/a>. It&#8217;s still coffee, but black coffee has fewer calories than Latte (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/28275131\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">18<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/health.gov\/our-work\/food-nutrition\/previous-dietary-guidelines\/2015#footnote-2\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015\u20132020<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a healthful eating pattern with fewer calories should include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 Plenty of dark green vegetables and whole fruits. Greens are very high in fiber; hence they will keep you feeling fuller for longer.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 Whole grains<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 Proteins &#8211; consume plenty of proteins such as poultry, eggs, meat, soy products, seafood, and legumes. They boost metabolism, build muscle, and keep your body full for longer (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/18448177\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">17<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 Fat-free or low-fat dairies such as yogurt, skimmed milk, and fortified soy beverages.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 Healthful oils, such as olive oil, canola oil, or coconut oil.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensure you stay away from sugary drinks and trans fats as much as you can.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dietaryguidelines.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2020-12\/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2020-2025 dietary guidelines for Americans<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> also offer the 85\/15 rule as guidance, where 85% of the calories consumed should be from nutrient-dense sources, and 15% can come from non-calorie-dense sources like those higher in saturated fat and added sugars.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Reasons why BetterMe is a safe bet: a wide range of calorie-blasting workouts, finger-licking recipes, 24\/7 support, challenges that\u2019ll keep you on your best game, and that just scratches the surface! <a class=\"waffle-rich-text-link\" href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/first-page-generated?flow=2228&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Caloric_Deficit\">Start using our app<\/a> and watch the magic happen.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tips_For_Eating_Fewer_Calories\"><\/span><b>Tips For Eating Fewer Calories<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eliminate drinks high in calories, such as soft drinks and specialty coffee, and replace them with low-calorie beverages like sparkling water.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid alcoholic beverages.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Limit processed foods as they contain higher levels of sugar, salt, and fat. You should be careful with desserts, breakfast, cereals, fast food, and other high-calorie foods.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prepare home-cooked meals as compared to ordering. It gives you more control over what you add to your plate, the portions, and calories. The diet quality is better and rich in fruits and vegetables and lower fats.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In summary, you can easily play with calories in your diet to ensure you consume the needed amounts of calories needed by the body without straining. A good example is this<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhlbi.nih.gov\/health\/educational\/lose_wt\/eat\/menus_tac_1200.htm\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1200 calorie diet menu<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; it should give you an idea of planning your meals.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Through_Exercise\"><\/span><b><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/first-page-generated?flow=2228&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Caloric_Deficit\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-31438 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Frame-3914-1024x576.png\" alt=\"caloric deficit\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Frame-3914.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Frame-3914-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Frame-3914.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Frame-3914.png 1152w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a>Through Exercise<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your next best way to create a caloric deficit is through exercise. Start with increasing your physical activity levels to incorporate more workouts. Meaning, indulge in HIIT workouts, new exercise routines than the ones you have, and more muscle strengthening exercises.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/health.gov\/news\/202010\/nasa-and-hhs-discuss-importance-staying-well-space-and-earth\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Physical Activity Guidelines<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for Americans from the Department of Health and Human Services recommend that adults do 150 &#8211; 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 -150 minutes of high-intensity exercise weekly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moderate-intensity exercises include brisk <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/20000-steps-a-day-weight-loss-2\/\">walks<\/a>, biking, hiking, or taking the stairs. High-intensity exercises include jogging, <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/running-2-miles-a-day-transformation\/\">running<\/a>, cardio, and circuit training. Exercise such as aerobics, compound exercises, and muscle-strengthening activities are also encouraged to help the body prioritize loss of body fat rather than muscle mass (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/25762810\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember to switch up your exercises often,\u00a0 which can help reinvigorate your fitness routine, hence helping you burn more calories. You can include other workout routines such as yoga, dance, or using the gym.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Read More: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/cutting-workout-plan\/\">Cutting Workout Plan: How To Get Rid Of Extra Weight While Preventing Muscle Loss<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Combination_Of_Both\"><\/span><b>A Combination Of Both<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Caloric deficit to lose one pound with exercise alone may take longer than combining diet and exercise. <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/how-to-lose-15-pounds-in-4-weeks\/\">Weight loss<\/a> resulting from an exercise intervention tends to be lower than predicted (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3771367\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">19<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). But, exercise and balanced diets can result in less fat and more lean mass (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5522839\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">11<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Therefore, work up a way to incorporate both ways to create a calorie deficit. Meaning, swap your favorite <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/hiit-workouts-for-men\/\">cardio with HIIT<\/a>. High-intensity interval training can burn more calories and fat, so you&#8217;re not overutilizing your maintenance calories since the workout will also be shorter than other activities.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Do_You_Feel_In_A_Caloric_Deficit\"><\/span><b><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/first-page-generated?flow=2228&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Caloric_Deficit\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-31467 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4303.png\" alt=\"caloric deficit\" width=\"941\" height=\"530\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4303.png 941w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4303-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4303.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 941px) 100vw, 941px\" \/><\/a>How Do You Feel In A Caloric Deficit?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As mentioned before, there should be any drastic changes in your body or bodily functions. You shouldn&#8217;t feel tired or hungry, but instead, feel energetic enough to burn through your total daily energy expenditure. If you&#8217;re often tired, hungry, or experience other symptoms, you may be in an extreme caloric deficit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can use a calorie deficit to lose one pound every week. However, some of you may be looking for faster results. Therefore you decide to follow<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/medlineplus.gov\/ency\/patientinstructions\/000885.htm\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">diets for rapid loss<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, such as fad diets and very low caloric deficit. These can be very dangerous and may lead to adverse effects.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These negative effects arise from ingesting too few calories that carry certain risks such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Malnutrition<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nutrients deficiencies<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Starvation<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brain deprived of energy<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Increased risk of developing gallstones<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Decreased metabolism<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you experience fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, insomnia, getting sick frequently, or negative mood changes, you should adjust your calorie intake to include more calories. Taking way fewer calories than you need will impede your weight loss journey and be counterproductive to your goal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That said, reading the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020, you will note that the body needs about 1600 to 3000 calories as your maintenance calories. Therefore, for a caloric deficit, don&#8217;t go beyond 1000 <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/three-week-diet-plans\/\">calories a day<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_You_Build_Muscle_On_A_Caloric_Deficit\"><\/span><b><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/first-page-generated?flow=2228&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Caloric_Deficit\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-32141 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4485-1024x576.png\" alt=\"changing lifestyle\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4485.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4485-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4485.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Frame-4485.png 1344w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a>Can You Build Muscle On A Caloric Deficit?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes. Theoretically, caloric deficit and muscle gain may seem odd because your body needs many calories to support your body to allow your body to build muscle. However, that doesn&#8217;t mean you can&#8217;t do that while in a caloric deficit; you&#8217;ll have to be strategic about how you go about it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To do that, follow these three crucial principles:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consume a diet high in protein &#8211; this is necessary to build muscle, especially when in a caloric deficit (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6179508\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">14<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do resistance or muscle strengthening exercises but ensure you intake enough carbs to provide the energy needed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep your caloric deficit in a safe range to avoid your body breaking down your muscles to get the energy it needs.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High protein intake is essential to increase lean mass. Also, intake sufficient carbohydrates before your weight training exercises because that will provide the energy we need for muscle breakdown and muscle synthesis, leading to the growth of muscles.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During exercise, you&#8217;ll be stressing your muscles, and the muscle fibers will be damaged. But after the training, the body repairs these damaged muscle fibers through a cellular process called muscle protein synthesis.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The muscle fibers form new protein strands called myofibrils, increasing the thickness and number of our muscles, which is called hypertrophy. Muscle growth occurs whenever the rate of muscle protein synthesis is greater than the rate of muscle protein breakdown.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, for your body to grow muscle while in a caloric deficit, there has to be enough energy to build the muscle after your resistance training. That&#8217;s why you have to consume enough carbs to enhance your performance and increase your strength.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maintaining a safe caloric deficit is basic science and without enough calories from proteins, your body will get its energy from muscle protein and breaks it down for energy, a process called gluconeogenesis. Your muscles will then not be able to grow.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_A_Caloric_Deficit_Does_Not_Always_Work\"><\/span><b><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/first-page-generated?flow=2228&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Caloric_Deficit\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-34507 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/5-4-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"caloric deficit\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/5-4.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/5-4-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/5-4.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/5-4-1636x920.jpg 1636w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/5-4.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a>Why A Caloric Deficit Does Not Always Work?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Going through the article, you&#8217;re convinced that your body will lose weight in a caloric deficit. However, it may not work, at least not all the time. Sometimes, your body gets into a weight plateau where nothing is changing, and you wonder if there&#8217;s something wrong.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Well, there are four common reasons why a caloric deficit may not work.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Overestimating_Your_Burned_Calories\"><\/span><b>Overestimating Your Burned Calories<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes you rely on data from your gym equipment or heart rate monitors and other faulty equipment. They give you hope and often get you overestimating just how many calories you&#8217;re burning. When you check the accurate results, you&#8217;re left questioning if caloric deficit is even beneficial.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some studies show that people can overestimate how much calories they burn without realizing that losing weight can be affected but many more factors than calorie intake (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3771367\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">19<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). Some individuals generally overestimate their energy expenditure even thrice, yet they only use half the amount of calories they consume(<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/21178922\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">16<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another case is whereby you adopt<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/23470300\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">compensatory behaviors<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, such as increasing your calorie intake after exercise or resting completely after exercising as a way of compensating the body for its hard work; impeding <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/yoga-to-lose-weight-in-10-days\/\">weight loss<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Underestimating_Your_Calorie_Intake\"><\/span><b>Underestimating Your Calorie Intake<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Caloric deficit diets require you to measure your calorie intake to ensure that you&#8217;re following the program.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s not unlikely that you fail to measure your calories and end up with a caloric surplus or simply your maintenance calories. Meaning your body won&#8217;t need to burn fat for energy. You need to be keen to maintain a strict diet that&#8217;s a deficit to what you need.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It also applies to different foods such as whole cream milk against skimmed milk or fruit juice against fresh fruits.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Eating_Disorders\"><\/span><b>Eating Disorders<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People struggling with eating disorders such as bulimia, anorexia nervosa, or orthorexia, may find it hard to track your feeding patterns continually. In turn, you revert to old ways of not eating or overeating. Moreover, calorie counting is a tedious task and may trigger old habits that cause you to abandon your new path.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before you realize you have gone off course, you have to relearn the proper eating behaviors. You most probably won&#8217;t see the benefits of a <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/1100-calories-a-day\/\">caloric deficit<\/a>. What&#8217;s more, some studies show that calorie restriction can also lead to stress,\u00a0 even for those without eating disorders. Make sure to talk with a doctor or a dietitian first if you are struggling with an eating disorder.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Lifestyle_Changes\"><\/span><b>Lifestyle Changes<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lastly, your lifestyle can affect the process. Your caloric deficit weight loss journey requires you to be consistent and maintain<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4227972\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">long-term lifestyle changes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that keep you away from high-fat foods, exercising regularly, and restricting your calorie intake. Without that, you wouldn&#8217;t see its effects.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><b>Conclusion<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A caloric deficit is among the best methods you can use for weight loss. However, without the correct facts, you may not experience its benefits. It requires a moderate reduction of your maintenance calories to keep you energized for the day, but with fewer calories which leaves your body seeking energy from your body fats.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Note that while it&#8217;s a good strategy, our biological composition is different, so the results will be different for everyone. While others lose fat faster, others may take much longer to get the same results.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Apart from following a proper diet, physical exercise is also essential for your body and health.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/first-page-generated?flow=2228&utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=Caloric_Deficit\" target=\"_blank\"><video autoplay=\"autoplay\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"playsinline\" width=\"777\"><source src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/ezgif.com-gif-to-mp4-2.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\" \/><\/video><\/a>DISCLAIMER: <\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SOURCES\"><\/span><b>SOURCES:<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhlbi.nih.gov\/health\/educational\/lose_wt\/eat\/menus_tac_1200.htm\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1200-diet calorie menu<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (nd., nhlbi.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/health.gov\/our-work\/food-nutrition\/previous-dietary-guidelines\/2015#footnote-2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2015-2020 health guidelines<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2015, health.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dietaryguidelines.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2020-12\/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2020-2025 dietary guidelines for Americans<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (pdf)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.niddk.nih.gov\/bwp\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Body Weight Planner<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (nd., niddk.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/calorie-deficit#what-is-it\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Caloric Deficit for weight loss<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2020, medicalnewstoday.com)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.harvard.edu\/staying-healthy\/calorie-counting-made-easy\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Calories counting<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2020, health.harvard.edu)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/23470300\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Compensatory behavioral adaptation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2013, ncbi.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/healthy-lifestyle\/weight-loss\/in-depth\/art-20048065\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Counting calories; get back to weight-loss basics<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2020, mayoclinic.org)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/medlineplus.gov\/ency\/patientinstructions\/000885.htm\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Diet for rapid weight loss<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2020, medlineplus.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/25762810\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Effects of resistance training without and without caloric restriction<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2015, ncbi.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5522839\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercise Preserves Lean Mass and Performance during Severe Energy Deficit<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2017, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www-users.med.cornell.edu\/~spon\/picu\/calc\/beecalc.htm\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Harris-Benedict Equation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2000, med.cornell.edu)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4227972\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Impact of long-term lifestyle changes on weight loss<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2014, ncbi.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6179508\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Increased dietary protein to prevent obesity<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2014, ncbi.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/health.gov\/news\/202010\/nasa-and-hhs-discuss-importance-staying-well-space-and-earth\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NASA and HHS Discuss the Importance of Staying Well, in Space and on Earth<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2020, health.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/21178922\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Normal weight men and women overestimate exercise energy expenditure<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2010, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/18448177\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Protein intake and energy balance<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2008, ncbi.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/28275131\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tea catechin and caffeine activate brown adipose tissue<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2017, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3771367\/\">Why do individuals not lose more from an exercise intervention<\/a> (2012, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you&#8217;re looking for solutions to lose weight, then you&#8217;ve probably heard about caloric deficit. The latter means you feed your body fewer calories than it needs so it can use your body fats as an alternative source of energy. While that may be true, it&#8217;s not all you need to know about this weight [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":19538,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,75],"tags":[],"coauthors":[117],"class_list":["post-19513","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nutrition","category-weight-loss"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v20.2.1 (Yoast SEO v25.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Caloric Deficit: What Is It And How To Create One Safely - BetterMe<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A caloric deficit is all you need to lose weight. Sounds easy, right? However, there is something you should know before you try it.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Caloric Deficit: What Is It And How To Create One Safely\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A caloric deficit is all you need to lose weight. Sounds easy, right? However, there is something you should know before you try it.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"BetterMe Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/betterme.health.coaching\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/shutterstock_401552449.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"667\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"ZindzyGracia\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@betterme\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@betterme\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"ZindzyGracia\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"15 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"ZindzyGracia\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/f1b0bb368e8e731db8d770a9db90970c\"},\"headline\":\"Caloric Deficit: What Is It And How To Create One Safely\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/\"},\"wordCount\":2960,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/shutterstock_401552449.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Nutrition\",\"Weight Loss\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"articleBody\":\"<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">If you're looking for solutions to <a href=\\\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/3-day-split-workout\/\\\">lose weight<\/a>, then you've probably heard about caloric deficit. The latter means you feed your body fewer calories than it needs so it can use your body fats as an alternative source of energy. While that may be true, it's not all you need to know about this weight loss technique.\u00a0<\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n\\r\\n\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Caloric deficit affects everyone differently. It has benefits and risks, and more importantly, some people opt for extreme deficiency, which isn't healthy. Below are facts about caloric deficit and how you can create one safely.<\/span>\\r\\n<h2 style=\\\"text-align: center;\\\"><b>What Is A Caloric Deficit?<\/b><\/h2>\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">A caloric deficit is where you consume fewer calories than what your body uses or burns. Every day, you consume calories, food with energy value needed to boost your <a href=\\\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/3-day-split-workout\/\\\">body's activities<\/a>. Then, there's what your body expends or burns, which is called calorie expenditure. When your calorie expenditure exceeds your calorie intake, you're in a caloric deficit.<\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Your calorie expenditure has three components. They include:\u00a0<\/span>\\r\\n<ul>\\r\\n \\t<li><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 Resting energy expenditure<\/span><\/li>\\r\\n \\t<li><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 Thermic effect of food<\/span><\/li>\\r\\n \\t<li><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 Activity energy expenditure<\/span><\/li>\\r\\n<\/ul>\\r\\n<h3 style=\\\"text-align: left;\\\"><b>Resting Energy Expenditure (REE)<\/b><\/h3>\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">REE, also known as the basal metabolic rate(BMR), refers to the calories your body uses at rest for functions that keep you alive. This expenditure accounts for about 50-70% of your calorie intake as bodily functions such as breathing and blood circulation happen 24\/7. The percentage i ...\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/\",\"name\":\"Caloric Deficit: What Is It And How To Create One Safely - BetterMe\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/shutterstock_401552449.jpg\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00\",\"description\":\"A caloric deficit is all you need to lose weight. Sounds easy, right? 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The articles she writes focus on providing factual information \u2013 but never at the expense of providing an entertaining read. Her interest in health &amp; wellness was sparked by her motherhood journey. She realized just how much damage misinformation could cause, especially when it is targeted at new moms who are keen on postpartum weight loss. So for years, she has worked hard to demystify the seemingly complex concepts of health &amp; wellness. Eventually, she made one startling discovery that she wishes to share with all \u2013 there is no short cut. Consistency and hard work are the keys to a healthy mind and body. But, writing is not all she does. Being a mother to an energetic toddler means her free time is spent exploring the outdoors, arms laden with cotton candy and toys. 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However, there is something you should know before you try it.","og_url":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/","og_site_name":"BetterMe Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/betterme.health.coaching","article_modified_time":"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1000,"height":667,"url":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/shutterstock_401552449.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"ZindzyGracia","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@betterme","twitter_site":"@betterme","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"ZindzyGracia","Est. reading time":"15 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/"},"author":{"name":"ZindzyGracia","@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/f1b0bb368e8e731db8d770a9db90970c"},"headline":"Caloric Deficit: What Is It And How To Create One Safely","dateModified":"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/"},"wordCount":2960,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/shutterstock_401552449.jpg","articleSection":["Nutrition","Weight Loss"],"inLanguage":"en-US","articleBody":"<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you're looking for solutions to <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/3-day-split-workout\/\">lose weight<\/a>, then you've probably heard about caloric deficit. The latter means you feed your body fewer calories than it needs so it can use your body fats as an alternative source of energy. While that may be true, it's not all you need to know about this weight loss technique.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Caloric deficit affects everyone differently. It has benefits and risks, and more importantly, some people opt for extreme deficiency, which isn't healthy. Below are facts about caloric deficit and how you can create one safely.<\/span>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>What Is A Caloric Deficit?<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A caloric deficit is where you consume fewer calories than what your body uses or burns. Every day, you consume calories, food with energy value needed to boost your <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/3-day-split-workout\/\">body's activities<\/a>. Then, there's what your body expends or burns, which is called calorie expenditure. When your calorie expenditure exceeds your calorie intake, you're in a caloric deficit.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your calorie expenditure has three components. They include:\u00a0<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 Resting energy expenditure<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 Thermic effect of food<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 Activity energy expenditure<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Resting Energy Expenditure (REE)<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">REE, also known as the basal metabolic rate(BMR), refers to the calories your body uses at rest for functions that keep you alive. This expenditure accounts for about 50-70% of your calorie intake as bodily functions such as breathing and blood circulation happen 24\/7. The percentage i ..."},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/","url":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/","name":"Caloric Deficit: What Is It And How To Create One Safely - BetterMe","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/caloric-deficit\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/shutterstock_401552449.jpg","dateModified":"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00","description":"A caloric deficit is all you need to lose weight. Sounds easy, right? 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