What Is a Calorie Deficit and Is It Safe?

What Is a Calorie Deficit, and Is It Safe?

It's been a long-held belief as a fact that living in caloriedeficit will be a typical strategy to employ when trying to lose weight. (You've likely heard or heard the expression "calories in < calories out" at the time, right?)

But what exactly is an caloriedeficit and what exactly is it, and is cutting back on calories actually the best way to lose weight? What do nutrition experts and research from recent years say about calorie deficits, how to calculate the calorie deficit, and whether or not they're an excellent idea.

CREDIT: ADOBE STOCK

What Is a Calorie?

With regard to the human body as a whole, a calorieis a measure that refers to the amount of food with a specific energy-producing value. The essence of this is that the food and drinks that you consume supply the body with energy calculated in terms of calories, that allow you to remain alive.

However, your body requires more than just calories to remain healthy -- you also need nutrients -which include minerals and vitamins for you to keep your body functioning well. (For instance calcium, a mineral in milk helps to strengthen bones, and the mineral iron present in beans is vital to help red blood cells function.)

How Many Calories Do You Need Per Day?

Three factors determine how many calories you require: your base metabolic rate, your physical exertion and the thermal effect of food.

BMR:Your base metabolism refers to the volume of energy required for your body to keep going, like for your heart's pumping. The rate at which a person's basal metabolic rate (BMR) is determined by a variety of factors , including gender, age and height as well as growth (i.e. in the case of children). Basal metabolism is responsible for 50 to 70 percent of your calorie needs.

Physical ActivityPhysical physical activity is responsible for 25 and 40 per cent of calorie requirements. Of course, this is not just about exercise, but also includes non-exercise activity thermogenesis, also known as NEAT. the energy you use in doing things that are not digesting, breathing in, eating or exercising, i.e cooking, cleaning, fidgeting, typing, etc.

Thermic effect of foodThe thermic effect of food is the energy that is required to digest and absorb food you eat. It is responsible for 5 to 10 percent of your total calorie requirements.

Dietitians employ a variety of formulas to determine a person's calorie needs. Some of the more well-known formulas is the Harris-Benedict Equation First, you calculate your BMR by calculating your height, weight and age. Next, this BMR is multiplied by an activity factor (ex how much you typically move) to determine roughly how many calories you'll need every day. For instance, someone who is not active or who exercises regularly is likely to multiply the BMR by 1.2 for example, while those who exercise moderately up to five times per week will increase the BMR with 1.55. Instead of doing all the calculations on your own, you can make use of this USDA's calculator to determine your calorie needs. USDA CALORIE NEEDS CALCULATOR

Women's calories for adults can vary from 1600 to 2400 per day, as per the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. If your lifestyle is more sedentary, you'd be on the lower side of the spectrum, while if you're more active, you'd be more on the high end. (Note that as you get older, your calorie requirement decreases and if breastfeeding or pregnant then your requirements could increase.)

What Is a Calorie Deficit?

Simply simply the way it works, an calorie deficit is the time when you consume less calories than your body is burning or using.

It is generally recommended that, to shed weight, you should create the calorie deficit. For instance that if someone needs to consume 3,000 calories daily however, reducing the calorie intake by 2,500 calories a day results in a calorie reduction of approximately 500 calories daily. In 1558, researcher Max Wishnofsky, M.D. determined that 1 pound of fat can store around 3500 calories, According to an article published in The Today's Dietitian. Since then, it's become common information that, for weight loss -- 1 pound equals 3,500 calories. With that in mind, it is believed that a daily 500-calorie deficit could eventually result in approximately 1 pound of weight loss every week. (See: How to Cut Calories to Lose Weight Safely)

If you're taking excess calories than what your body needs and it's referred to as a calorie surplus. If you're in a calorie surplus for a long period of time, it can be a cause of weight growth. (Of course, significant weight gain isn't necessarily due to excess eating, it can also be due to metabolic problems or other health conditions such as hypothyroidism. This is why it's crucial to take regular medical check-ups and see an ophthalmologist if you're gaining weight suddenly.)

Using a Calorie Deficit for Weight Loss

The National Institute of Health (NIH) broadly recommends adopting a low-calorie diet (aka going into a deficit in calories) for those who are obese or overweight and seeking to lose weight. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics further states in its 2016 report that an everyday 500-to 750to 750 calorie deficit is recommended for weight loss.

A number of studies have been cited to support this notion: A 2007 study on calorie deficits found that cutting back around 500 calories daily can aid in weight loss. However, the amount of weight lost will depend on the individual's weight at the beginning, according to research. For instance, a person who starts with a higher quantity of body fat will require an increased calorie deficit over time to shed weight. The study explains that this is why males can shed more pounds than females in an identical calorie deficit because women usually have more body fat than men of similar weight.

However there is a 2013 study published in the International Journal of Obesitypoints out that the guideline for a deficit of 3500-calories per week (or 500-calorie deficit per day) as an average rule of thumb that may be over-simplified. Researchers involved in the study wanted to see if the 3,500-calorie rule could accurately predict weight loss of the subjects However, the results indicated that the majority of participants lost significantly less weight than expected in this 3-500-calorie rule. The reality is that there are many more factors affecting weight loss results other than cutting calories. Many metabolic factors like internal signals of satiety (meaning that you're full or content), can also play a role. There's a great deal of research being conducted to identify other aspects that might be involved.

How to Safely Lose Weight Using a Calorie Deficit

While research indicates that how the rule for a 500-calorie deficit might have some flaws, the rule is still the preferred guideline to lose weight in public health organizations like the National Institute of Health, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as well as the Mayo Clinic. And in order to lose weight through an calorie deficit, you must to keep it going for long periods of time, according to Joan Salge Blake, Ed.D., R.D.N., nutrition instructor of Boston University and host of the podcast on nutrition and wellness called"Spot On!. You can build and maintain the calorie surplus by

1. Consuming fewer calories.
2. Increase your physical activity daily while reducing your calorie intake.
3. A mixture of both.

The truth is that both cutting back on calories in conjunction with exercising more (and which means producing more calories) is typically the most effective way for people to shed pounds, says Salge Blake. (Think that if you cut out 250 calories from your day and also go on a run or walk which burns 250 calories it will be much easier in achieving that 500-calorie deficit compared to reducing your food intake by 500 calories alone.)

However, you shouldn't have to make any drastic changes in avoiding most foods and exercise too much since it's not long-term sustainable or healthy. "Just because a little calorie deficit is good for weight loss does not mean that eating as little as possible to lose weight is a good idea," says sports dietitian Amy Goodson, M.S., R.D. You shouldn't eat less than 1,000 calories a day according to NIH. If you're eating too few calories, it may hinder weight loss, and also prevent your body from getting the energy it requires for a healthy lifestyle. If you're eating fewer calories, even for one day, you can feel hungry, irritable tired, or depressed, and have constipation or diarrhea. The issue is that it doesn't promote the right eating habits that can be maintained. If you restrict calories for a lengthy period of time (think: months) it could lead to malnutrition, deficiencies in nutrients which can cause you to be in a state where you are starving. Because of this, your body is likely to hold onto the fat in order to backup energy for your body which will in turn hinder on weight loss and would be unproductive for your goal.

A healthy rate of the loss of weight should be between 1 and 2 pounds over the course of a month, from the NIH. Anything more than that may be potentially dangerous and can have the potential for health risks. A rapid weight loss can increase the demands for the body. This can create a greater risk for developing gall stones or malnutrition, electrolyte imbalances and liver damage. If the weight loss rate is greater than 1 to 2-pounds per week (i.e. post bariatric surgical procedure) the procedure is best to have it under the supervision of medical experts.

And it's worth noting that, if you have an underlying medical condition that could be causing weight growth (such as hypothyroidism or type 2 diabetes) try using the concept of a calorie deficit for weight loss might not be effective. It's the reason why it's so important to see your doctor to discuss your recent gain of a significant amount of weight, or if you've tried to lose weight but haven't succeeded.

Short- vs. Long-Term Weight Loss Goals

"Depending on the person and their specific weight-loss goal, a calorie deficit may need to be done for a shorter or longer amount of time," says Goodson. "While it's not always a perfect equation, typically the length of calorie deficit depends on the amount of weight that needs to be lost." After six months of utilizing the calorie deficit to shed pounds is a good time to switch to a weight-maintenance plan - regardless of whether you've met your goals, according to the NIH. If you've lost weight, keeping it off is extremely difficult. Taking breaks for a couple of weeks or even months to make sure that you don't get back to it is a good way to maintain your weight loss in the long run. According to the Transtheoretical Model (or Stages of Change) utilized to explain behavior changes, the fifth phase is the maintenance phase in which the behavior is maintained (for 6 months or more) and should be maintained throughout the future. Entering this maintenance mode after several months of the calorie deficit isn't all about how much food you're consuming, but allowing yourself time to keep up with your behaviour changes. Based from this research, six months are believed to be the most effective number. Once you've been away from weight gain for a couple of months, you'll be able to recalculate your calorie requirements and set a new deficit to continue the weight loss process.

If you experience a weight-loss plateau -- which is a thing that happens, and is a normal aspect of the weight-loss process -- it's important to evaluate your calorie requirements as a different deficit (though perhaps not as huge) may be needed. For example, if you lost 10 pounds by eating 500 calories less every day for a period of about 2 months the calorie needs will be less because you're lighter by 10 pounds. This means that you'll need to re-evaluate your current calorie requirements in light of your BMR and activity level. you could end up eating 750 calories fewer than when you began.

Similarly, once your weight loss goals are reached, you'll have to alter your calorie intake accordingly. Be physically active on regularly scheduled basis can aid in keeping the weight off by increasing your daily calorie burn (as well as also provide your body with plenty of other important health benefits).

The most important thing is to stay in the weight loss for a lengthy duration of time and not having your weight rise back up. This is the reason why the NIH suggests no more than 500 to 1000 calorie deficit every day. "The trick is to create small calorie deficits so that the weight you lose doesn't come back," explains Elizabeth Ward, M.S., R.D., author of Better is the New Perfect. If you are trying to maintain the large calorie reduction, you'll become extremely hungry and won't stick to your meal plan for as long a period of time as you want, totally cutting off your efforts to lose weight. Long-term sustained weight loss is much more difficult than losing the weight, according to an review of a study in 2019. In a meta-analysis of 29 long-term studies of weight loss over half of the lost weight was recovered within two years. In the following five years, more 80 percent of the weight loss was recovered.

Calorie Deficit and Exercise

People who are very physically active may wonder if they can lose weight with the use of a calorie deficit. "The key is making sure that you're fueling your body appropriately for the amount of activity being done," explains Goodson. "Consuming too few calories can have a negative impact on performance and energy levels." If, for instance, you're cutting calories or exercising intensely it is possible that you are at risk of contracting the female athlete triad syndrome. This manifests as irregular menstrual cycles and loss of energy.

"Tracking calories may be an important piece of the equation to make sure active people consume enough calories for energy but are creating a deficit to help them meet their weight loss goal," says Goodson.

As a general recommendation is to reduce caloric intake , and then increase their activity level to produce a caloric deficit. But if you're an avid athlete (think: running a marathon or other vigorous event) and have lot of weight to lose you might want to meet with an registered dietitian who is specialized in sports.

Behavior Change

Reduce your calories and working out more is only half of the battle. The NIH also suggests that behavior therapy be used along with the loss of weight and the increase in physical activity. In accordance with the Transtheoretical Model (or Stages of Change) when the behavior is sustained for more than 6 months and then it becomes a habit that someone continues to follow. Instilling healthy habits that last a lifetime are the most important goal to avoid the weight.

Salge Blake recommends meeting with a certified dietitian nutritionist (RDN) who is specialized in this area . They can help you with this weight-loss process. The cost of the service might get covered under your health insurance. Find an RDN near you by visiting the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website and clicking "Find an Expert."

Why a Calorie Deficit Doesn't Always Work

In the event of an calorie deficit can cause weight loss. However "many folks over-estimate how many calories they are burning through physical activity and underestimate how many calories they are consuming," Says Salge Blake. For example, research shows that cardio machines as well as other calories-burned calculators may overestimate. This makes losing weight through physical activity -- or the calculation of your calorie deficit requirements while adding calories burned during exercises more difficult.

If you're trying to track how much you calorie deficit, Salge Blake recommends using one of the numerous available weight loss apps to help keep track of what you're eating. Make sure to remember that "you need to understand portion sizes in order to put in the accurate amounts of the foods you're consuming daily," she says Salge Blake. "If your portions are incorrect -- especially, underestimated -- so will be the output [your total calorie count]."

To meet your calorie requirements and get the necessary nutrients for a healthy body it's essential to prioritize eating nutritious foods and limit foods that are high in saturated oil along with added sugars. The 2020-2025 guidelines for dietary recommendations for Americans offers the 85/15 rule as a guideline, in which 85 percent of calories consumed should come from sources that are rich in nutrients, and 15 percent could come from non-calorie-dense sources such as ones that contain a lot of saturated fats and added sugars (think: cookies, candy or butter, etc.). (Related: These 5 Simple Nutrition Guidelines Are Undisputed By Experts and Research)

In addition, if you have an eating disorder in your past (such as anorexia-nervosa, bulimia, or orthorexia) You may not be a suitable option for calorie counting because the time-consuming nature of calorie counting can lead to a return. Additionally, those who suffer from eating disorders have to spend months or even years learning new eating patterns and try to eradicate eating disorders-related behavior, including calorie counting. According to a 2010 paper written in Journal of Neuroscience, calorie restriction can lead to anxiety and eating disorders even in people who do not have a previous history of eating disorder. (Related: Counting Calories Helped Me Lose Weight--But Then I Developed an Eating Disorder)

The Bottom Line

Using an calorie deficit for weight loss is definitely a strategy that can be effective, but it is not as a stand-alone method. The increase in exercise, the ability to calculate what you eat (like portions) and making changes in your lifestyle towards healthy, sustainable practices are also part of the equation. While many people have attempted this by themselves however, the guidance of an RDN will certainly provide support and positive motivation towards healthy weight loss goals.