How to correctly create a Calorie Deficit
Before you can figure out how much you need to eat to begin to lose weight, it’s always a great starting point to actually find out how much calories you currently consume. This will allow you to take out any guess work and make the weight loss journey much simpler in the long run!
Step 1 – Ditch the online calculator!
When trying to figure out what your maintenance calories are, DO NOT use an online calculator.
Too many of you try to use this ‘short cut’. Online calculators are not person specific and are usually there to a be a very general guide and give you a rough indication of what the number may be but they can often over or under estimate the calories you should be consuming, regardless of how many specifics they ask you to fill in.
Step 2 – How to track your calories the correct way
First thing I’d recommend is using a food tracking app such as MyFitness Pal, Lifesum or something similar.
Don’t change your diet yet, simply eat and drink what you would naturally have.
You will then need to track the calories you consume for 7 days.. not just the foods but also the drinks too! This is because they both factor into your overall calorie intake each day.
Over the course of the week, we can then find out the average amount of calories you consume daily by adding the total calories of each of the days and dividing by 7. This will give you your average daily calorie consumption and that’s what is called your maintenance calories to maintain your body weight!
Step 3 – How to begin the weight loss process
To lose weight many people think you have to begin some sort of “magic” diet but you don’t. The way that all diets allow people to lose weight is simple; they make you consume less calories! So whether it’s the Keto diet, Low carb diet or any other one, they all simply create a calorie deficit.
Creating the calorie deficit!
There are 2 ways to do this: Eat less or burn more calories
For example, if your maintenance calories is 2500 calories, all you’d have to do is to consume less than this consistently on a daily basis.
Eat & drink less calories
Let’s say you reduce your maintenance by 200 calories, this now leaves you with a total of 2300 to consume, therefore creating a 200 calorie deficit.
OR
Burn more calories
Now, let’s say you burn 200 calories by exercising via your chosen sport, treadmill, mountain climber etc. this is another form of creating a calorie deficit.
My Recommendation
Personally, I’d recommend having a mix of both methods to reduce your daily calorie intake as it allows a little bit of leeway when on weight loss journey.
If you solely create your deficit by focusing on only one of these, you then become dependable on that one thing e.g. solely burning more calories by doing loads of cardio, which may be hard to sustain long term.
Having a balanced approach just makes it that little bit more easier to maintain the deficit.
Step 4 – How much should my calorie deficit be?
Of course you can cut your calories in half or by 1000 or something huge but as we all know this is way too drastic and can create a negative effect on your metabolism and body as a whole.
Personally, I suggest starting by gradually cutting down your calories by 150 – 300.
As when you reduce by a small amount your body is likely to get accumulated to it so you can personally get used to it which makes the deficit so much more easier to maintain so much more sustainable for you.
If you slash your calories by a big chunk it may be too much for your body and mind to get used to and most likely find yourself slowly reverting back to your old ways or crashing much sooner.
Step 5: How to measure your progress
I advise using a mix of the weight scales and progress photos, with more emphasis on the progress photos! This is because you want to visually look better, not just see lower numbers on a screen.
Firstly take weekly photos in the same spot, at same time of day in the morning before eating and be sure it has similar lighting and the same angle of the shots, so each week you can truly compare the difference more accurately.
PRO TIP: don’t get stuck on the scale number not moving or moving slowly week to week. There are so many factors that can fluctuate this number.
FINAL TIP
DO NOT USE THE ONLINE CALCULATOR!
To put it more bluntly…if you can’t do the basic and most simple step of tracking your own calories, that you already consume and you don’t have to change a thing yet. YOU WILL NOT SUCCEED.
If you are that impatient that you can’t wait the 7 days to find out the real calories you should consume, you’re unlikely to make the results you desire.
Anyways peeps I’m out! if you want a more in-depth explanation on this check out the video below
