Calorie Deficit: Everything You Need To Know

When it comes to weight loss, you have probably heard of the need to establish a calorie deficit. This concept refers to energy balance and consists of balancing this equation so that more is burned than is ingested.

Thus, you will consume more calories than you consume daily, causing a gradual weight loss. In this article, we explain the secrets behind the calorie deficit and how the long-awaited weight loss occurs.

Consume more than you eat

It’s the easiest way to generate a calorie deficit. Instead of seeking to eat less than you need to perform your vital functions, increase your daily workouts so that your energy needs are higher.

Increasing your daily consumption and keeping your eating habits intact will result in progressive weight loss. Remember that in order to lose 2 kilos of fat, you need to burn about 8000 kcal of this nutrient, so do not let yourself get obsessed with it going too fast.

When you are in a situation of calorie deficit, the first energy reserves to be used are carbohydrates stored in the form of glycogen.

From there, the body begins to store fatty acids in anticipation of the requirement to produce energy. It is at this point that the loss of adipose tissue and weight loss begins.

Other strategies to produce a calorie deficit

One of the most effective protocols that has become fashionable today is intermittent fasting. It basically consists of not consuming food for a period longer than 16 hours. This results in lower weekly food intake, which affects the energy balance.

In this way, we are more likely to eat less than we burn in our daily activities. Current scientific studies support this strategy to lose weight and keep the weight down in the medium and long term.

However, this imbalance does not occur indefinitely. There comes a time when the body, because it has less tissue, rebalances its energy needs until it reaches another equilibrium situation. At this point, weight loss would be blocked again.

Generation of a calorie deficit through muscle production

You need to remember that muscle is a metabolically more active tissue than fat.  Therefore, gaining greater muscle can be an effective strategy for weight loss.

In this situation, it happens that the energy combustion increases to perform the same daily functions. So if food intake remains the same, there will be a calorie deficit.

Given this situation, we can guarantee that strength training works well for this.

According to a publication in the journal Obesity Reviews, high-intensity exercises performed at intervals can increase our calorie consumption even hours after the end of the session. In addition, they have a positive effect on muscle building.

Choose your food wisely

The choice of food consumed is also closely linked to weight loss. Simple sugars have a low satiety-inducing power. In addition, consumption of sugar is associated with reactive hypoglycemia, which increases appetite shortly thereafter.

Eliminating these foods from your diet will allow less energy intake without starvation. Instead, doctors recommend protein foods rich in healthy fats like omega-3.

When choosing carbohydrates, it is important to choose those with high fiber content and a low glycemic index. In this way, the rise in blood sugar will be lower and the feeling of satiety will last longer.

Although a low-carbohydrate diet can be just as effective as a low-fat diet for weight loss, it is more tolerable to limit carbohydrates because one will feel less hungry.

Calorie deficit: What to keep in mind

Calorie deficit is a term that refers to the intake of fewer nutrients than is needed for daily activity. This causes the body to create a balance by destroying adipose tissue and thus reducing body weight.

There are several strategies to apply this concept. One of them is intermittent fasting, which has shown positive effects on weight loss in the medium and long term.