How do I create a calorie deficit?

What is a calorie deficit?

I’ve popped my teacher lanyard back on for this quick intro to calorie deficits…

You’re in a calorie deficit when the energy you expend is greater than the energy (in the shape of food) that you consume.

To put it another way, you are giving your body less fuel than it needs to function at your current weight.

Weight loss can only occur in a calorie deficit. The greater the deficit, the greater the weight loss, but also, the harder is it to maintain.

Your body doesn’t like being in a calorie deficit, because it hints at starvation, so it brings in measures to try to get you to eat more and/or move less: increased hunger, constant thinking about food, cravings, headaches, fatigue, low energy. The more you restrict your calories, the harder your body will fight back.

So, one of the best ways to maintain a deficit for longer is to go smaller. Around 10-15% of your current energy needs is a good place to start.

To find out what your estimated Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is (ie how many calories you need per day to maintain your current weight), this calculator can help.

Remember, though, come to it from a place of curiosity and interest, not judgement. This is just an estimate and it’s just for info.

Choosing a calorie deficit

Say your current TDEE (energy needs) is 2800kcal/day.

A reasonable, not too painful deficit of 10% would mean cutting out 280kcal (roughly) each day, or around 1960ckal/week.

This would lead to fat loss at around 1/2lb each week.

Too slow?

That would mean it might take 7 months to lose a stone, and I bet you’ve lost that kind of weight way more quickly on various diet plans in the past. But it’s almost certainly gone back on again, assuming that you kept up your diet long enough to get to that point.

A more gentle deficit is easier to maintain. Cutting out 280kcal could be:

one less large Costa latte each day, or
swapping full-fat Greek yog for fat-free, or
having 2 chocolate digestives instead of 5

A large Domino’s Pepperoni Passion pizza has 2642kcal: one less of those a week and you’d be laughing!

So, if you’re looking to lose weight, can you identify where those 280kcal might come from in your normal day / week? It’s not always easy when you’re right in the middle of it, and this is one way that working with me through 1:1 coaching can help.

How to tell if you’re in a calorie deficit

You know you need to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight, but how can you tell if you are or not?

Tracking calories can be a useful tool and there are a few different ways you can do this if you fancy it.

1. Use an app like Nutracheck. You set your own calorie target, log all your food and drink, and it keeps a record for you

2. Write things down old-school in a notebook / keep a running calorie total in your phone

3. Plan in advance. Plan out your meals for the day / week, with a rough calorie estimate, so that it adds up to a range of +/- 200kcal around your target – then stick to the plan!

Trouble is, these all require a degree of constant admin (especially 1 and 2). Plus, calories are all about estimates, especially if you eat home-made meals, meaning a lot of guesswork is involved and any degree of accuracy is quite tricky to achieve.

And, if you have any history of disordered eating, the extra focus on your food intake can become obsessive and not fun – not recommended. (If you have concerns about disordered eating, you can find support at Beat Eating Disorders).

Watch this little video for more of my thoughts on tracking before you decide.

What are the alternatives to tracking calories?

Did you know, about 98% of my clients don’t track calories?

Sometimes it’s too much admin, but mostly it’s because that tight focus on food feels too close to the bad old days of dieting that they are working hard to get away from.

The gentler way is to try a few small changes and see if there are signs of fat loss after a couple of weeks, then maybe adjust the approach or stick with it.

Changes like:

changing your evening routine to break the association with snacking (eg do a jigsaw or play a game instead of watching tv)

having a higher-protein breakfast to avoid calorie-laden snacks throughout the morning

not being a bin (eg by not eating kids’ leftovers)

Easy(ish), right?

Saving enough calories to create a deficit is easier than you might think.

How about you…

1. Swap your 6 usual biscuits (eg digestive) for 2 sexy ones (eg dark choc and ginger) – saves 260kcal/day (I love these)

2. Make your Monday-Friday Costa latte a Saturday treat instead – saves 492kcal/week

3. Use tinned tuna in spring water or brine rather than oil – saves 80kcal per can

4. Use 1-cal oil spray instead of olive oil when cooking – saves around 250kcal each time, if you use a decent glug (30ml)

5. Try balsamic vinegar instead of mayo (or instead of as much mayo!) with salads or tuna sandwiches – saves around 180kcal each time if you tend to slap it on like I do (you could also switch to light mayonnaise, but where’s the joy in that??)

Aim for swaps that still taste good. Being miserable is pointless and won’t help you keep up any changes for long enough to see the progress you want.

So, if you’ve been asking “How do I create a calorie deficit?”, you’ve hopefully found some answers! If you have any questions or would like support with your weight loss phase, let’s have a chat to see how I can help.