A calorie deficit diet is a tried and tested diet plan which works by giving you a lesser calorie intake than usual, allowing it to use most of the calories to maintain your bodily functions including metabolism and other activities like sports and the basic resting calorie expenditure.
Thus by this technique, there’s hardly any excess calories in your body which ultimately results in weight loss. However, this dietary mechanism of weight loss has its repercussions as it depends on your body’s basal metabolic rate, BMR, and your existing health conditions.
What Is a Calorie Deficit Diet?
A calorie deficit diet is a low-calorie diet where you restrict your dietary intake to 1500-2000 calories per day. There’s another very low-calorie diet plan where you even go to a 900-1500 caloric deficit.
All this is governed by research which has shown that an average female needs 1500 calories per day while an average male needs 2000 calories, and by limiting the daily calorie intake to this level people can lose 1 pound of weight in a week.
However, there’s much more to it than what meets the eye. It’s not as simple as counting your calories and making a calorie deficit in your body.
It depends on your body and the lifestyle you lead. Not all individuals achieve the same weight loss level and it differs according to our bodily variations.
Does A Calorie Deficit Diet Work?
Calorie deficit diets show great weightloss potential if done correctly. A standard calorie deficit of 500 calories per day works well as it doesn’t affect your hunger and energy levels. So, you won’t feel hungry or tired even if you had a low-calorie diet.
For some people following a calorie deficit diet for weight loss can backfire and result in severe problems.
This is particularly harmful to pregnant women who need a high-calorie nutrient diet even after their pregnancy. Similarly, people with less than 30 BMR tend to have side effects like fatigue, nausea, constipation, etc. Of this fatigue and low pressure appear to be silent killers. People with pre-existing conditions like Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, etc are also advised against trying calorie deficit odds.
So, you need to know your BMR and other body functions before you try the calorie deficit diet chart. Rapid weight loss from low-calorie diets can result in gall bladder stones and cholesterol problems. so be careful of it.
How the Calorie Deficit Calculator Works?
A calorie is the unit of heat by which we measure the energy content of our food and it’s this energy that keeps our body active and makes us capable of doing various activities like walking, running, talking, etc.
Even when we are doing nothing and just resting, our body requires some calories to exist. This is called resting energy expenditure REE by which several bodily functions like blood circulation, respiration, etc. are maintained. The food that we eat needs to be digested and metabolized to give us the required energy, this activity in itself requires some energy and is known as the thermic energy of food, TE. lastly, the basic activities of our life need energy which is measured as activity energy expenditure, AEE.
A calorie deficit diet plan only provides these 3 energies – REE, TE, and AEE, leaving no room for any surplus calories which results in a calorie deficit. Now research shows that by limiting calorie intake to this level for a long period enhances your weight loss
However, this depends on various factors like weight, gender, age, and activity level. Depending on these factors the calorie deficit calculators doctors say a calorie deficit diet can work for you if you are obese that is, having a BMR of 30 or above and don’t have any preexisting health conditions. A general calorie deficit diet of 500 calorie deficit will work fine for you and help in shedding 3-5 pounds of weight in a week.
There are specific calorie maintenance calculators that calculate this deficit based on your weight, gender, age, and other activities. Most people use the National Institute of Health, NIH’s Body Weight Planner for this purpose. This planner effectively guides you with a proper calorie intake plan. Other than this, you can make a calorie deficit chart and track your calorie intake, weight, and daily calorie burn for 10 days for better results.
Calorie tracking apps are equally useful, you just need to maintain a record of calorie maintenance for 10 days or more. If you see you are maintaining a calorie level of 2000 per day for 10 days on an average. Then your calorie deficit diet plan should of 1500 calories, ensuring a deficit of 500 calories.
However, you should keep in mind the golden rule of basic daily 1500 calorie intake for men and 1200 calories for women.
Whatever be your threshold don’t go below this level of calorie intake as it might result in health problems. Instead, try to boost it by eating healthy food and strengthening your muscles and doing regular exercise. Research shows that 2 hours of physical activity and 2 hours of intense weekly exercise enhances your calorie threshold and is good for those following a calorie deficit diet.
How To Make A Calorie Deficit Diet Plan?
Making a calorie deficit diet chart is the art of balancing calories with low-calorie nutrients. This involves cutting down on calorie intake by replacing them with calorie deficit foods.
The first and foremost is to cut down on your sugar. So no coffee, energy drinks, cold drinks, and juices. Rather replace them with green tea, green juices like kale juice, green apple juice, etc and take them without any sugar or preservatives. Make a fresh juice with just the items.
Discard any kind of processed foods, fast foods, and desserts. Desserts are a strict no-no and so is any kind of fast food. The goal is to go for more healthy eating with a freshly prepared home-cooked meal containing calorie deficit foods like pulses, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. Cut down on the carbohydrate sources and go for lean protein sources.
Also, you need to eat smaller portions of meals more frequently rather than going for an elaborate meal taken at a specific time. This restricts binge eating and food craving tendencies which results in greater calorie intake.
If you are looking for a calorie deficit Indian diet then go for a nutritious green juice and green vegetables like peas and lentils bowl of breakfast, a healthy meat and rice lunch followed by a light salad or soup snack of green vegetables chat and then top it with a dinner of simple dal or light meat stew. Remembers packaged cereals, processed foods, etc are strictly forbidden in these circumstances.
So there you go, the ideal calorie deficit diet plan which works wonder without hampering your health
FAQs
1. What is a calorie deficit?
A calorie deficit diet is a restricted diet plan where you intake of fewer calories than that you require to maintain your daily work. The deficit is as low as 500 calories so it doesn’t hamper your basic activities and ensures no surplus calorie storage in the body, ultimately resulting in weight loss.
2. How to be in a calorie deficit?
Cutting down on high-calorie foods like processed foods, packaged food, and sugar along with proper physical exercise is key to being a calorie deficit. You have to maintain a calorie deficit of 500 calories to reap the benefits of this diet.
3. How to calculate a calorie deficit?
Calculate your daily calorie level for 10 days and make an average of it. This is the average calorie potential your body needs for daily function. Based on this, your calorie deficit diet plan should be 500 calories less than your average calorie potential.
4. How much of a calorie deficit is too much?
A calorie deficit of more than 500 calories where the regular calorie intake falls below 800-1200 calories is harmful and needs to be avoided at all costs.
5. How much calorie deficit is required to lose weight?
A calorie deficit of 500 calories per day for a week is enough to lose weight. However, the extent of weight loss depends on your body type and also on age, gender, weight, and other activities.
