If you’re starting a weight loss journey, there’s a lot of confusing and conflicting information out there. It can be challenging to figure out what actually works and what’s just a passing trend. One term you’ve probably come across is ‘calorie deficit’—a concept that’s often mentioned but not always fully explained.

No matter what nutrition ‘style’ of eating you choose, a calorie deficit is the only way to lose body fat, so it’s important that you understand how it works if losing weight is one of your key goals.

In this post, we’ll break down the basics of eating in a calorie deficit, what it means, and how you can approach it in a healthy way that’s sustainable and supportive of your overall health and wellbeing.

What is a calorie deficit?

A calorie deficit occurs when you consume fewer calories than your body needs to maintain its current weight. Think of it as the balancing act of energy in versus energy out. Your body uses energy (calories) for everything from breathing and thinking to moving and exercising. When you eat fewer calories than your body burns, it starts to use stored fat for energy, which can lead to weight loss.

How to create a calorie deficit sustainably

Sustainability is key when it comes to creating a calorie deficit. Crash diets or extreme calorie restrictions might deliver quick results, but they are often short-lived and can negatively impact your health and wellbeing. Instead, focus on gradual changes that are easy to maintain.

Start by understanding your daily calorie needs, which depend on factors like your age, weight, height, and activity levels. There are many online calculators to give you a ballpark figure, however, we would always recommend to consult a nutrition professional to tailor it to your personal needs (some calculators provide a number that’s too low and will only cause you deprivation and setbacks). This approach supports steady weight loss while preserving your energy levels and minimising hunger.

Choose nutrient-dense foods

Not all calories are created equal. While you could technically eat in a calorie deficit with highly processed snacks, this approach won’t give your body the nutrients it needs to function optimally. Instead, prioritise nutrient-dense, whole foods that support your overall health.

Focus on foods rich in protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. For example, lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are all excellent choices. Protein, in particular, helps you feel fuller for longer and supports muscle maintenance, which is important when you’re in a calorie deficit.

Don’t neglect movement

Exercise isn’t essential for weight loss, but it can make creating a calorie deficit easier while offering countless other benefits for your overall health. Remember there are two sides to the weight loss energy equation – calories in vs. calories out - and exercise widens the gap between the two.

Incorporate activities you enjoy, whether it’s walking, swimming, yoga, or weightlifting. Strength training is especially beneficial because it helps preserve lean muscle mass and boosts your metabolism (so you can burn more calories even while you’re resting or just sitting around!).

Remember that movement doesn’t have to be structured exercise. Everyday activities like gardening, playing with your kids, or taking the stairs instead of the lift all contribute to your daily energy expenditure.

Mindset matters

Your mindset plays a significant role in the success of your weight loss journey. Rather than focusing solely on the scale, think about the broader picture: how you’re feeling, your energy levels, and the healthy habits you’re building. Approaching weight loss as a way to nourish and care for your body rather than punish it makes the process more enjoyable and sustainable.

It’s also important to be patient with yourself. Weight loss is rarely a linear journey, and there will likely be times when progress slows or stalls. Keep in mind that consistency is more important than perfection. Small, consistent actions add up over time.

Common pitfalls to avoid

While creating a calorie deficit is simple in theory, it can be easy to fall into traps that derail progress. Here are a few common pitfalls to watch out for:

• Skipping meals: While it might seem like an easy way to reduce calories, skipping meals can leave you feeling ravenous later, leading to overeating.
• ‘Earning’ or ‘burning’ your food: We don’t want to start thinking of our daily food like a money deposit in the bank. Training hard or restricting your eating to ‘earn’ a junk food fest, or busting yourself with exercise/starving yourself after a binge session to ‘burn’ it off are disordered eating habits. Cheat meals also falls into this category! Try instead to get an overall balance to the way you eat across your week.
• Underestimating portions: It’s easy to misjudge portion sizes. Using tools like a food diary or a kitchen scale can help you stay on track.
• Focusing only on calories: Remember, quality matters as much as quantity. A diet rich in whole foods will support your health better than one filled with empty calories.
• Hyper-focusing on calories in the long term: When we have a healthy relationship with food, we don’t want to be focusing on numbers forever! It can be a great way of building awareness about the quantity of food you should ideally be eating on a day-to-day basis and the energy ‘values’ of the different foods you eat. However, once you’ve got the basics down, close calorie monitoring is best used as a tool to check in that you’re on track with your nutrition every now and then rather than using it all the time.
• Calorie trackers aren’t perfect: Another reason to not hyper-focus on calorie numbers in the long term is that no calorie tracker can be 100% correct. The actual caloric energy in an item of food can only be calculated by burning it up in special controlled situation and measuring the energy it gives off – and we obviously aren’t doing that because we’re eating it! The more specific you can get, the more accurate the calculations will be, but even then the results may not be exact.

For example, one big apple can vary in size, weight, shape and apple type, and even the nutrition information on the back of a food label is an average estimate only, so use calorie trackers as a guideline only.

• Over-restricting: It might seem like cutting even more calories will get you to your weight loss goal faster, but restricting your calories too much can and cutting out your favourite treat foods can lead to feelings of deprivation, muscle loss, disordered eating habits and eventual binges. Instead, enjoy treats in moderation and as mentioned earlier, ask a nutrition professional to calculate a suitable calorie target that’s right for your body, energy levels, food preferences and way of eating.

To sum up

Eating in a calorie deficit is a straightforward concept that can support weight loss when done sustainably. By focusing on nutrient-dense foods, incorporating enjoyable movement, and adopting a positive mindset, you can create habits that benefit your health and wellbeing in the long term. Remember to avoid extreme measures and give yourself grace throughout the process. After all, lasting changes take time and consistency.

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