W L FITNESS
THE TRUTH ABOUT CALORIE DEFICIT AND WEIGHT LOSS
By Charlotte Forde
Many people who want to change their body shape or lose weight
may try different diets. Even when people buy into fad diets they
sometimes don’t realise or understand that all diets have at least one
common denominator which can make them seem effective, this is less
calorie intake - or as we call in the industry, a calorie deficit. Undereating
can occur in many different forms that may not be as obvious
to you as just restricting calorie intake e.g. eliminating specific food
groups (such as carbohydrates) or exercising without eating enough.
The most confusing thing is how much of a deficit is enough to sustain
weight loss and are you providing your body with enough nutrients to
maintain your health?
While it is true that most people can lose a significant amount of weight
in a short period of time by consuming less calories, by reducing
calorie intake too drastically or over a long period of time can stop
the effectiveness causing you to plateau and it can also lead to many
different health problems.
The body requires a certain amount of calories in order to function
therefore even if you lead a sedentary lifestyle you would still require
a minimum amount of calories in order to prevent your body from
shutting down. Many of my clients have been shocked when I have
provided them with their Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). This is the
number of calories that are needed to provide the body with basic
functions like to work the brain and other vital organs. Your body also
requires a certain amount of calories to digest and metabolize the food
that you consume, this is called Thermic Effect of Food (TEF). Finally,
your physical activity will contribute to the amount of calories that
you require. This doesn’t just mean going to the gym or walking the
dog, it could be an activity that you do everyday without realising like
climbing the stairs or hoovering the house.
Everybody’s calorie requirement will be different as it isn’t only
calculated from your gender, age, height and weight but also how much
muscle you have. As muscle tissue is metabolically more active and
burns greater calories than fat tissue, this means the greater the muscle
mass, the more calories your body will burn even while doing absolutely
nothing because your resting energy expenditure will increase. So, the
more muscle you hold, the more calorie allowance you will have.
So, what happens when we don’t eat enough? While a slight calorie
deficit is sustainable and effective, much larger deficits can cause
changes to our metabolism to keep your body's energy levels in balance
and maintain homeostasis. When eating too little, the body will try to
conserve energy and transfer calories to the necessary organs resulting
70 wirrallife.com
in the body burning fewer calories even if you are exercising regularly.
This means that your body will hold onto your body fat despite eating
fewer calories and training hard.
As well as your weight plateauing, when under-eating the body will
prioritise essential functions over things like rebuilding muscle tissue
meaning your recovery can also be affected. If you refer back to my
previous editorial on delayed on-set muscle soreness (DOMS) you
would understand that this would mean that your performance would
also be affected due to the muscle tissue breaking down when you
train, therefore with a lack of nutrients and adequate calories your
muscle would be unable to rebuild. Also, if you are under-fuelled whilst
training, your body will use the protein from your muscles to fuel your
body and the inadequate food intake would make it harder to increase
muscle mass and decrease your power output. If you are under-eating
you could also see a change in other areas of your health, for example:-
• Decreased metabolism
• Increased fatigue
• Disrupted sleep or insomnia
• Increased mood sings
• Poor concentration
• Hair loss and skin problems
• Increased risk of anxiety or depression
• Loss of menstrual cycle
• Increased risk of infertility
• Food and sugar cravings
• Weakened bones
• Decreased immunity
• Loss of libido
So, how do you know how much is enough? Calculating how many
calories you need for optimal health and weight control is imperative.
You need to calculate how many calories you require and log your food
daily and precisely. I recommend using an app like MyFitnessPal which
will enable you to personalize your calorie and macro nutrient goals.
Review your total intake of calories and nutrients over the duration of a
week and divide it into your average daily intake, you can then identify
if you need to make adjustments to your intake.
When it comes to long-term weight loss, patience is key. It is important
to focus on the quality of food that you are consuming and gradually
make sustainable lifestyle changes.
Need more help to get started? Find more information at
www.ellavatefitness.com or contact us [email protected]