The Body Weight Equation
Do you want to know a secret?
Losing weight comes down to one thing and one thing only - being in a calorie deficit.
A calorie deficit is when you intake less calories than your body requires. In that state, your body draws on your fat stores to burn the extra energy it needs, resulting in weight loss.
Understanding how many calories you need each day/week can help you work out what you need to do to create a calorie deficit and meet your goals.
Calculating your caloric needs
Everyone’s calorie needs are different and depend on several factors such as how much you exercise / how active you are, your genes, your hormones and your metabolism.
There are a few ways to calculate your calorie needs but formulas tend to be the most popular. Have a look at our calorie and macro calculator to estimate your daily calorie target and how to split it in to protein, carbs and fats.
Don’t want to do the maths?
There are other alternatives to working out your calorie needs such as the National Institute of Health’s Body Weight Planner - it looks at your current weight and fitness level along with your weight loss goals and how many calories you need to take in over a certain period (specified by you).
Diet
Ultimately, being in a calorie deficit is all about reducing the amount of calories you consume, no matter what it is you’re eating.
However, there are ways you can manage your diet so that you can still eat plenty and get the nutrients you need. For example:
- Vegetables, grains, fruits (whole fruits)
- Proteins (lean meats, poultry, nuts, soy products, legumes, eggs and seafood)
- Low fat/fat-free dairy including milk, yoghurt, cheese
- Oils such as olive oil or canola oil
Exercise
The more exercise you do, the more calories you will burn. There are some simple tricks to increasing the amount of calories you burn through movement throughout your day which will ultimately contribute to being in a calorie deficit. For example, taking the stairs instead of the lift or biking/walking to work several times a week (if possible).
You can keep track of your exercise in our Little Gym Book Journals!