What You Need to Know About a Healthy Calorie Deficit

It appears straightforward: to lose weight, you must expend more calories than you consume, resulting in a calorie deficit. If you were to rate this weight loss tip based on social media buzz, it would most likely be near the top of the list of methods to lose weight. However, it can draw more attention to calorie tracking than is necessary, and take some of the fun out of eating.

Furthermore, establishing a calorie deficit is one thing; maintaining one is quite another. You must unlearn the "diet" mentality in order to stick with it long enough to see benefits. You know, the pressure to keep chopping items until you're left with tasteless chicken and broccoli? Instead, concentrate on maintaining a healthy calorie deficit while still enjoying your favorite foods.

Colleen Johnson, M.S., R.D., a registered dietitian nutritionist and adult diabetes educator at Joslin Diabetes Center, argues that "a balanced calorie deficit should, in theory, result in modest, manageable weight loss." According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this equates to a weekly weight loss of one to two pounds (CDC).

To put it another way, a healthy calorie deficit is a lot more fun than rigorous dieting. It also happens to be more effective in the long run.

What is a healthy calorie deficit?

Unfortunately, determining your appropriate calorie deficit for weight loss isn't always easy. M. Nicholas Burke, M.D., an ardent biker and cardiologist with Allina Health in the Minneapolis region, adds, "There's no perfect number or range."

As a result, consulting a doctor or a qualified dietitian is a smart idea. To obtain a daily calorie range for you, they may assess your resting metabolic rate (how many calories you burn at rest) and remove a small number of calories (usually 250 to 500). You can even find a sports nutritionist or a doctor who specializes in nutrition and ask them to build a tailored meal plan for you that incorporates your cycling regimen.

It's critical to keep well-fueled as a biker. So, when determining which meals to cut back on, be careful not to remove entire food groups in order to lose weight faster. "A well-balanced diet that incorporates a range of macronutrients and micronutrients will help the body and mind in multiple ways," Johnson explains. Leaving out individual foods, let alone entire dietary groupings, can result in a loss of these benefits.

Carbohydrate restriction, for example, is almost always a bad choice. "Avid bikers consume more fuel and have higher carbohydrate intake recommendations than the average population," Johnson notes. When you ride, eating too little carbs will come back to bite you, resulting in a mid-workout energy slump known as "bonking."

However, you could limit yourself to lower servings of some carbs, such as simple carbs. According to Dr. Burke, cutting back on these sorts of carbs—which may be found in high-calorie meals like pastries, ice cream, and soda—is an excellent place to start when trying to lose weight. Plus, they're low in nutritional value, so you won't be losing out on important vitamins and minerals.

Remember that declaring specific foods "off-limits" or making significant dietary adjustments can not only be stressful, but it can also take the fun out of eating. Worse, according to Johnson, an overly restrictive diet might make you fatigued, angry, and continuously hungry.

Instead, keep an eye out for little adjustments. One day a week, weed out the cookies, and another day, go for fresh vegetables over potato chips.

Is a calorie deficit the only way to lose weight?

A calorie deficit can be a powerful weight-loss technique. Other factors, including as stress, sleep, hormones, body composition, and even heredity, can alter your statistics, according to Johnson.

If left unchecked, stress, for example, might sabotage your efforts. "When people are stressed, they may experience atypical hunger and fullness cues, lose their appetite, or, in some situations, overeat," Johnson explains.

Similarly, she says, not getting enough sleep can increase your desires for salt, sugar, and fat, making you more prone to overeat. Women with insomnia ate up to 286 more calories a day than their well-rested counterparts, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in February 2020.

So, while maintaining a calorie deficit can be beneficial, don't allow it take over your life. Make sure you're focusing on other aspects of a healthy lifestyle, such as stress management, sleep, a nutritious diet, and frequent exercise.

The bottom line

Weight loss does not have to be a dreadful experience. Creating a healthy calorie deficit is not only more fun than following a restrictive diet (after all, who wants to give up their favorite foods? ), but it is also more effective. Furthermore, maintaining a healthy calorie deficit ensures that you have the energy you require for your rides. Create a healthy eating plan with the help of a doctor or a trained dietitian to help you achieve your weight loss and performance goals.

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