If you’ve been browsing the internet for any tips on dropping your excess kilos, you’ve likely encountered the phrase “calories in, calories out”. Essentially, no matter how much time you’re logging at the gym, you’ll always need to make sure you’re eating fewer calories than you’re burning to start losing weight.
This is what people refer to when they talk about a calorie deficit. And it’s this magic formula that’ll take you from dad bod to, well, the bod you’ve always wanted. While the equation is simple, making sure you hit those game-changing numbers is harder than it looks. And there are plenty of ways to maintain a deficit: calorie counting, intermittent fasting, you name it.
What are the Benefits of Maintaining a Calorie Deficit?
There’s the obvious: you’ll lose weight. But make sure you’re not starving yourself. Falling way short of your calorie needs and you’ll start to feel hungry (constantly) and you may even lose muscle mass (obviously not good). You could also slow down your metabolism, deprive your brain of energy and feel fatigued. There’s evidence that an extreme calorie deficit could even affect the quality of your sleep.
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Research also suggests that a calorie deficit could help decrease chronic inflammation, something that’s behind everything from erectile dysfunction to heart disease. There’s a caveat, however, as most research looking into this has been limited to animal studies… so take it with a grain of salt.
How Do I Calculate My Calorie Needs?
The first factor you should consider is your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Typically, for a guy, your BMR will be (10 x your weight in kg) + (6.25 x your height in cm) minus (5 x your age in years) + 5, according to Medical News Today. So if you’re a 42-year-old guy who is 182cm tall and weighs 81kg, that’ll work out to a BMR of around 1 800 calories.
However, this is just your baseline; this is what you burn merely by existing. Based on your activity level, you might need way more to keep you up and running. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to factor in your physical exertions based on how frequently you log sweat sessions.
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If you’re sedentary (i.e., you’re basically a couch potato), you should multiply your BMR above by 1.2. Minimally active (aka 1 to 3 days per week of working out) multiply by 1.375. Moderately active (3 to 5 days per week of more strenuous physical activity per week) multiply by 1.55. Very active (you exercise almost every day) multiply by 1.725. And, finally, extra active (think of a pro athlete) multiply by 1.9.
Let’s say our guy from the example above is minimally active. Take his BMR of 1 752 and multiply by 1.375, and you get 2 409 calories per day. Roughly, those would be his calorie needs.
How Do I Calculate My Calorie Deficit?
A healthy calorie deficit is when you consume fewer calories than your body needs (refer to the formulas above) to maintain its current weight. Think of it like your body is using more fuel than it’s getting, so it taps into stored energy (like fat) for that extra juice.
Now, for a safe and sustainable approach, you’d want to aim for a deficit of around 300 to 500 calories a day. This way, you’re not going too extreme (i.e., avoiding the risks mentioned earlier) and can still fuel your workouts, keep your energy up and avoid the dreaded “starving” feeling. Over time, this gradual deficit helps you lose weight without wrecking your metabolism or losing muscle mass.
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It’s also important to make sure you’re still getting the nutrients you need—like protein, fibre, and healthy fats—even when you’re cutting calories. That way, you’re losing fat, not just water or muscle. You might be tempted to speed things up by notching a bigger deficit, but it’s best to go slow and keep things steady.
You shouldn’t be dropping more than 1kg per week.
How Can I Create a Calorie Deficit?
The short answer: eat less. The long answer: it isn’t that simple. Plenty of articles have warned against the perils of counting calories and how many guys tend to underestimate how much they’re eating. Calorie counting is incredibly effective (and plenty of guys have success with this approach), but you need to be precise about every single digit and account for every morsel.
Fortunately, there are plenty of alternatives. You can slowly adopt effective habits like cutting out snacks, halving your portion sizes, subbing out cool drinks for water or trying intermittent fasting which will limit how much time you have to feast.
You can also ramp up your activity levels, as every calorie burned will widen the gap to create a bigger deficit. (However, be warned, you can’t out train a bad diet.)
Still stumped? Try put a few of these quick tips into practice to get you started on your weight-loss journey:
1. Skip Unhealthy Fats
If you haven’t heard yet, the old science is out: fat is good for you. Well, not all fats. Instead of scanning for fat-free fare, keep your eyes peeled for saturated fats and trans fats. Trans fats, for instance, have been shown to spike your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. On the flip side, eating a diet consisting of 8% to 10% monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can improve your heart health and reduce your risks of heart disease.
2. Fill Up on Whole Grains
Most grainy supermarket products contain either whole grains or a refined version. Just pick up a cereal box and scan the nutritional facts: you’ll quickly learn which kind is inside.
The big difference between these grains? The clue is in the word “whole”. Whole grains contain the entire grain (bran, germ and endosperm), which means they’re loaded with fibre. Refined grains have been milled to remove germ and bran.
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Fibre doesn’t just aid the digestive process, it has been shown to benefit the immune system and your body’s ability to absorb nutrients. Skipping the refined grains in favour of their “whole” siblings can be one of the smartest tweaks to your meal plan.
3. Eat More Protein
Are you getting enough protein? Scratch that: are you getting enough of the right protein? Processed meats (like those you’ll find in the deli section) and red cuts can hurt your health. Observational studies have shown that eating excessive amounts of either can ramp up your risks of certain cancers.
Instead, opt for eggs, lean chicken breasts, fish and (low-fat) dairy. These will help you hit your recommended intake without putting you in the firing line of health crisis.
4. Reduce Your Salt Intake
A little bit of salt (sodium) goes a long way. Too much? You could be wrecking your health. According to the World Health Organizaiton (WHO), almost everyone across the globe is consuming an excessive amount of this seasoning. In fact, adults are eating 4,310mg of sodium per day (around two teaspoons) which is more than double the recommended amount.
Overindulging on sodium can cause your blood pressure to skyrocket putting you at serious risk of heart disease or a stroke. The WHO suggests trying the following tips to reduce your intake:
- Eat fresh, unprocessed food;
- Stick to low-sodium products;
- Half the amount of salt used in your recipes;
- Use other spices and herbs to flavour your food;
- Ditch the condiments or whip up your own low-sodium ones at home;
- Cut out processed foods (that includes takeaways); and
- Keep your salt shaker out of arm’s reach.
5. Drink More Water
Dehydration is no joke. Prolonged periods without adequate H2O can leave you at risk of kidney stones, kidney failure and urinary tract infections. And that’s not to mention that a lack of aqua can also wreck your sleeping pattern, slow weight loss, affect your concentration and much (much) more. Tapping into a healthier life is as simple as turning the tap: aim to drink around four litres of water a day to keep your levels topped up.
