“The only thing that matters for fat loss is a calorie deficit.” That’s what we’re told, anyway. But this is an oversimplification. Not all disabilities are the same.
Most people consider heat deficit to be equivalent to limiting food intake. This concept usually leads to all the negative things associated with dieting: metabolic adaptations, behavioral changes, hunger, food cravings, withdrawal from the diet, return to previous weight, poor sleep, mood changes and lack of energy.
The truth is, a calorie deficit does not equate to eating less, at least not exclusively. A calorie deficit is the difference between calories in (what you eat) and calories out (daily energy expenditure). Metabolic rate, energy expenditure from training, and daily activity level (NEAT) greatly influence the latter part. Even things like hormones and neurotransmitters (mostly adrenaline) affect how much energy your body uses daily.
So, you can create a deficit by:
- Reducing calories
- Increase daily calorie consumption
- A combination of both
The way you create the deficit matters. The more you rely solely on eating less to create this deficit, the more likely “side effects” will appear.
Deficit, no matter how it is achieved, may lead to the same amount of fat loss. However, if you create the deficit by expending more calories (calories out) than by reducing food intake, you are less likely to suffer from the previously mentioned problems. These problems are not caused by thinness; It is caused by insufficient intake of food and nutrients.
Researchers studied this in 2009, comparing two similar deficits created by restricting intake (-25%) or restricting it less (-12.5%) as well as an increase in caloric expenditure through physical activity (+12.5%). . They also compared both groups to another group that went on a more stringent cut – just 890 calories per day. Results:
- Both groups (those with a -25% reduction and those with a -12.5% reduction and +12.5% increase in expenses) had the same rate of fat loss over several months.
- The group with the largest deficits experienced metabolic adaptations (slower metabolic rate) and behavioral changes (less movement, laziness to save energy) with an average deficit of 454 calories per day. Which means that the combination of metabolic adaptations and less movement resulted in a reduction in daily energy expenditure of 454 calories
The smaller deficit group with increased activity experienced no significant metabolic adaptations and no behavioral changes.
The more calories are reduced, the greater the metabolic adaptations and innate reductions in activity levels. The significant calorie restriction group had a greater reduction in daily energy expenditure (-633 kcal per day) than the 25% reduction group.
These metabolic adaptations (mostly lowering your metabolic rate) and behavioral changes (moving less) affect how easily you can maintain the level of fitness achieved during the diet.
Remember this before you go on a diet again
If, at the end of the fat loss phase, you spend 400-600 fewer calories per day, it is much easier to regain fat when you start eating normally. Most dieters start eating normally. Often times, they go beyond eating normally and consume more than they did initially.
Not to mention, a larger food/calorie reduction will likely leave you feeling much worse during the fat loss phase. This increases the likelihood of giving up before achieving your goal, and you will be more likely to overeat or binge eat after the diet. (Refeeding syndrome.)
I can attest to this from my personal experience. In the past, I followed a diet that was very low in body fat levels. When I got there using greater food restrictions or using a more extreme nutritional approach, I always felt like crap, had cravings, was extremely lazy and unproductive, and was horrible to be around. I always regained fat quickly when I ate normally.
Compare that to now: I do it without major food/calorie restrictions. I have eliminated all high-calorie processed foods from my diet, but I still eat too much and consume too many carbohydrates. Most importantly, I feel amazing. Based on my past experience with being thin, I shouldn’t feel this good.
And I move a lot! My weekly schedule is as follows:
Daily: Minimum 10,000 steps per day
Two conditioning-based workouts, either Circuit 49 or CrossFit Skill 30
Three or four strength sessions
I start every strength session with a warm-up that has me moving at a brisk pace for five minutes, making it extra “conditioning” work.
Three martial arts classes
One boxing class
I usually do three 45- to 60-minute low-intensity cardio sessions, but I count them toward my step count because they’re so low-effort.
I get it. You may not have time to do it all, and you don’t have to. But he explains that by moving a lot, you don’t have to reduce your calorie intake as muchYou can lose fat and become thin, especially if you make good food choices.
Simple strategies to move more
We often talk about the number of steps taken daily. While this can be an important component of your daily physical activity, “moving more” is not the same as walking more. Basically, we’re talking about being more active in general, whether that’s walking, doing housework, or exercising.
I understand that not everyone has the time to invest in physical activity. Maybe getting daily exercise is all you can afford. Does this mean you are doomed to fail? No, it makes increasing your daily energy expenditure more difficult, but you can still increase it significantly compared to what you do now.
1. Use active rest periods
This does not require more time. Let’s say you rest for two or three minutes between work sets. Usually, you’ll just stand there. Instead, turn those 2-3 minutes into an active break. Basically, walk for most of that period. If you get two minutes of rest, walk for 90 seconds. If you have three minutes of rest, walk for two and a half minutes. You can walk on the treadmill or walk at a suitable pace around the gym. I prefer the first option, which allows me to use a simple angle, but the second option is more practical.
Remember, this is still a rest period. You shouldn’t look at it as exercise, just like walking normally. It shouldn’t tire you out. If you walk at a normal pace, it will not interfere with your recovery. Let’s say you perform 20 total sets in your workout. This can easily add 2,400 to 3,000 steps to your day.
2. Try walking after a meal for 10 minutes
After finishing each meal, walk for 10 minutes. You’ll add another 1,800 to 2,200 steps per day (if you do it after three meals) and improve your digestion.
3. Aerobic warm-up and cool-down
This should be part of a good training session anyway (warm-up mostly). Many people skip it because they are too passionate about lifting weights or think it is a waste of time. But if your goal is to increase background physical activity, this is very beneficial, and may even improve your exercise.
Start your workout by walking for 10 minutes on a treadmill at a slight incline. It should be a little more difficult than normal walking, but you should still be able to carry on a conversation without getting out of breath. Then finish with a 5-10 minute cool down at the end of the workout using a similar intensity level. That’s good for another 1200-1500 steps without much effort.
These first three strategies will increase your step count by at least 5,000 steps, maybe more.
4. Warm-up circuit
I started doing this when I started boxing training, but now I use it before every workout. I use the circuit to warm up my shoulders, arms, torso and legs and also to get used to doing 3-5 minutes of work without stopping to help with my boxing endurance. Basically, I do 6-8 exercises as a circuit. I go for 30 seconds, which gives me 3-4 minutes of work. (For the sake of brevity, I did each station for 10-15 seconds in the video).
5. Take the long way
Whenever possible, put yourself in a situation where you have to walk more to get somewhere. For example, if you’re going shopping, park your car as far away from the store as possible. If you have to climb several floors, take the stairs. These little things don’t seem like much, but they add up!
Also, “walkable” cities/neighborhoods (where everything is within walking distance) have a much lower rate of obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic disorders. So, whenever you can, walk. Going to a store near you? Instead of driving 3 minutes, take time and walk 15 minutes. Just don’t get hit by a car because that will make your calorie expenditure drop dramatically.
6. Do recreational sports weekly
This is a great way to quickly increase activity levels and energy expenditure without it feeling like a chore. I do three martial arts classes and one boxing class a week. I enjoy it so much I don’t feel like working out. Choose what you love and what you won’t get hurt doing: basketball, pickleball, hockey, golf, or whatever you want, as long as you get moving and enjoy yourself.
One last thing
If you use significant calorie restriction and a significant increase in overall physical activity, you will likely feel down, feel tired, or even have a decreased libido. The goal of increasing physical activity is not to create a large calorie deficit when added to an already large calorie deficit due to reduced food intake. The goal is to be in the desired deficit without reducing food as much.
A good weekly rate of fat loss is 0.5 to 1% of body weight. Any faster than that and you risk negative metabolic adaptations. You’re also likely to feel tired, irritable, and sleep deprived.
The exception is the first week of the diet, during which you can lose 2-3 times more than the 0.5 to 1.0% mark. This is because you will initially lose a lot of glycogen and water weight. But after the first week, aim for a 0.5 to 1.0% reduction in body weight per week. This should be achieved with the smallest possible reduction in calories. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, that means losing 1-2 pounds per week.
that Fat loss is an emotional endeavor: You may hate what you see in the mirror, and want to get rid of yesterday’s fat, but you still have to be smart about it:
- The faster you lose fat, the less likely you are to maintain your new level of slimness.
- The faster you lose fat, the less sustainable your efforts will be.
- The faster you lose fat, the more likely negative metabolic adaptations will occur.
- The more you eat while losing fat at the right rate, the more success you will have.
- The more you eat while losing fat at the right rate, the better you will feel.
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