How To Find Your Ideal Caloric Deficit For Fat Loss
Hey there, fit babes!
With summer on its way, I've been getting this question more times than I can keep up with.
"How can I figure out how many calories to eat for fat loss?"
So, I wanted to share a post with ALLLLL the details - that way, you can come back to it whenever you need it!
DISCLAIMER: I WISH there was a universal formula for everyone, but unfortunately there isn't. You kinda have to do a bit of trial & error with these options to REALLY determine what the best fit is for you.
With that in mind, if you're ready to figure out how many calories to eat for fat loss, read BELOW!
OPTION 1: THE MAINTENANCE TEST
Record your weight at the beginning of the week. Next, record all of the calories you consume for 7 days - focusing on eating when you are hungry, and stopping when you are full. (The goal is to give your body ONLY what it needs, not more or less.) At the beginning of the next week, weigh yourself again. If the scale didn't move, chances are, you've found your maintenance calories - anything BELOW this number should put you in a caloric deficit for fat loss.
OPTION 2: USE AN ONLINE CALCULATOR
Although online calculators are never as accurate as Option 1, they may provide a good starting point. (I use www.tdeecalculator.net!) It has a simple formula that asks for your age, height, weight, activity level, and body fat % (if you know it), and will give you a good estimation of how many calories you should eat for fat loss, maintenance and even weight gain.
Note: If you’re currently eating a dramatically lower amount of calories than the number it provides, I might try the last option instead...
OPTION 3: CALORIES IN VS. CALORIES OUT
This is like the "anti-" counting calories option. The main principle of fat loss is to consume less calories than you burn, OR (said differently) to burn MORE calories than you consume. If you're already eating too little calories, I'd never suggest to reduce them further. Instead, try increasing your overall calorie BURN by lifting heavier weights in your workouts or getting more steps in. This should ultimately put you in the deficit you need for fat loss without doing a thangggg to your diet!
Which option have you tried? Which one surprised you? I’d love to hear your thoughts below!
With love and wellness,
