In India’s growing fitness industry, most young adults are looking for ways to lose weight. With many opinions regarding various weight loss methods, a calorie deficit diet has been a popular method suggested by a majority of experts.
In this article, we are going to talk about what is a calorie deficit diet? How it works? And how to calculate it? To help you understand better, we’ll also include a sample low-calorie diet to get your journey started!
Introduction
With the “fitness boom” in the country, more and more people are becoming more health conscious. The term “calorie deficit” has gained immense popularity in India in recent years.
A low-calorie diet has been central to the weight loss process, especially among young adults who want to begin their weight loss journey.
However, a low-calorie diet must be planned and must include all the vitamins, nutrients, fats and carbohydrates necessary for your body.
With many fitness enthusiasts and practitioners offering a wide range of tips, suggestions, and more, it can be difficult to understand what exactly a calorie deficit diet is, how it works, and how to calculate calorie deficit.
What is a low calorie diet?
To understand what a low-calorie diet is, you have to go back to basics. A calorie is a unit of energy you get when you consume food. When the total calories consumed are less than what you burn, you have reached a calorie deficit.
But before understanding the calorie deficit, it is essential to know how many calories you need in a day.
Three main factors determine how many calories you need per day.
- The basal metabolic rate: Basal Metabolic Rate or BMR is the amount of energy your body needs to function. A person’s BMR depends on various factors such as age, gender, weight, height.
- Physical activity: Any physical activity accounts for up to 40% of your daily calorie needs. This also includes training.
- Thermic effect of food: The thermic effect of food is the energy required to digest and absorb the food you eat.
Therefore, if your total food intake does not meet the calorie needs to perform the tasks mentioned above, you are putting your body into a state of calorie deficit.
Calorie deficit calculation
To calculate daily caloric needs and deficits, various dieticians and nutritionists use different formulas and equations. However, the most commonly used equation is the Harris-Benedict equation.
In this, you will have to calculate your basal metabolic rate using your age, weight, and height. Once done, your BMR will be multiplied by an activity factor which is determined by how much you move in a day. For example, if you rarely exercise in a month, you can multiply your BMR by 1.12. However, if you exercise 3-5 days a week, your caloric needs will be your BMR x 1.55.
To maintain a calorie deficit, you must consume fewer calories than your body needs or burns in a day. Ideally, most dietitians and fitness trainers suggest a 500 calorie deficit. For example, if your daily calorie intake is 3,000 calories, you should consume 2,500 calories.
According to studies, it has been calculated that 1 pound of fat stores up to 3500 calories. Therefore, if your calorie intake is reduced by 500 calories per day, at the end of a week you may lose up to 1 pound of weight. But it differs from person to person because different bodies react differently.
How does a low calorie diet work?
Studies suggest that for the low-calorie diet to work and for you to lose weight, you must maintain it for an extended period of time. If you are on a low calorie diet long term, the total energy your body needs to survive on a daily basis is less and as a result, your body is starved of this energy.
To perform all of its functions, the body will use stored energy to fill the gap, thus triggering the loss of existing calories. This, ultimately, results in overall weight loss.
However, since each person’s functioning and metabolism are different from each other, only a low-calorie diet may not lead to weight loss. To achieve effective weight loss, a low-calorie diet combined with daily physical activity is the best way.
As mentioned earlier, it can take you 7 days to lose up to 1 pound of fat with a calorie deficit of 3,500 in one week. Keeping the math in mind, you would need a 7,000 calorie deficit to lose 2 pounds of fat, which could prove harmful to your body. For this reason, exercising or maintaining a workout routine and a low-calorie diet would be an effective way to lose weight.
It is important to understand that you must have a minimum threshold of calorie consumption for your body. According to the National Institutes of Health, you should eat no less than 1,000 calories a day. Having very few calories can delay the weight loss process and can harm your health.
Sample 4 Day Diet Plan
This sample meal plan gives you 1,200 calories per day and provides a calorie deficit of 300 calories if your total daily calorie needs are 1,500 calories.
Day 1 Diet
| Time | Diet |
| Early in the morning | Cucumber water – 1 glass |
| Breakfast | 1 small bowl of Oats/Porridge + Nuts |
| Afternoon (12 p.m.) | Skim milk paneer (1 small bowl) |
| Lunch (2 p.m.) | Dal – 1 small bowl + Vegetable Salad – 1 small bowl + Roti – 1 |
| Snacks (4 p.m.) | Apple – 1 + Buttermilk – 1 glass |
| Evening (5:30 p.m.) | Tea with minimal sugar and milk – 1 cup of tea |
| Dinner (9 p.m.) | Dal – 1 small bowl + Vegetable Salad – 1 bowl + Roti – 1 |
Day 2 Diet
| Time | Diet |
| Early in the morning | Cucumber water – 1 glass |
| Breakfast | Fruit and nut smoothie – 1 glass + Omelet – 1 egg |
| Afternoon (12 p.m.) | Skim milk paneer (1 small bowl) |
| Lunch (2 p.m.) | Dal – 1 small bowl + Bhindi Curry – 1 small bowl + Vegetable Salad – 1 bowl + Roti – 1 |
| Snacks (4 p.m.) | Orange – 1 + Buttermilk – 1 glass |
| Evening (5:30 p.m.) | Coffee with minimal sugar and milk – 1 cup |
| Dinner (9 p.m.) | Dal – 1 small bowl + Mixed Vegetable Salad – 1 cup + Rice – 1 small bowl |
Day 3 Diet
| Time | Diet |
| Early in the morning | Warm water with lemon/turmeric – 1 glass |
| Breakfast | Idli – 2 + Sambar – 1 small bowl |
| Afternoon (12 p.m.) | Skim milk paneer (one small bowl) |
| Lunch (2 p.m.) | Potato and brinjal curry – 1 small bowl + Mixed vegetable salad – 1 cup + Roti – 1 + Curd – 1 small bowl |
| Snacks (4 p.m.) | Banana – 1 + Buttermilk – 1 glass |
| Evening (5:30 p.m.) | Tea with minimal sugar and milk – 1 cup of tea |
| Dinner (9 p.m.) | Dal – 1 small bowl + Mixed Vegetable Salad – 1 cup + Roti – 1 |
Day 4 Diet
| Time | Diet |
| Early in the morning | Warm lemon/turmeric water – 1 glass |
| Breakfast | Chickpea Flour Pancakes – 2 + Green Garlic Chutney |
| Afternoon (12 p.m.) | Skim milk paneer (one small bowl) |
| Lunch (2 p.m.) | Sautéed paneer and vegetable curry – 1 small bowl + Vegetable salad – 1 bowl + Roti – 1 |
| Snacks (4 p.m.) | Banana – 1 + Buttermilk – 1 glass |
| Evening (5:30 p.m.) | Tea with minimal sugar and milk – 1 cup of tea |
| Dinner (9 p.m.) | Paneer curry – 1 small bowl + Mixed vegetable salad – 1 cup + Roti – 1 |
This is a sample 4 day 1200 calorie meal plan. The dishes you want to have for lunch and dinner can be changed to suit your likes and dislikes. However, the quantity must remain the same.
In conclusion, a low calorie diet is one of the most effective ways to lose weight if followed by a dietitian or nutritionist. Thanks to this method, your body receives the necessary calories to perform its daily functions. At the same time, the deficit helps your body use existing energy stores to perform additional functions and facilitates weight loss.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. Can a low calorie diet harm my body?
A. It is advisable to consult a doctor before developing a low calorie diet for your body. If you design a calorie deficit diet of less than 1,000 calories, it can harm your body because your body will not receive the basic amount of calories, nutrients, and energy to perform basic functions.
Q. Will a low calorie diet help me lose weight immediately?
A. No, structuring a calorie deficit meal plan, following it, and then seeing its effect is a time-consuming process. For a low-calorie diet to work, it must be followed for a long time. Following it for a week or two may not yield the desired results.
Q. What foods should I avoid on a low calorie diet?
A. To get the most out of your low-calorie diet, you should avoid carbonated drinks or any beverages high in sugar, such as processed fruit juices, canned coffee or tea. Other than that, you should limit your intake of processed foods, ready-to-cook instant foods, fried foods, and your alcohol intake.
