DietGeneralHow to slowly reduce calories for weight loss in a healthy way 

Weight Loss 

You need to create a calorie deficit or gradually reduce calories intake if you are looking to lose weight.  If you were to cut too many calories from the diet suddenly, it can have adverse effects and cause your progress to decline and plateau. Leading dieticians have given tips on how to reduce calories for weight loss graphically so that weight loss is definite and lasting. We will share these tips with you in this article.

What is a calorie deficit?

A calorie deficit simply means consuming fewer calories than one uses in exercise & general daily activities. When this is done correctly, your body can reduce weight over a period of time.

Maintenance calories

Everyone’s daily calorie requirement is unique, and is based on their height, weight, age, goal and activity level. Based on this, our bodies create physiological defences mechanisms to slow down the weight loss process to prevent famine and starvation. That’s why it is important to understand your maintenance calories before creating a calorie deficit. The maintenance calories is the exact amount of calories needed to support your calorie expenditure. If you keep consuming that through food, your weight remains the same.

You can calculate your maintenance calories using an online too also. 

Easy tips to gradually reduce calories for weight loss.

When it comes to making the calorie deficit smoother and easier, here are a few tips you can follow…

Reduce calories Tip 1- Keep the calorie deficit somewhere between 100 to 500 calories per day

Again this can be your choice. You may do it on a per day or a weekly basis. For example, if you reduce 500 calories a day, it would be equal to 3500 a week. This permits you to be flexible with your goal and adjust the calories here and there rather than every day. Rather than a specific daily calorie target, give yourself a scope based on your weekly goal. For instance, if the goal is to eat 2000 calories a day,  set a range between 1900 – 2100, so that you can save some calories for days when you feel hungrier.

Reduce calories Tip 2- Go for High Volume foods

Fill your plate with foods that stay in your tummy longer and keeps you feeling full for hours. Such foods are mostly proteins such as eggs, panner/cheese, legumes, beans or spinach, oats, porridge, bananas etc. 

Reduce calories Tip 3- Increase your activity gradually

And in easy ways. Start with walking. Walking 10,000 steps a day burns around 500 calories. 500 x 7 = 3500 calories per week. This is quite an easy way to create a calorie deficit without even changing your diet!

There are 3500 calories in half a kg of body fat, hence burning 3500 calories per week will result in a ½ kg weight loss just from the extra steps!

Reduce calories Tip 4- Do not forget, reducing calories for weight loss is not easy

Remember, creating a persistent calorie deficit is not easy! It requires time, patience, persistency and consistency. Do not be hard on yourself and go at your own pace. Taking drastic measures will again lead you to a plateau and disappointment.

Discover foods and recipes that you relish and forgive yourself if you slip up sometimes. You can always get back on track and continue to smash your goals!

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