Many fat loss and body transformation journeys begin by cutting calories. Eating less calories is a tried-and-true method to body weight loss. Unfortunately, many people cut too many calories. This dramatic cut in calories leads to an unpleasant constant state of hunger. Cutting too many calories will lead to defeats that include:
• Slower metabolism
• Spikes in hunger hormones–ghrelin
• Weight gain
• Quitting
• Poor relationship with food
It is not sustainable to maintain a severe calorie deficit. When your body does not receive the energy that it needs to function, hunger hormones are increases causing you to search for food. This can lead to weight gain.
How Many Calories Should You Cut For Fat Loss?
Many experts believe that when you begin your fat loss journey you should do so with a 500 calorie cut per day. If you are weight training while you cut fat (and you should), I do not believe that a 500 calorie deficit from food is necessary. Making such a calorie cut could shock the body.
Instead, begin by cutting 200-300 calories from your diet. Exercise burn fat; it is a contributor to the deficit. If you burn 200 calories from exercise, plus you dispose of 300 less calories from food, there is a 500 calorie deficit.
How Do I Figure Out How Many Calories I Eat Each Day?
A registered dietitian can help you figure out how many calories you eat each day and how many calories you actually need. If you would prefer to experiment with this independently you can do so with your choice of the many calorie apps that are ready made available for download on your smart device(s) as well as laptops and computers.
You can begin by tracking all of the food that you consume. By doing this it can be revealed to you how much you are eating. Calorie apps can give you an idea of what you should be eating for fat loss. You will be able to get an idea of what your actual food intake measures against your target food intake.
3 Tips For Cutting Calories Without Feeling Hungry
When you begin to cut calories it is the norm to feel a little hungry. Your body is used to more food and now you are fueling with less amounts of foods. To feel very hungry, much less starving, is not a good sign. These feelings should serve as red flag.
Here are a few tips to cut calories the healthy way:
1. Cut less nutritious foods
Begin with the removal of foods that do not offer any nutritional benefits. Foods as such include:
• Alcohol
• Candy
• Pop/soda
• Overly processed foods
• Some baked goods
• Deep fried foods
Limiting processed foods can be a big game changer. According to a recent small-scale study, people who ate heavily processed foods ate about 500 calories more than they did while on a minimally processed diet.
On average people gained 2 pounds in 2 weeks on heavy processed diet, and lost the equivalent amount after 2 weeks on the minimally processed food diet.
If you find it difficult to cut out your favorite processed food(s), keep in mind that no food group has to be eliminated from your diet in order to lose fat. Moderation is the key. There is room for all foods in any diet but there are food groups to obviously reduce as you work toward your health and fitness goals.
2. Fill your plate with vegetables
Meals do not have to be small in order to cut fat to reach your ideal physique. Vegetables contain nutrients and stomach satisfying fiber that adds volume to each plate.
Not only can you simply add vegetable as a side to each meal; you can substitute vegetables for carbohydrates. For example, if you enjoy pasta, try spiralized noodles. Spiralized noodles can be consumed in greater volume than pasta for less calories.
3. Swap low-fiber foods for high-fiber foods
Foods that are high in fiber are more filling, les energy dense, and slowly digest. This will keep you filling fuller longer, which can help with fat loss over time. High fiber foods include:
• Apples
• Green beans
• Oats (oatmeal)
• Barley
• Cauliflower
Boosting your daily fiber intake can serve as an effective fat loss addition. Only 5% of the USA population meets their daily recommended dose of fiber (19-38 grams per day).
Lacey Warner Fitness 