Healthy Calorie Deficit Tips for Sustainable Weight Loss Success

There is no need to go on a diet to lose weight, but to do so sustainably, creating an efficient calorie deficit is all that is required.

Most individuals resort to crash diets with the hope that they will see the outcome immediately, but in most cases, people get disappointed and start regaining weight. 

On the contrary, controlled calorie deficit may result in a gradual loss of fat without compromising your health or vitality. Here, we shall explore the reality of calorie deficit and how slight, regular modifications can lead to permanent fat loss. 

Want to know the secret to sustainable weight loss? Read on for expert advice on how to use a healthy calorie deficit to your advantage.

What Does a Calorie Deficit Really Mean?

Calories are your body’s fuel points. Whenever you eat, you are filling your energy tank.

That food is then digested by your body and converted into energy so that you can perform everything, such as the obvious activities (walking and exercising), to the things you do not even recognise, such as breathing, thinking, and making your heartbeat.

At times, though, you end up filling the tank with more than your body needs at that time. The additional calories do not disappear.

They are stored and then used, primarily as body fat, later on in your body (they are also stored in your muscles and liver as stored carbs).

When you continuously consume more fuel than you use up, those stores continue to build, and you become fatter. But when you eat less than you burn, then the reverse occurs. 

You create a calorie deficit, and your body has no other option but to burn the stored calories as a source of energy.

It is when it begins tapping into your fat stores to compensate for the difference that the actual fat is lost.^[1]

None of the calories are lost, no weight loss. It is just a matter of finding a healthy, sustainable way to address that deficit without starving or punishing yourself.

As a general dietary guideline, for an apparently healthy individual/ with no specific health or nutrition needs and/or metabolic condition, it is recommended to consume 2000kcal/day.

How Big Should Your Calorie Deficit Be?

You may make a little plan, easy and safe:

• Strive to have a daily deficit of approximately 500 calories; this may result in approximately 0.5 kg of weight loss per week, which is a good, healthy, and realistic rate.^[2]
• Do not lose too many calories.

• Most women typically should not go below 1,500 calories a day.^[3]
• Most males should not consume fewer than 1,800 calories per day.^[4]

 Exceeding low might damage your energy, mood, hormones, and metabolism.

• A deficit is just required when it is needed to lose weight: When you are healthy and comfortable with the weight that you are at, you do not need to pursue a calorie deficit.^[5]
• The first thing to do is always consult a doctor: This is particularly in cases where you have health problems, use medication, or have had disordered eating in the past. An expert can help you achieve a safe calorie range for your body.

Healthy Calorie Deficit Tips You Can Actually Stick To

These are easy, practical suggestions that can help you reduce calories without becoming skinny or depriving yourself of the foods you like.

Read them, select some that suit your lifestyle, start with them, and continue with them as you become accustomed to your new habits.

1. Prioritise protein at each meal

Protein may make you feel fuller longer, build muscle, and also help control cravings, which is essential when you are on a calorie deficit.^[6]

Always add a good source of protein to every meal, e.g. eggs, Greek yoghurt, lentils, chicken, fish, tofu, or paneer. 

This helps one feel content with fewer calories and reduces the need to snack. Protein first is one of the most potent tips for consuming healthy calories, and you must keep this in mind every time you make a plate.

As a general dietary guideline, for an apparently healthy individual with no specific health or nutrition needs and/or metabolic condition, the RDA for protein is 46 g/d for women & 54g/d for men.

2. Add high-fibre foods to feel fuller

Fibre may slow digestion, keeping your stomach full, which is quite helpful when you are on a cutback.^[7] Even basic decisions, such as oats, whole-wheat roti, brown rice, beans, lentils, vegetables, and skinned fruits such as apples or pears, may count. 

Feeling full will reduce the chances of overeating or continuing the search for snacks. Fibre addition with protein is among the smart, healthy, calorie-deficient tips for long-term weight loss.

The daily RDA for fibre, as per NIN, ICMR, is 30g per day for males & 25g per day for women.

Aashirvaad Atta with Multigrains, in partnership with the renowned nutritionist, designed the My Meal Plan test. The test will inform you of the amount of fibre you are taking daily, and then draft a meal plan that fits you.

3. Use smaller plates and mindful eating

The eyes are highly influential in determining how full you will be. Having normal portions on a smaller plate makes them look like a big one, and you can eat less without feeling cheated.^[8]

Combine it with thoughtful eating: eat slowly, chew adequately, and do not watch screens when eating—taste, touch, and what makes your body begin to feel good. 

It is a straightforward tip to shed pounds that might otherwise accumulate from overeating, and is considered one of the simplest ways to maintain a healthy daily calorie deficit.

4. Swap sugary drinks for water or low-calorie options

Sweetened drinks such as soda, bottled juices, sweet lassis, energy drinks, and fancy coffees contain hundreds of calories but do not make you feel full. They are invisible calorie bombs. 

Use water, tender coconut water, buttermilk,  unsweet tea, or sugar-free beverages in place of them.

Hydration will be maintained, and a large percentage of avoidable calories can be reduced without much difficulty in retaining the deficit.^[9] No steep reduction in food intake is required if you swap sugary drinks with water.

Aashirvaad Atta with Multigrains developed the Digestion Quotient. You can now take a two-minute quiz to help you assess your digestive system’s performance.

5. Limit liquid calories and frequent takeaways:

A lot of calories are often found in small portions of alcohol, creamy coffees, milkshakes, carbonated beverages, and regular takeaway meals. The trouble is that they do not make you feel full for long.  

You can spare the calories these foods require by simply having them as occasional treats, drinking less, ordering in less, and taking the time to make an authentic, satisfying meal.

This is one of those healthy calorie-deficit strategies that doesn’t feel like a severe diet but helps you lose fat slowly over time.^[10]

6. Plan meals and snacks to avoid random overeating

You aren’t planning, so you tend to pick the easiest thing to eat, which is usually high in calories and low in nutrients. Making a loose plan at least may help you manage some portions and stay in your healthy calorie deficit. 

Prep single-portion recipes such as boiled eggs, yoghurts, cut fruits and nuts, or pre-cooked grains and vegetables.

Planning also helps you to make fewer last-minute choices, minimise emotional eating, and be consistent, and this is what truly will make you lose fat, and do it permanently.

Try Aashirvaad Whole Wheat Atta, with its beautiful amber colour and solidity, made from the finest grains. Aashirvaad’s atta is 100% Sampoorna Atta and contains no maida.

Do I need to count every calorie to be in a calorie deficit?

Not always. Some of them may need calorie counting to realise what they are eating; however, others can handle it with portion control, eating less calorie-dense foods, and exercising.

You can use a calorie-tracking app to understand better and track your calories.

Regardless of the approach you use, you want to reach a balanced diet, and if you have health conditions or just do not know where to begin, it is advisable to seek a healthcare expert or a registered dietitian.

The Bottom Line

A calorie deficit is simply consuming fewer calories than your body requires, so it has to use stored fat for energy. You do not have to use crash diets and extreme restrictions and starve yourself to lose weight. 

As a matter of fact, the strategies tend to backfire, slowing metabolism, causing cravings, and leading to rebound weight gain.

Cumulative, minor deficits are the best ones: focus on protein, add fibre, trade sugary drinks, pay attention to portions, exercise, and meal planning.

Also, a balanced diet based on whole foods, with adequate levels of protein, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, and plenty of fruits and vegetables, is actually the key to maintaining fat loss and health. 

It is not only about losing weight, but also about becoming stronger, livelier, and being more in control of what you can do.

And it is always a good idea to seek the advice of a qualified healthcare expert before committing to large-scale revisions to your diet or activity routine.

Calorie calorie-deficient diet must be under the strict supervision and guidance of a nutritionist/dietitian.  Since a very low-calorie diet may have several health effects, including nutritional deficiencies, low body weight, malnutrition, hypoglycemia, and low blood pressure, an individual’s calorie-deficient diet should be designed with his/her basic dietary needs, biochemical parameters, etc., in mind. 

Frequently Asked Questions