How Does a Calorie Deficit for Weight Loss Work?

Hi! I’m Illa (MS, RDN) and I am a Registered Dietitian who provides weight loss coaching for millennials. There are so many health companies and fad diets out there that want to convince you to buy their products, but I’m here to show you that you don’t need any products to lose weight! It just takes a little behavior change and food tracking.
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[@abhisheksathe123]

around 200-300calorie deficit is good for start and it can be easier to stick to. People go into too deep deficit like 500-800calories from the very start and then screw up after few days

[@TheMillennialNutritionist]

Hh yeah! Starting small is much more sustainable. I don't think many realize 200 calories is like 1 serving of pb!

[@wheal2825]

@@TheMillennialNutritionist hey I eat like 1800 I think but websites recommend 3000 for me

[@wheal2825]

@@TheMillennialNutritionist that maintains my weight btw

[@theinvisiblegirl2501]

100%!!

[@Astrologcomedy]

I’m only 5’2 my maintenance to maintain my weight is 1800 so I have to go below that

[@theinvisiblegirl2501]

yup

[@ellebelle222]

Yes, I am 5'1

[@akhis_corner]

Yes, reduce it by 250-500 cal

[@Zombina638]

@@akhis_cornerwdym reduce by 250 -500?

[@akhis_corner]

@@Zombina638 for example as the person above mentioned, to maintain their weight they need to be consuming 1800 calories. In order to have a caloric deficit, you will need to reduce your calorie intake by 250-500 depending on what your goals are and how quick you want to lose weight as well as maybe keeping muscle too. So 1800-250 equals 1550 or 1800-500 equals 1300. Use tdee calculator to find out your maintenance calories and then reduce your maintenance by 250-500 :) sorry for long paragraph but hope it helps

[@Reallythere54321]

If you’r confused I’ll explain when she says calorie deficit of 1300 and 1800 in her examples she makes it seem like they are eating 1300 or 1800 calories(in each example she gave) below maintenance , what really she’s saying that they’re trying to eating a total of 1300 and 1800 calories a day for an over all deficit, in example one they’re trying to eat 1300 calories a day which would be (maintenance)2300-1300(calorie goal a day) =1000 calorie deficit which wasn’t doable so they failed and didn’t meet their goal each day from numbers she gave in the example , so they had an average of -850 for the week at the rate it would be -850 times 4 weeks in a month which is-3400 calories which is almost -3500 calories which is almost a pound. By raising the goal of calories to 1800/day it was more doable and the person was able to meet their daily calorie goal(on average)So their over all deficit was 2300-1800= 500 times 7 days week times 4 weeks =-14000 calorie deficit a month -14000/3500(pound in calories) = 4 lbs loss a month.

[@nutella871]

thank you this made more sense. her explanation was truly confusing. I think her information is valid and true, but i had to watch the video 3x then read your comment for it to make some sense

[@JesusGarcia-Digem]

OMAD diet for over a year, lost 56 pounds in 4 months. 2200 max calories.

[@Reallythere54321]

What do you eat on your omad

[@JesusGarcia-Digem]

@@Reallythere54321 Half a pound of grass fed a day, sweet potato, organic durum pasta with pesto. Meal replacement shake from Garden of life with berries and grass fed whey, 1 avocado max calories is at 2500- 2700ish. Starting to eat a little more after starting a weight lifting program, getting built and going strong after 4th month of training. Stay natty.

[@CoolBeansYoFohShizzle]

I ain’t gonna lie. I ain’t understand none of that 😂

[@TheNeeuqnozama]

Not a thing🤦🏾‍♀️

[@perfectlyimperfectme00]

Me too dawg😂

[@Tshalamonii]

Basically the first column is someone who gave up and only lost 1 pound in one month! The second column is of someone who kept going and lost 1 pound in one week!

[@miche111z]

Maintenance calories is what you eat to maintain your current body weight, basal is your bmr and is the calories you need to do daily functions-being alive. Eat in a moderate deficit of your maintenance calories & you’ll lose weight.

[@GonzaloRubio.]

It’s very difficult to find a video where somebody explains it short and sweet and doesn’t over explain it

[@freddyfox5002]

Lost 20 pounds on a KETO/OMAD diet in 3 months Walked for exercise. Was never starving nor did I have any crazy cravings. Didn't track calories. It was very simple and worked for me.

[@TheMillennialNutritionist]

Glad it worked out for you!

[@freddyfox5002]

@@TheMillennialNutritionist I just can not see myself ever bother with counting calories or "macros" This diet combo was so easy I was eating very well every single night

[@sledge2105]

@@freddyfox5002 What did you eat?

[@freddyfox5002]

@@sledge2105 KETO is meat and vegetables, no sugar, no carbs OMAD stands for "One Meal A Day"

[@MarkMc6859]

Time restricted eating or omad, with an odd water fast thrown in when I feel like it, works for me to. Aimed to lose around 22lbs from August using this method, and managed and maintained this without any real problems. Avoiding processed foods, sugar and snacking, is a big factor in successfully losing weight, while not necessarily cutting calories. Good luck!

[@pbr9081]

I’ve been eating about 1.2k a day no snacks/unhealthy food however the website says my maintenance is 2.6k I’m a bit lost tbh. Plus I exercise with weights 6 times during the week one day being a rest. I started this just last week hope it all works out

[@pbr9081]

@@Meh947 I’m managing to have a 1.2k calorie deficit for the last 7 days feeing full after every meal. Shouldn’t that be ok?

[@tysontom47]

At 5’8 I was like 207lbs like 4-5 days ago I am and today after going on a calories deficit of 987.5 for two days I am now 195 and only worked out once in that time. Maybe it’s because I put on a few lbs but I was pretty toned at 170lbs after working out for a couple months before so maybe that’s why

[@angelwrenn]

Thats means that I'll have to eat 1850 calories and burn 450?

[@uri627]

This is helping me a lot

[@jc4evur661]

So what does one do when they reach their desired weight? How does one maintain the weight they want?

[@boaboakei4156]

Eat your maintenance calories everyday

[@user-yk6jm8zk8g]

Am I the only one who’s confused? She’s talking really fast and I can’t tell which side she’s talking about

[@shawnlove4502]

This was helpful

[@TheMillennialNutritionist]

Glad I could help out!

[@faye2158]

what if ky maintenance are 1800 calories

[@chocomini230]

I always get jealous seeing people say their maintenance calories are 2K+ because mine is 1600 calories. I am fairly active but I’m not exactly sure how to measure that or if I even should take it into account when figuring out my deficit.

[@Neon_Cookies]

I’m 5’1, a teenager, I weigh 103 pounds, extremely athletic. I eat just about 1000 calories a day usually less. I’m mostly maintaining weight. What can I do to loose fat and gain mustle?

[@justinkyle3]

Eat high amounts of carbs and proteins and do more weight lifting exercises and less cardio based exercises

[@burnt_toast6225]

U suppose to eat way more

[@RosesareRed38]

Amazing! Thank you so much! I’m eating 2200 calories to lose weight 😊

[@TheMillennialNutritionist]

Oh wow!

[@kingadjust6201]

@@TheMillennialNutritionist hi I'm an 18 year old male and usually eat around 1,900 - 2,200 calories depending on the day and I eat 1,600 - 1,700 calories is this a safe deficit? I do ab workouts and walking too 😎👍

[@kingadjust6201]

@@TheMillennialNutritionist is this a healthy deficit? 😎👍

[@Xeno-fx2wn]

@@kingadjust6201 fs btw try weight lifting too if you can and workout to get more calories in but 1900-2100 is good if you can maintain it

[@kingadjust6201]

@@Xeno-fx2wn thanks currently I'm consuming around 1,800 calories and I do ab workouts and forearm reverse curls for weightlifting I also usually do 45 minutes to an hour every other day 😎👍

[@DoYaRememberMe]

Im so confused. Let’s say you need to eat 2000 kcal and a defecit of 500, does that mean you need to burn 2500 kcal or just 500kcal?

[@TheMillennialNutritionist]

Just need to eat 500 cals less! So in the 2000 calorie example, eat 1500 calories/day. You could even start smaller at 200 calories. So In the 200 cal deficit, you would eat 1800 calories/day.

[@chunkybeerus8966]

And so how many calories should I burn? Please some one help

[@justtrynasurvive]

@@chunkybeerus8966 if your in a deficit your already going to lose weight if you stick to that diet. Exercise will increase calories burned (optional)

[@whoistimira]

@@TheMillennialNutritionistso were you saying dont eat UNDER ur deficit?

[@whoistimira]

i don’t understand. if my tdee is 2,200 (or something i forgot) and the calc said my cal deficit is 1500 then what

[@kabirdeshmukh2511]

Very well explained

[@TheMillennialNutritionist]

Glad it was helpful!

[@elizabethunger9190]

My TDEE is apparently 2600 kcal. My BMR is 1900. Does that mean I need to eat 1900 minimum? I’ve been eating 1500 which hasn’t been too hard but I feel like 1800 would be a bit easier. Would I still have a good amount of weight loss since that’s a 800 kcal deficit plus exercising 30 minutes a day 5-6 days a week? I’m 245 lbs 5’9, 25 yrs old and trying to lose 75 lbs. I’ve lost 5 so far.

[@erick7brian]

Spot on

[@TheMillennialNutritionist]

🫶🏼

[@sarellah651]

If i eat over 1,150 i always gain weight somehow. Even though my basal is 1,150. I have to eat 1k or less or i gain weight - idk how maybe i just have bad genetics. Im 94-97 pounds (i fluctuate between the 2 every single day somehow.) And 14 and 11 months. I dont get it. How can people eat their maintenance and not gain weight???

[@amaniehattab591]

My defict is 1660 and maintence is 2100 i find it hard to stick to 1660 do u recommend to stick to higher number

[@adorityy]

i’m very short i’m 4’11 so i have to eat 1’200 to lose weight but i’m going below that so i’m eating 500 calories & running 3 miles

[@laurattitude.2263]

DO. NOT. DO. THAT. I used to that when I had eating disorders (I still do, but I kinda recovered), but thing is : If you eat really few calories, your body will go on stocking fat mode because there's not enough calorie to fuel your body. Now, I gained the tripled the weight I lost even though I go to the gym and still calorie deficit.

[@adorityy]

@@laurattitude.2263 oh god that sounds terrible .. what about if i eat 800 - 1000 calories ? ( i weigh 130lbs & wanna weigh 90 - 110 lbs i rly wanna get to my goal weight by december so i’m planning on eating this low for 5 months honestly the less i weigh the better lol )

[@Jaz_Summer]

How do you find maintenance calories?

[@RollAndBacon115]

hello, I want to get myself in shape im 16 and have a fat build and im a little overwhelmed on how to go about loosing weight and building muscle is there any tips you could give me?

[@finn.the.humans5351]

my biggest advice is mental - make sure you PLEASE begin with a healthy mindset. Don't get so involved in calories, obviously not a great idea to eat a whole cake or a drink that has 600+ that is just one drink, but really, calories don't matter, it's the breakdown of the food - mainly carbs. I recommend finding some easy meals to start with that you like. For example, they make keto bread, cheese and meat (that aren't super processed) have very little carbs/calories if any, so a classic ham and cheese, personally i like quesadillas, they have healthier tortillas and if u add things like chicken, cheese, and spinach, or much else, that's healthy and easy to make! I also happen to like eggs and bacon, again, if made correctly, healthy, easy meal. I'm pretty picky so might not sound super appetizing to you. Find a sport/activity you enjoy but that also challenges you. Start simple. Do you eat 5 snacks a day? Try 3. Do you normally have 2-3 times the recommended portion size? Maybe try taking that down a little, but do NOT starve yourself or become super obsessed with meals, please! If you eat healthy food, you can eat SO MUCH of it! KZbin and Google aren't as good as actual doctors, but can be helpful in doing research. Consistency and reality are major for me. I made a list of my favorite healthy meals, so i can go look if I'm feeling unmotivated/want a snack but not sure what to eat and want to be healthy. Take cheat days! Eat pancakes or cake or ice cream! Don't deprive yourself, but learn to pace yourself. I'd eat a whole bag of m&Ms, now i have learned (through a LONG journey) to be satisfied with a handful max. Just me tho.

[@pyschedOUT]

​@@finn.the.humans5351 you're actually a legend 💯

[@bakihanma839]

If you have binge eating problem 2 things high volume foods/meals but make sure the calories are low enough to make your calorie deficit, and eating slow so your body knows when your full, drink lots of water too 1 gallon

[@syedmujahid9188]

Hello dear .. What happen can I take 1500 below or 1500 calorie for weight loss

[@rebeccaw1108]

If your maintenance is 1800, could you eat 1800 and exercise and burn 300 to get a net of 1500 to lose weight? Or would you have to eat 1500 calories plus exercise to lose weight? I have been maintaining weight at an average of around 1700-1800 calories with 3 to 4 days of cardio a week. I want to cut down to 1600 calories because i didnt see weight loss with 1700-1800 calories.

[@purpleray9406]

If you burn 300 calories then you should subtract that so like you said it would go from 1800 consumed to 1500 calories consumed

[@plastichouseplant]

Usually the reason people say to diet for a calorie deficit is because exercise calories are very difficult to accurately count and people often overestimate them. Things like smart watches and the like are usually wildly inaccurate so it's easier to track food intake. That said, I've been able to create a deficit through exercise alone while eating at my sedentary maintenance and am losing about 1-1.5 lb per week, but I also exercise a lot (I walk 3 hours per day). If you track your calorie intake and weight daily and compare the two you can get a rough idea after a few weeks of how many calories your workouts are burning.

[@conisalgado1294]

But how do we find our caloric maintenance? Without having to pay a nutritionist? Many of us are very tight in money during inflation

[@TheMillennialNutritionist]

I actually have a tutorial on this on my website! Called "My Fitness Pal Tracking Tutorial"

[@conisalgado1294]

@@TheMillennialNutritionist can you link it please

[@isabellawinther1989]

okay am i stupid..? i thought calorie deficit meant i needed to burn more calories that i eat, is this right?

[@whoistimira]

yes

[@moonlit7644]

my maintance is 1200 bro 💀

[@jeremiahcarroll3573]

No way what are you 4 foot 3 n 72 pounds?😂😂

[@moonlit7644]

@@jeremiahcarroll3573 5'1 and 55kg more or less

[@balianlopez5999]

Tryna stay under 2000 rn

[@gone.sailing]

So are we exercising or?

[@karengomez2874]

Is 1300 good for me ? I’m 5’2 and weigh 130 my goal weight is 119

[@theinvisiblegirl2501]

most important is making sure it’s sustainable for you to stick to

[@cozy_corner77]

my maintenance calories are 1328, but then if I cut 200 it will be 1100 and it says its too low. It doesnt seem right?

[@katr_i_na]

Your maintenance calories are definitely not 1328. That’s less than the average woman’s BMR. What did you use to calculate that?

[@michaelholt8590]

I have been on the carnivore diet (only meat/eggs for 30 days now. I have maintained a large calorie deficit because it's very hard to eat 3000 calories a day of meat. Usually I end up around 2000 calories a day, give or take a little. I hit the gym 5 days a week (lifting weights 3 days and cardio 2 days) and have put on some muscle and lost weight. In a month I have lost 20 pounds and have not needed to go hungry. The carnivore diet may not work for everyone and it probably isn't the best for long term eating habits but it will quickly take fat off of the body.

[@Koutsimouka]

Hi, hope you well. What kind of meals are you eating? Thanks, pat.

[@michaelholt8590]

@@Koutsimouka A lot of chuck roast, chicken breast, pork loin, and ground beef. Eggs and sausage in the morning.

[@Koutsimouka]

@@michaelholt8590 Do you eat anything with the meat? Say for example rice?

[@michaelholt8590]

@@Koutsimouka No. If anything I have more meat. Maybe chicken as the main and ground beef as a side. This is only a temporary 90 day diet.

[@bakihanma839]

So your not in a calorie deficit 😂 its not that it isnt working the person just wasnt in one

[@TheMillennialNutritionist]

Person 1 wasn't able to stay in a deficit because 1300 was too extreme

[@purpleray9406]

When we over limit ourselves and restrain our diets too much and try to never give into cravings, they only get so much bigger and harder to resist. Leading to binging and weight gain. When we learn we can add dessert into our calorie goals on days we want it, it gets so much easier to maintain. I would recommend looking into the mental effects of binge eating disorder to understand, and how much it affects so many lives.

[@the_Theraphim]

I’m around 1500-1750

[@johnn2017]

Does this work differently for certain ppl , because 2 years ago I went on a calorie deficit and was working out daily and I was 17 at the time . And I was able to lose 28 pounds in a month and 2 weeks

[@TheMillennialNutritionist]

Sounds like a huge change and lots of factors can contribute

[@johnnyyespapa8321]

Can you list the details of like what you did. I'm 17, sitting at 170 pounds and trying to lose weight. I work out everyday & not sure what actually works

[@karanveermann9121]

So I eat around 2000 cals and how many should I burn?

[@drxko.vibbezz409]

If your in a caloric deficit you should focus on burning more then what you consume

[@justarandomperson8561]

​@@drxko.vibbezz409 so that means I have to eat like 500 / calories If My bmr is 1400?

[@plastichouseplant]

@@justarandomperson8561 No, BMR is the number of calories you burn just existing (like if you were in a coma you would still burn 1400 a day). You also burn calories on top of that from just the daily tasks of living, and then you also burn calories on top of that with exercise. Your TDEE is the number of calories you burn from living and exercise combined, so if you're fairly active this could be hundreds more than your BMR. That is the number you subtract calories from to create a calorie deficit, not your BMR.

[@maximdenissov4777]

how do u find out ur 'basal calories'?

[@deviction9314]

Isn’t that a herb or something like an ingredient you put on soup

[@whiterose9320]

​@@deviction9314 I think it's bmr? *Basal Metabolic Rate cmiiw

[@arionapiperrios]

Hi I'm 16, 156 cm or 5'1 or 2? In feet, my weight is between 59kg to 62 but how will i start doing calorie deficit?

[@advaitparab4852]

Calculate your maintenance calories from the internet there are many websites that provide u this service for free. Maintenance calories are the amount of calories u need to eat to maintain your current weight Eat 300 to 400 calories below this the way i did this is by having late breakfasts so i wouldnt need a lunch and then having dinner. Since u will be bound to feel hungry i would suggest u to eat more protein and fibre as these are hunger reducing foods. I would also suggest to walk 8000 steps a day and u will get weight loss pretty fast. I went from 89 to 72 in 3 months

[@nunyabusiness6313]

@@advaitparab4852 Do we need to stay on a calorie deficit of 300-400 c a day for awhile then gradually increase it?

[@advaitparab4852]

@@nunyabusiness6313 no remain in the deficit if ur sole purpose is losing weight n slimming down. If ur purpose is building muscle then there is a diff way to it

[@TPS2525]

Why would you go 1000 under on the first day? It is very simple, 😅😅

[@user-xw9pl8ve2d]

What can I do if my BMR is 1450, does it mean that I should eat 1200?😰😰 I can’t be full after that amount of calories and always just think about food Maybe I can eat ~1450 and do sports + walk?

[@TheMillennialNutritionist]

book a consultation with me!

[@rubyrico9151]

can you explain a little more i don’t understand. like on day 1 you eat 1850? but is the 450

[@TheMillennialNutritionist]

the 450 is the amount of a calorie deficit you're in for that day! 2300-1850=450

[@asiandramalover777]

Is it just me or u also thought she was Jenna Ortega?

[@andrehill4266]

So 1900 is a good caloric deficit for me then?

[@TheMillennialNutritionist]

hard to say! I don't know anything about you

[@waseemlorgat3479]

So im 2471 so i must eat 471 to loose weight

[@drahrenzy]

I'm exercising 30 mins - to and hour and a half a day everyday for 30 days combined with 1200 calorie deficit or lower. I'm on day 9,and I'm feeling the hunger lol. I mean I can still continue and all but I'm wondering if it's a good idea to go higher 1200 to maybe 1800 every 7th day?

[@TheMillennialNutritionist]

1200 sounds low and unsustainable. You can book a free consultation with me to get more detailed.

[@dontknow6465]

Thank you Taylor Swift

[@Lonely_Raven_666]

I thought you were supposed to eat around 1500 calories to stay alive, isn't eating only 200 a bit dangerous?

[@joepenny5100]

How can I burn more calories than I eat. Nowhere has told me that.

[@abhisheksathe123]

do physical activities that you like, go for a run or play any sport you likr or go to the gym and lift weights

[@TheMillennialNutritionist]

Increasing muscle mass helps!

[@theinvisiblegirl2501]

Exercise burns more calories and building muscle raises your TDEE

[@raulbarriga7416]

What did she say? 😮

[@TheMillennialNutritionist]

?

[@gusdagamer5802]

Or u could just eat 1300 and deal with it

[@TheMillennialNutritionist]

not sustainable!

[@jimenazamora277]

girl i eat 700 cal at most, work out 7 days a week and i’m still not losing weight 😫

[@klutchedup9]

You probably eat more than 700

[@jimenazamora277]

@@klutchedup9 i count my calores.

[@klutchedup9]

@@jimenazamora277 how old are you because there's no way you're surviving on 700 as an adult or teenager

[@jimenazamora277]

@@klutchedup9 but i am, it’s not that little, 700-900 is what it usually ends up being

[@klutchedup9]

@@jimenazamora277 you know you're slowing down your metabolism, right?

[@KINGRODP]

She talking too fast

[@TheMillennialNutritionist]

sorry!

[@crunchyflakepusssuk]

Is this assuming you burn the same amount of calories every day? I thought basal was resting calories burned? What about if I go hard?

[@sarellah651]

You add the calories from the work out, use a workout app where you log what workouts you did and how many, it will tell you the calories you burned.

[@ThatVirgoChickk]

Talking like a million miles an hour and nothing you said made sense....

[@BrandonP.1990]

My BMR is 2600 for a 33yr male thats now 359lbs. IS this correct? Iv been trying to be around 1600 daily on myfitnesspal. with now adding cardio, 1 hr treadmill walks, for that weight at incline im hitting like 750 cals burned is what it says.