Tuesday Tip: Calorie calculators …

Tuesday Tip: Calorie calculators … 🧮

I often hear people tell me that they’ve been in a calorie deficit but haven’t lost weight… and then go on to blame something else (bread/ carbs / metabolism / hormones ) etc to explain why their body is ‘hanging on to fat’ despite a deficit. Now assuming they have actually been eating the amount of calories they think they have (and that’s a whole different topic!) and tracking accurately then what’s going on?

Well the simple answer is – they’re not at a calorie deficit. A true calorie deficit will aways lead to fat loss (over time). Usually people have created their calorie goal using an online calculator. The thing is whilst these calculators are useful tools they’re just an estimate and a starting point. You won’t automatically be in a calorie deficit just by typing your details into a calorie calculator.

Being in a calorie deficit doesn’t mean eating an arbitrary number of calories that an online calculator gave you. It means being in negative energy balance. In order to know if you’re actually at that level then you need to test the number of calories you get from these calculators for a good 3-4 weeks – consistently (so that means no big weekend splurges etc – average calories per day need to be at the amount or under the amount you’ve been set). If after 3-4 weeks you’re not losing fat and you really have stuck to it accurately then you know that for you that number is too high. So you tweak it down and test again. If you start to see progress then you know you’re now at a deficit!

That’s why with my clients I will always wait for at least 4 weeks of consistent tracking before we even contemplate changing the calorie goal.

Sadly there’s no magic formula and no quick solution – but also there’s no need to over complicate it. If you’re progressing you’re at the right calorie level, if you’re not… you need to reduce it! Simple!

Happy Tuesday 🤗
Xx