Energy balance: CALORIES!

Today, we are going to be discussing energy balance and how to achieve a calorie deficit, a calorie surplus and calorie maintenance.

To achieve a loss in body fat or weight is not an easy task, however it is in fact an incredibly simple scientific process of energy balance.
‘If it is so simple then why isn’t everyone sitting at their ideal body composition’ I hear you cry!?
The mindset that needs to be sustained is not so simple and requires motivation, consistency and most importantly understanding of the process.

When we look at weight/fat loss in its simplest form; If we are burning more calories than we consume, we are in what is known as a calorie deficit.
So, if we are looking to lose body fat then our aim is to achieve a calorie deficit as this is the one and only way that you are going to reduce body fat.

On the opposite side to a calorie deficit we have a calorie surplus. This is when we are consuming more calories than we burn. If we are in a surplus then we will put on weight, either in body fat, muscle or both depending on what foods we are consuming and what exercise is being done, if any. It is quite common for us to be in a calorie surplus without realising and this will be the main reason for unwanted weight gain.

Finally, if we are consistently consuming the same amount of calories that we burn, we are in what is known as calorie maintenance. As the name suggests, this is when we maintain our current body composition, neither gaining nor losing weight.
If we are happy with our current body composition then our aim will be to achieve maintenance so we remain the same.

Let's use an example and look at someone trying to reduce their body fat and how we can achieve a calorie deficit;
The first step is to work out how many calories a person requires each day to accomplish their most basic life functions/ the amount of calories your body will burn by just being alive; This is known as a persons BMR (Basal metabolic rate)- we will cover this further on in the blog and there are also many online calculators that will work it out for you.

So referring back to what we have covered earlier on in the blog : we need to achieve a calorie deficit to elicit fat loss.
It is very important for this to be sustainable, which for most people will be a deficit of 10-25%, but this is dependent on the individual and what is sustainable for them to maintain.
Using an example of someone who requires 2000 calories for calorie maintenance, we will be aiming to reduce their calorie intake by 200-500 calories per day in order to safely and sustainably reduce their body fat.
Any exercise done on top of this will increase the deficit. When we get this energy balance equation right, we can lose body fat, still feel good and have high energy levels.

To calculate your own BMR and how many calories you need to be consuming to achieve either a deficit, maintenance or a surplus then follow the steps below:
- The first step is to calculate your BMR using the Harris Benedict method:
For men: BMR = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (years) + 5
For women: BMR = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (years) – 161

Ex: Female = 10 x 64kg + 6.25 x 173 - 5 x 25 - 161= 1,435.
This female's BMR is 1,435kcal.

- Once you have calculated your BMR then you need to multiply it by the appropriate activity factor to find how many calories you need to be consuming, this will give you the number of calories you need to be consuming for maintenance:
* Sedentary (little or no exercise) : BMR x 1.2
* Lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : BMR x 1.375
* Moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : BMR x 1.55
* Very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : BMR x 1.725
* If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & a physical job) : BMR x 1.9

So using the previous female as an example she is moderately active so for maintenance she would have to consume 2224kcal (1,435 x 1.55) and if we use the rule of reducing the calories by 10-25% for a calorie deficit then she would be eating around 2000kcal for 10% and 1668kcal for 25%.
Calorie deficits are things to be played around with because at the end of the day you don’t want your calories to be too low because otherwise you will find you don’t have enough energy to train, if you drop your calories too fast it may not be sustainable and you may find you slip into your old habits very quickly.

Every single weight loss diet you have seen, tried or heard about is only looking to achieve that one magical thing… a calorie deficit. So don’t be fooled into thinking you need to do anything drastic (i.e only drinking meal replacement shakes for weeks) because you are not only going to hate the process, but it can also be quite dangerous. Be smart and create a sustainable long term habit that still allows you to eat the foods you enjoy while achieving your desired body composition!

Whether you are trying to maintain your current body weight, get into a calorie deficit or surplus, an important thing to remember is make sure your protein intake is sufficient and you are getting enough vegetables in your daily meals.
A good calculation to go off for protein consumption is 1.5g/kg of bodyweight, for example 64 x 1.5 = 96grams of protein a day. You would adjust this accordingly depending on your goals and how often you are training because our body needs protein to repair & make your muscles grow.