If losing a few kilos is appropriate for your sports goals, a controlled calorie deficit can be the missing piece of the puzzle.

Intermittent fasting, keto, paleo, light or vegetarian… Thinking of skipping dinner? Giving up carbohydrates? Living on protein shakes for the rest of your days?

When it comes to weight loss, understanding your needs and setting a clear goal are key.

What is a calorie deficit?

A calorie deficit means consuming fewer calories than your body needs to maintain its current weight. In other words, eating less energy than you expend over time.

You can create this deficit by reducing dietary energy intake, increasing physical activity or combining both.

The main aim is to lose fat. In a deficit, the body draws on stored energy, including fat, resulting in weight loss. However, the deficit needs to be reasonable and appropriate: extreme calorie restriction can reduce muscle mass and have other negative effects on health.

Here is how it works!

What should I eat to lose weight quickly?

Are you looking to lose fat?

We doubt you clicked on this post to find out how to lose the muscle you worked so hard to build through Bulgarian split squats and other devilish inventions.

If you searched for what to eat to lose fat, the answer does not lie in the name of a particular strategy or diet.

You may have heard a lot about intermittent fasting. Unless you have been living under a rock, the term probably rings a bell.

In recent years, marketing has put intermittent fasting everywhere, leading many people to see it as the answer to everything.

But does intermittent fasting really work for fat loss?

The answer is straightforward: intermittent fasting can lead to fat loss when it helps you maintain a calorie deficit. That means consuming less energy than your body expends.

How do you create a calorie deficit?

There are many possible strategies. They concern both what you eat and what you expend through metabolism, daily activity and training.

Exactly: energy in and energy out.

The key is finding a strategy or personalised diet that suits you: your tastes, habits, schedule, cooking time and skills, goals, training, activity, rest and so on.

As we have said more than once (probably more than ten times), nutrition works when it is applied to you and your circumstances at that moment.

Do you need a nutritionist to introduce a calorie deficit?

It is a good idea. To include a calorie deficit in your eating plan, work with a nutritionist who considers how your body works and how you live day to day.

If you enjoy eating (we certainly do), cutting calories is not always a pleasant experience. Let’s be honest.

The good news? At the time of writing, the INDYA app offered more than 7000 recipes to help your nutritionist design a varied plan. That makes a calorie deficit easier to manage and helps you understand how to eat for weight loss, with ongoing support through chat or, if you choose, video calls.

How to calculate the calorie deficit you need

Calculating a calorie deficit involves factors such as age, sex, weight, height, basal metabolic rate, activity level and weight-loss goals.

The main steps are:

Estimate your basal metabolic rate (BMR): the energy needed for basic functions such as breathing, heartbeats and metabolism at rest. Harris–Benedict is one commonly used equation for estimating BMR from age, weight, height and sex. Other equations or more specific methods, such as a basal metabolic rate test, can also be used.

Consider diet-induced thermogenesis: the energy used to chew, digest and absorb food. The original article estimates it at less than 10% of total energy expenditure (TEE), although the proportion varies.

Estimate energy expenditure from activity. This includes NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis, such as walking or shopping) and training expenditure, which depends on duration, type and intensity. It is highly variable between people, so useful tools include watches, activity trackers and exercise testing, while recognising that estimates are imperfect.

Set a realistic weight-loss goal and use it to determine an appropriate deficit. The pace should reflect your circumstances. Establish a starting point using anthropometric measurements or a reliable scale.

With these factors in mind, you can estimate a calorie deficit suited to your goal. Create it gradually and appropriately to minimise negative effects on health.

What should meals in a calorie deficit look like?

At first, you may not know what to eat because you are unsure how each meal fits your changing needs.

Don’t worry: you are not alone. A diet with a calorie deficit can be difficult without support. Working with a nutritionist can make it easier.

What might a menu adapted to a calorie deficit look like?

There are no meals that everyone must include, nor foods everyone must avoid. What matters is adapting portions and calories to your body’s needs each day.

Here are some ideas for general inspiration. We do not know you yet, so these are not an assessment of your individual needs.

Breakfast in a calorie deficit

This multigrain toast with ricotta and cherries could suit you if you like a sweet breakfast. If you prefer savoury food, try avocado toast with tuna, ham or another ingredient recommended by your nutritionist, in amounts suited to you.