The Number One Condition For Fat Loss

Pop quiz: can you select which of these will help you lose fat? Can you guess in under 5 minutes?

1) Herbalife, SlimFast, and Other Meal Replacements

2) Aerobics

3) Strength training

4) Fruitarian diet

5) Vegetarian diet

6) Reducing sugar in your diet

7) Reducing carbs in your diet

8) Reducing fats in your diet

9) Increasing clean foods

10) Reducing dirty foods in diet

11) Reducing meat in diet

12) Pescetarian (fish and seafood) diet

Answer: ALL OF THE ABOVE.

What makes all of the above effective for fat loss? What is it that all 12 options have in common?

They are all either direct or indirect means to one end:

The No. 1 Condition for Fat Loss is a Caloric Deficit.

A caloric (or calorie) deficit by definition is a reduction in the calories consumed, OR an increase in the calories burned, in comparison to an individual's required caloric intake.

A caloric deficit can be achieved by one of the following strategies:

1) Caloric deficit by diet (consume less calories, but ensure it's healthy nutrition options)

2) Caloric deficit by exercise (burn more calories by increasing physical activity)

3) Caloric deficit by a combination of diet and exercise (middle-ground approach)

Each of the options in the quiz have to do with creating a calorie deficit by diet, exercise, or a combination of both.

When you are in a calorie deficit, you are getting less than your normal daily maintenance calorie requirements. Therefore, to compensate for this shortcoming created by this deficit in calories, your body resorts to using your stored energy reserves: fat. The more the body resorts to using its fat reserves, the less fat deposits are available for use by the body, hence causing a drop in body fat percentage and ultimately weight reduction. The entire biological process is not as simple as this explanation, as it goes beyond basic calories in-calories out; however, this provides a basic understanding of the internal chemistry of fat loss and fat burning, and calorie deficits are an essential condition for fat loss.

Understanding how calories play a role in fat loss is critical.

Each person has a basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is defined as the number of calories naturally burned from normal bodily functions and to keep alive, even during physical inactivity (e.g., just by sitting down or lying down all day). This is based on measurements such as age, sex, height, and current weight.

Each person also has a total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), which is defined as the sum total of all energy burned by a person during the day, which includes your BMR plus calories burned from physical activity. TDEE can vary from day to day, based on daily activity and energy expenditure. The TDEE is also called a person's caloric maintenance requirement (or level).

It is necessary to know your caloric maintenance requirements for:

1) Weight and Fat Maintenance (Caloric Basic Requirement)

2) Fat Loss with Muscle Preservation (Caloric Deficit)

3) Muscle Gain with Minimal Fat Gain (Caloric Surplus + Strength Training)

TDEE = BMR + Calories Burned from Activity Level

Caloric Input = All meals with caloric value (i.e., calorie content > 0) consumed within the day

Caloric Balance = Caloric Input - TDEE

Too many formulas? Let me use an example to illustrate my point:

For Sally (based on her age, sex, height, and current weight):

1) BMR = 1780 calories burned during normal bodily functions, even during physical inactivity

2) Calories Burned from Activity Level (on an average day) = 620 calories burned during physical activity

Therefore:

TDEE = BMR + Calories Burned from Activity Level = 1780 + 620 = 2400 calories

Sally burns a total of 2400 calories daily.

SCENARIO A: CALORIC MAINTENANCE

If Sally eats 2400 calories for the day,

Then Sally's Daily Caloric Balance = Caloric Input - TDEE = 2400 - 2400 = 0 calories

If Caloric Input = TDEE (or approximately close in value), the body's fat level is theoretically maintained (consuming same calories as burning, i.e., maintenance)

SCENARIO B: CALORIC SURPLUS

If Sally eats 3200 calories for the day,

Then Sally's Caloric Balance = Caloric Input - TDEE = 3200 - 2400 = +800 calories

If Caloric Input > TDEE, there is a theoretical caloric surplus (consuming more calories than burning). If there is no strength training involved, fat gain occurs with minimal muscle gain.

If Caloric Input > TDEE, there is a theoretical caloric surplus (consuming more calories than burning). If there is strength training involved, muscle gain occurs with minimal fat gain.

SCENARIO C: CALORIC DEFICIT

If Sally eats 2000 calories for the day,

Daily Caloric Balance = Caloric Input - TDEE = 2000 - 2400 = -400 calories

If Caloric Input < TDEE, there is a theoretical caloric deficit (consuming less calories than burning). If there is no strength training involved, fat loss and major muscle loss occurs.

If Caloric Input < TDEE, there is a theoretical caloric deficit (consuming less calories than burning). If there is strength training involved, fat loss and minimal muscle loss occurs.

Let's use another example:

We have a person named Tom. He's (obviously) male, 24 years old, and 200 lbs, and 5' 11'' tall.

Based on these measurements, Tom's BMR is approximately 1920 calories.

Based on his physical activity of hard work on a daily basis, Tom burns a further 1080 calories.

TDEE = BMR + Calories Burned From Physical Activity = 1920 + 1080 = 3000 calories daily

Tom wants to lose at least 5 lbs of fat, bringing him to a weight of 195 lbs.

To get to 195 lbs, let's say Tom decides on a caloric deficit of -500 calories on a daily basis.

Therefore, on a daily basis, Tom reduces his calories to 3000-500 = 2500 calories

By the end of 7 days, Tom has had a caloric deficit of -500 x 7 = -3500 calories

But how can Tom create the daily -500 calorie deficit? By easily doing one or a combination of many of the examples offered at the beginning of this article.

Whatever your option, the aim must be to find a healthy caloric deficit, especially one that can balance between diet and exercise.

A caloric deficit should not be to the extreme, as a drastic deficit for achieving fatloss will eventually trigger responses in the body that will halt fat loss and eventually cause rebound weight gain. This was discussed in my previous article Fat Loss or Weight Loss? Why The Focus Should Always Be Fat Loss.

It is also not enough to just "cut back" on calories: selecting poor nutrition choices like junk food on a daily basis does not constitute for a good foundation for a caloric deficit. Consume less calories, but consume healthy calories.

To sum it up, a caloric deficit can be:

1) reducing your calorie input (consume less, but consume healthy) (e.g., diet) or 

2) increasing your caloric output (burn more) (e.g., exercise) or 

3) a combination both diet and exercise (best of both worlds)

I'll end here, for now. Future articles will further discuss finding estimates of your BMR, TDEE, and calorie intake, and creating an ideal but flexible caloric deficit. I'll also discuss good food choices for a caloric deficit for your fatloss goal.

Thanks for taking time to read this article!