Losing weight – how to achieve a sustainable calorie deficit

Losing weight does not have to mean following a strict diet, giving up the food you enjoy or feeling hungry all the time. There are many different approaches to weight loss, but what determines whether you lose weight is taking in less energy than your body uses over time. At the same time, successful weight loss is about more than calories. Your eating habits, daily routine and how you feel all affect how easy it is to make a change and maintain the results.

How do you lose weight?

To lose weight, you need to create an energy deficit, also known as a calorie deficit. This means taking in less energy than your body uses. Your body then uses stored energy to make up the difference, which can lead to weight loss over time.

How much energy you need varies depending on factors such as age, body size, muscle mass and physical activity. This means there is no single calorie intake that suits everyone. Someone who is very active may need considerably more energy than someone with a sedentary lifestyle.

It is also important to distinguish between weight loss and changes in body fat. Your weight on the scales is also affected by fluid, glycogen and the contents of your digestive tract. It is therefore normal for your weight to vary from day to day, even when you are maintaining an energy deficit.

How big a calorie deficit do you need to lose weight?

A common guideline for weight loss is an energy deficit of around 500 kcal per day. However, this is not a recommendation that suits everyone, but an example of what a moderate deficit might look like.

For example, if your body uses around 2 200 kcal per day, an energy intake of around 1 700 kcal would create an estimated deficit of 500 kcal. However, the amount of energy your body uses is not constant, and calculations are always approximate.

A larger deficit can lead to faster weight loss in the short term, but it can also increase the risk of hunger, tiredness, inadequate nutrient intake and difficulty sticking to your plan. For many people, a smaller or moderate deficit is therefore more realistic.

What should you eat to lose weight?

You do not need to cut out carbohydrates, fat or specific foods to lose weight. What matters most for weight loss itself is your total energy intake over time, but the balance of foods you eat plays a major role in how full you feel, your nutrient intake and your wellbeing.

Protein-rich foods such as fish, eggs, chicken, pulses and dairy products can help you feel full and preserve muscle mass during weight loss. Fibre-rich foods such as vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, beans and lentils can also make meals more filling.

A practical starting point is to look at your usual meals. Could you add more vegetables, choose a higher-fibre option or space your meals more evenly throughout the day? Small changes are often easier to maintain than overhauling your entire diet.

There is also no reason to ban pizza, ice cream or chocolate. These foods can fit into a varied diet too. It is the overall picture that matters most.

Can you lose weight without counting calories?

Yes. Calorie counting is a tool, not a requirement for weight loss. You can create an energy deficit by adjusting portion sizes, choosing more filling foods, cutting back on high-calorie drinks or becoming more aware of snacking between meals, for example.

At the same time, it can be difficult to know how much energy you are actually taking in. Logging your food for a while can therefore provide valuable insights. You might discover that some meals contain more energy than you thought, or that you often eat too little earlier in the day and become very hungry in the evening.

The aim does not have to be to monitor every calorie, but to understand your habits better and make informed choices.

What is calorie cycling, and can it make weight loss easier?

One way to structure your weight loss is to use calorie cycling. This means alternating between periods of energy deficit and periods of energy balance, when your energy intake roughly matches the amount your body uses.

For example, you might maintain a moderate calorie deficit for two weeks, then spend a week focusing on energy balance. You can then return to a deficit.

The idea is to create a structure in which weight loss does not have to continue without a break. For some people, planned periods of energy balance can make it easier to fit weight loss around everyday life and social situations.

However, it is important to understand that calorie cycling is not a shortcut. To lose weight, you still need an energy deficit over time. Research does not clearly show that planned breaks lead to greater weight loss than a continuous energy deficit, but this approach may be an option for those who find it works better for them.

Why am I not losing weight even though I am eating less?

There may be several explanations. One common reason is that your energy intake is higher than you estimate. Oils, sauces, drinks, snacks and small tastes of food can together provide more energy than you realise.

At the same time, the amount of energy your body uses can decrease as you lose weight. A lighter body generally needs less energy, and sometimes spontaneous everyday movement decreases too.

Fluctuations in fluid levels can also mask an actual reduction in body fat over shorter periods. The menstrual cycle, salt intake, stress and changes in physical activity can affect how much fluid your body retains.

It is therefore better to track your weight over several weeks rather than draw conclusions from individual weigh-ins. If your weight stays the same for a longer period, it may be worth reviewing both your energy intake and your activity levels.

How important is exercise when you want to lose weight?

Physical activity has many health benefits and can help increase the amount of energy you use. But you do not need to exercise intensely every day to lose weight.

Walking, cycling, everyday movement and other activities you enjoy can be valuable parts of a long-term change. Strength training is particularly useful because it can help preserve muscle mass during weight loss.

What matters most is finding ways to move that fit into your daily life. Exercise should not have to be used to compensate for what you have eaten.

How long does it take to lose weight?

How quickly you lose weight depends on several factors, including the size of your energy deficit, your starting weight, your body composition and how your body adapts.

Weight loss rarely follows a completely straight line. Some weeks, the scales may show a clear drop, while other weeks may show small changes or even a temporary increase.

Try not to let the number on the scales become your only measure of success. Better eating habits, more energy, improved fitness and a more relaxed relationship with food can also be important results.

How Nutraware helps you lose weight

Understanding that an energy deficit is needed is fairly straightforward. The real challenge is often working out how to create one in your own daily life, without getting caught up in strict rules or short-term diets.

Nutraware helps you become more aware of your eating habits and gives you tools to make sustainable changes. By taking a photo of your food, you can get an estimate of calories, protein, carbohydrates, fat, fibre and other nutritional values. You can also plan your meals, discover new recipes and get personalised guidance.

With Nutraware's AI coach, you get support to understand your eating patterns, identify challenges and find solutions that suit you. The app can also support you when using calorie cycling and alternating between an energy deficit and energy balance.

The goal is not for you to eat perfectly, but to understand your body and habits better. Sustainable weight loss is not just about reaching a certain number on the scales, but about finding a way of living that helps you feel well in the long term too.

Want to understand your diet better and get support on your journey towards sustainable weight loss? Discover Nutraware and start building habits that last.

Be aware, feel great.

Download Nutraware for free

Sources

NIDDK: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/adult-overweight-obesity/eating-physical-activity

Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023: https://pub.norden.org/nord2023-003/

Systematic review of planned breaks during an energy deficit: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38246879/