{"id":7779,"date":"2016-09-23T15:26:00","date_gmt":"2016-09-23T19:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fatlossaccelerators.com\/site\/?p=7779"},"modified":"2016-09-23T15:26:00","modified_gmt":"2016-09-23T19:26:00","slug":"why-3500-calorie-deficit-does-not-equal-1lb-fat-loss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/fatlossaccelerators.com\/site\/why-3500-calorie-deficit-does-not-equal-1lb-fat-loss\/","title":{"rendered":"Why 3500 Calorie Deficit Does Not Equal 1LB Fat Loss"},"content":{"rendered":"

You know a thing or two about nutrition and training. Reading about fat loss, you may have come across conventional wisdom such as this:<\/p>\n

\u201cTo lose a pound of fat, you need to burn 3500 calories.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Is there any truth to this statement?<\/p>\n

Well…<\/p>\n

Fat loss is not simply about calorie counting and doing the maths.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"calories\"<\/p>\n

Chemistry plays a HUGE role and now we have fresh research to back it up. More on that in a moment… but first, let\u2019s go back in time…<\/p>\n

In early 2003 during my University years, I decided it was time to lose the ugly belly fat and my first step was to pull out the trusty old food diary and intricately write down my daily calorie intake vs. my daily calorie expenditure.<\/p>\n

One column would list how many calories I consumed (yes remember, we used to write things down back in those days).<\/p>\n

The other column would list the number of calories I burned through exercise.<\/p>\n

There was one major problem.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t know how many calories were in the huge piece of low-fat, sugar laden banana bread I was eating for breakfast everyday so I would just \u201cestimate\u201d.<\/p>\n

Over time, as I gained MORE fat, it was clear my calculations were way off. Just in case you\u2019re wondering, banana bread has more calories than a donut! Say what?!<\/p>\n

Anyway, my daily goal was to create a deficit of at least 500 calories every day, in an attempt to lose at least a pound of fat a week.<\/p>\n

Why the magic number 500?<\/strong><\/p>\n

You see, the belief and understanding at the time was in order to lose a pound of fat each week, you needed to create a deficit of 3500 calories.<\/p>\n

So this was my plan:<\/p>\n

Bigger\u00a0calorie deficit = faster weight loss.<\/p>\n

Does this mean to lose a pound of fat every week you should create a deficit equal to or exceeding 3500 calories (or 500 calories\/day) through a combination of diet and exercise?<\/p>\n

No, I\u2019m calling BS.<\/h2>\n

Here\u2019s why:<\/p>\n

1. Fat loss is not linear<\/h3>\n

Fat loss is not so simple and does not occur in a linear fashion. There is no set pattern for weight loss and the time it takes to transform YOUR body.<\/p>\n

You could lose five pounds this week, and then two the next, all while keeping your healthy eating and workout plan the same. And don\u2019t forget, the closer you get to your goal weight, the more challenging it gets.<\/p>\n

Just look at the Biggest Loser contestants. With all the calorie counting and exercise, they still lose random amounts of weight each week. (not to mention stress over the scales too much)<\/p>\n

2. Maths vs. Chemistry<\/h3>\n

Next we have maths vs. chemistry approach.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what I mean by this:<\/p>\n

Your body reacts differently, particularly on a hormonal level when digesting and utilizing carbs, protein and fats.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why you can\u2019t simply rely on the numbers.<\/p>\n

For example, eating unprocessed carbohydrates (like steel-cut oats or stone ground bread) will have a different effect on your blood sugar levels, compared to instant sugar-laden oatmeal or highly processed commercial breads despite the calorie count being equal. The hormonal response in your body shifts away from fat burning.<\/p>\n

Similarly, consuming 200 calories of crackers and cheese will be utilized differently compared to 200 calories of eggs, avocado and spinach. (For fat loss, go with the eggs and spinach).<\/p>\n

3. The Science Reveals the Truth<\/h3>\n

And now, to finally put a nail in the coffin, I\u2019m excited to share new, scientific research so you can kiss your calorie counting day\u2019s goodbye!<\/p>\n

Why Doesn\u2019t 3500 Calorie Deficit Lead to One Pound of Fat Loss?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Great question.<\/p>\n

And now the world\u2019s greatest scientists from Down Under have the answers (you can always count on the Aussies to come through with the goods).<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how it played out:<\/p>\n

The obese subjects in the study followed a near starvation diet (600 calories\/day) and did weights and cardio. That\u2019s absolutely NO fun by the way.<\/p>\n

The average weight loss among the subjects was only 67% of what they predicted (based on diet and exercise calorie expenditure).<\/p>\n

But it gets worse.<\/p>\n

The results ranged from 39% to 94% of their predicted weight loss. No one hit their predicted goal and some people didn\u2019t even lose half the weight they \u201cshould have\u201d. Boy, now that\u2019s enough to drive you crazy.<\/p>\n

Why did this happen? The problem seems to be a decrease in resting metabolic rate (RMR), which increased over time as the subjects lost weight.<\/p>\n

From this research, we can conclude weight loss seems to slow down \u2013 and often disappoint people \u2013 because resting metabolic rate slows down as you lose weight.<\/p>\n

You need to keep your RMR revving high to avoid plateaus and continue seeing fat loss results.<\/p>\n

How?<\/p>\n

With the right type of exercise program like THIS one<\/span><\/a><\/span>\u00a0and strategic splurge meals (sold separately \u2013 don\u2019t have a splurge meal while doing a workout ok).<\/p>\n

\"how<\/a><\/p>\n

Your Fat Loss Action Plan<\/h2>\n

Step 1: Delete your calorie counting app<\/h3>\n

Go on, do it now. I\u2019ll wait for you.<\/p>\n

Sure, I agree a food journal is a fantastic way of keeping you accountable. However, save your brain power and focus on eating unprocessed deliciousness like lean protein, green vegetables and good fats.<\/p>\n

Quit starving yourself and don\u2019t worry about counting the exact number of calories. Instead, learn how to eyeball your portion sizes and you\u2019ll be all set.<\/p>\n

Warning: fruit (like banana) combined with bread or the word \u201cmuffin\u201d is definitely not a fat loss food, even if it claims to be \u201clow-fat\u201d.<\/p>\n

Step 2: Focus on Workout Intensity<\/h3>\n

Stop worrying about the number of calories you burned in a workout. This is especially important for folks who jump on the treadmill\/bike\/elliptical at the gym. Chances are, the number of calories you burned was an over-estimation.<\/p>\n

Your RMR decreases as you lose weight \u2013 especially if you\u2019re not building muscle. That\u2019s why it\u2019s so important to get stronger and build lean muscle.<\/p>\n

Go hard in your and bring the intensity. If you\u2019re doing intervals and your heart is pounding, I guarantee you are burning a ton of calories. That\u2019s exactly what you need to do to burn belly fat fast.<\/p>\n

Step 3: Set a performance based goal<\/h3>\n

Instead of trying to lose two pounds this week, shift your focus and turn those goals into performance-based outcomes. Aim to become more awesome. The fast fat loss will be a sexy added bonus.<\/p>\n

Try to do more repetitions in a timed bodyweight interval circuit. Do 100m sprints instead of timed intervals. Set a goal number for a big deadlift or do more pull ups. Challenge yourself to improve every single workout and track your progress.<\/p>\n

There’s no\u00a0magic bullet or “right way” for weight loss. You\u2019ll be far better off following a progressive training system and smart, solid nutritional plan,\u00a0like the one I teach in my program here<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0without obsessing over calorie counting.<\/p>\n

Let me know your thoughts in the comments box below the post…<\/p>\n

Rock on!<\/p>\n

Your Coach and Friend,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Kate Vidulich<\/p>\n

Reference: Byrne, N.M., et al. (2012). Does metabolic compensation explain the majority of less-than-expected weight loss in obese adults during a short-term severe diet and exercise intervention? International Journal of Obesity 36: 1472-1478.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You know a thing or two about nutrition and training. Reading about fat loss, you may have come across conventional wisdom such as this: \u201cTo lose a pound of fat,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7787,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[202,762],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7779","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ab-workout","category-diets"],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhy 3500 Calorie Deficit Does Not Equal 1LB Fat Loss<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Here's Why 3500 Calorie Deficit Does Not Equal 1LB Fat Loss\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/fatlossaccelerators.com\/site\/why-3500-calorie-deficit-does-not-equal-1lb-fat-loss\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta 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