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How many calories is too little? In this video I share 5 signs that your calorie intake is too low and that you need to adjust your diet to create a calorie deficit that’s more sustainable.
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About the video:
I often get questions such as “is 1800 calories a day enough” or “is 1500 calories good for weight loss”… and while calorie intakes are specific to each person there are also signs we can look at to ensure you’re not under-eating. Not eating enough calories can lead to muscle loss, low energy, and worse body composition. So how much calorie deficit is too much?
In this video, I share 5 signs that you can use to see if your calories are too low. Make sure you honestly evaluate your diet plan and adjust if you realize you’re not eating enough. Even though in the short-term it feels good to lose weight fast, it’s important to use an approach to losing body fat that’s sustainable long-term. This is especially true if you have a lot of body fat to lose. Apply these diet tips and I’m confident you’ll see great results on your fitness journey.
About Me:
My name is Mario Tomic. I specialize in helping busy entrepreneurs and professionals get their ideal physique in the most efficient way possible and turn it into a lifestyle long-term.
Since 2011, I’ve spent over 10 000 hours practicing, studying, and coaching fitness, nutrition, and high performance.
Most people don’t know that my native language is Croatian and that I worked in computer science before I started my fitness and personal development coaching company.
#calories #caloriedeficit #fatloss
Disclaimer: Mario Tomic is not a doctor or a medical professional. Always consult a physician before starting any exercise program. Use of this information is strictly at your own risk. Mario Tomic will not assume any liability for direct or indirect losses or damages that may result from the use of the information contained in this video, including but not limited to economic loss, injury, or illness.
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We all know that creating a calorie deficit is the key to fat loss but what if your calories are too low? Here are 5 signs you’re trying to get lean too fast and the implications that carries. Enjoy! -Mario PS. After you finish this video, here’s another one you’ll really enjoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HYagaRxctE
Guys im 84 kg, 180cm with an estimated bodyfat percentage of 24%. Currently eating 1700 calories and doing 15k steps everyday. Is this good?
Went too low on my first ever cut and ended up getting shingles, don't push your body too far!
1700kcals is a fantastic deep cut target if you're a dude under 5'10", training hard, eating clean, getting good rest and taking appropriate supplements. But if you're losing strength at this target add 50g of carbs and reevaluate.
It's a personal choice obviously but these sub 2000 calorie a day diets sound really hard for normal sized men. It's much easier in my view to take out 1000 to 2000 calories a day with running and /or bike.
When aiming for sustainable fat loss, these two behaviors—excessive alcohol consumption and overeating—often act as the primary "calorie traps" that stall results.
It is a very common oversight. Even if the food is healthy, nuts are extremely calorie-dense due to their high fat content. A single "handful" can easily contain 150–200 calories, meaning two big handfuls could easily add 400–600 calories to your daily intake without you even realizing it. Learning from experienced individuals is the most effective way to break the cycle of ineffective gym habits and overeating. By studying the methods of those who have successfully reached their fitness goals, you can shift from aimless effort toward a structured, sustainable approach.
Go too low and ur metabolism will slow, your face will be puffy and bloated, you’ll be exhausted and sleepy all the time, yawn all day, and your sleep will suck ass you’ll wake up constantly, if you have don’t have focus issues you do now hahah
Video wish: How do you handle active livestyle while loosing fat? I regularly burn about 1000 cal (walking, cycling) in addition to my 1600 base calories. Do I eat them back, or go for a deficit of 1500 cals a day? How can I caclulate how much I eat depending on the active calories? There is not a single video about that!
You should use constant deficit instead of calories. It requires tracking expenditure and intake, but after a while it became a routine to me. 650kcal/day deficit worked out for me. Because I'm short, it ends up being 1500-1700 kcal.
I see people constantly saying that carbs should be avoided, salad must be eaten in all sorts of way and fat must be deleted from the diet.
It's just freaking crazy to see even personal trainers orienting people to avoid carbs and eat as much salad as they want but things don't work that way. Every metabolism works in a specific way, and people need different intakes of carbs – that are essential even for your brain – to perform.
I've been eating 4-6g of carbs per kg + 1.8g protein/kg while lean bulking and also around 1-1.5g/kg of fat(not just LDL).
I lost over 4,5kg and recomped my body by mainting around the same weight for almost 3 months straight. Around 400-600kcal deficit everyday.
I´m 220lbs, and i´m eating around 2500kcal per day and just looking at where i get the calories from. I also work out, and walk an hour every day. Progress is slow but steady, with loads of consistent energy. Not looking at the scale that much, but i can see fat going away, and muscle coming in.
Quick question….. I'm on a calorie deficit…. I want to get rid of belly fat and build muscle at same time…. My ai says to eat 1800 on lifting days cos my Hume body pod says that amount….. And on rest days hit 1200 calories…. I train 3 times a week
Doctor and nutritionist have bumped up my minimum protein and calorie intake twice now. I'm up to 150g protein and 3000 calories per day. Seeing gains in the gym and nice, slow weight loss. The extra food, making sure to have healthy snacks between meals, has made the longer workouts feel better and more fun. Solid advice here. It's not just MORE food, it's what you eat and when you eat it. Hydrate before that morning walk when you're fasted. Track your protein, calories and exercise. Eat healthy. Snack healthy, and have a light snack/meal before you workout after work. It's really helped me. My doctor would NOT be happy if I was losing 2lbs per week (nutrionist freaked out too); they want to see about 1lb/week and no more. Their advice is to be PATIENT and stick with it.
The vast majority of ppl estimate their intake with wild inaccuracies so I like looking for these signs instead. I had no clue I was under eating until I missed my period – the clearest sign I needed 😂 upped the calories immediately and it came back after a few months 👌. If u have any of the mentioned signs -good news is it’s fixable pretty quickly
Bro I am only 51 kg and I eat 3k KCAL per day but still not gaining weight.
Please make a video on this topic
Also my digestive system is very hyper active
why does everyone think calorieën are everything I eat 2300 I am beginning to get pretty schredded like feins in my abbs the best tips I can give you always eet your proteïne in rest days to ofc and the best tip go on a 20 min walk right after your meal it feels like a cheatcode
I am 5'10, was 320lbs… currently plateaued at 220lbs. I eat once per day at the same time, a high protein and high fiber meal with little sugar and no carbs with a total calorie count around 1200-1300. I have been maintaining this calorie deficit for over a month now with strength training and cardio during the week. Body fat loss feels like it has stalled, any suggestions?
Your content is great.
I appreciate
When I first started out on my gym 'journey' about 12 years ago I feel right into that trap of ridiculously low calories throughout the week and then monumental cheat days on the weekends – weight training 6-7 days a week. I still got to where I wanted to be eventually (shredded, fitness model physique) but it took about 2 years and I had unhealthy internal battles regarding food. It didn't last either and I regained a lot of weight and would fluctuate a lot as I never found a happy medium. To really see sustainable results, it involves changing your relationship with food (junk in particular) and finding a balanced diet that includes foods you enjoy that are mostly supportive of your goals (high protein, healthy carbs and fats). Walking was the big key for me – I often do 8-12 miles per day as much as I can – during these walks, I simply don't want junk during or after them (not just because of the damage they'll do but the way they make you feel). Full on cheat days of binging everything I've deprived myself of are a thing of the past. I'll ocassionally do a cheat meal (e.g Burger King) when I genuinly want it. Another big thing is that nothing is 'off the table' – no foods are banned. It's a psychological trick that works for me – if I suddenly have the urge for a doughnut, or cake, that's fine and I can do it – fortunately I rarely do have that urge for junk anymore but knowing I'm allowed stops the 'want what you can't have' effect. Understanding what your maintenance level of calories are is also a big one – many overweight people go in super low and fail.
This worked for me:
Step 1: Calculate your maintenance calories using an online calculator or a formula, or even better, use both and take the average. Then subtract 100 calories from that number to get a more realistic estimate.
Step 2: Start tracking your food with an app. Aim for a daily calorie deficit of around 300 calories, or a total weekly deficit of 2,100 calories. Stick to this for 3–4 weeks. Every morning, weigh yourself, take your measurements, and write everything down. However, the scale alone is not enough. Also take pictures once a week under the same conditions, meaning at the same time of day and in the same lighting.
Step 3: If you do not notice any meaningful changes after 3–4 weeks, you are either underestimating your calorie intake or your maintenance calories are lower than expected. In that case, subtract another 200 calories from your maintenance level.
Step 4: Repeat Step 2. Maintain a daily deficit of 300 calories, or a total weekly deficit of 2,100 calories, for another 3–4 weeks. Continue weighing yourself, taking measurements, and documenting your progress with photos.
Step 5: If you still do not see any results, repeat Step 3. By this point, however, you should start noticing some progress.
Tip: Avoid eating out during this phase. Meal prepping is your best friend. At the same time, do not become obsessed with calorie tracking, as it can lead to unhealthy habits. Use it as a tool for 3–4 months to develop a better understanding of your nutrition. After that, you should be able to estimate portions and calories fairly accurately.
Focus on your life and your goals. Keep exercising, no matter what form it takes, whether that is going to the gym, spending time outdoors, hiking, running, or anything else you enjoy. The important thing is to stay healthy overall and maintain some muscle mass. As you get older, your body and mind will thank you for it.
Another important point: do not overdo it. A setback or an injury can undo a lot of progress. Consistency and routine are far more important than intensity.
Most importantly, treat yourself from time to time. Whether it is a nice meal at your favorite restaurant, a spa day with good food, a big bowl of ice cream, or anything else that makes you happy, enjoy it. Just, once again, do not overdo it.
a romanian guy using only pounds….
I reduced from 87kg to 75kg over 6 months focussing on a range of 1450-1550 kcal per day with 90% above adherence days
the b-roll footage is hilarious
Can’t be getting weaker in the gym if you don’t go. Cracked the system.
How do you even build muscle in a calorie deficit? Your body doesn’t have enough calories to even maintain itself, will it even create myucle?
Currently eating 2700+- and easily losing weight. 199cm, 101kg
I find I can go really low as long as I hit vitamin and 100g of protein.
For me, 2000 a day is the sweet spot. I’m playing the long game and time isn’t a factor if I’m planning on chipping away the last 20-25 lbs over months and months
I aim for 1,700 to account for errors. If I aim for 1,700 and it actually turns into 1,800 I call that a win.
my mentainance is just 1600 kcals 😅
Is it a little bit suspicious that someone in better shape than I’ll ever be is telling me to raise my calories? 🧐
No. I'm 5'5" 150 lbs.
I’m 5’9 160lb, I’m eating 2,100 calories.
And walking 10k steps a day.
I am on 1400 calories and it barely feels like I'm making any progress at all.
Please, DO NOT be afraid of eating, as long as they are healthy fullfiling food and you're at your caloric deficit, you're going to do well with more calories.
Im at 1642 a day to lose weight. 170g of protein, 45- 50g of fats, and carbs to fill the rest of the gap. I will gain weight at anything above 1800
I would say it all depends on you activity level. I eat 1550 c but my daily calorie burn is around 25-2800 c so just over 1000c deficit per day. So far this has been good for 2lbs of weight loss per week. Once I reach my bodyfat goal I will raise the calories slowly after that.