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Calorie Deficits For Fat Loss (Calories In Vs. Calories Out Explained)
Is “calories in vs. calories out” (CICO diet) a valid model for losing fat, or is it just a “myth” like many people try to claim these days? Do you really need a calorie deficit for fat loss, and do calories matter?
You’ll commonly see this debate taking place nowadays in fitness circles…
Person A will say that in order to lose fat you need a calorie deficit in place by burning more calories than you take in. Person B then argues back that “calories don’t matter” because “a calorie is not a calorie”.
However, person B is making an error right off the bat, since a calorie is a constant unit of measurement that assesses how much energy there is in the foods we eat and in the tissues on our body. A calorie IS a calorie when it all comes down to it.
What IS true is that the body will process different *foods* differently depending on a variety of factors.
The actual calories are the same, but the food item they’re “packaged up in” is different. For that reason, 2500 calories on paper from one given fat burning diet won’t necessarily produce the exact same result as 2500 calories from a different diet as far as building muscle, losing fat and optimizing health is concerned.
The issue is that people will then take this information and make the massive, incorrect leap into saying that since food quality affects how calories are handled by the body, calories all of a sudden don’t matter and calories in vs. calories out is a myth.
But what most fail to realize is that the way food quality affects fat loss is still a result of how it impacts the calories in vs. calories out equation.
For example, consuming more protein results in a higher thermic effect which directly affects the “calories out” portion of the equation. Eating more fiber causes less caloric absorption which affects “calories in”. These are just two examples of many.
The bottom line is that body fat is stored energy, and to stimulate your body to break that fat down for use as fuel, you must create a calorie deficit. There is no way around that.
Saying that calories don’t matter or that calories in vs. calories out is a myth is flat out false and is based on a misunderstanding of how CICO actually works.
Furthermore, food quality can only take you so far.
Once you have a decent fat loss diet in place that is based around nutrient dense whole foods, contains enough protein and fiber and is laid out in a way you can sustain, there isn’t much you can do beyond that point to stimulate fat burning just based on food selection alone.
If eating clean is the ultimate answer to fat loss, what do you do when your progress inevitably stalls as you get leaner? Just continue eating cleaner and cleaner? That’s obviously not realistic.
From there, it really is just about managing calories in vs. calories out and ensuring that you’re in a net calorie deficit over time.
This doesn’t necessarily mean you must count every every calorie you eat, though most serious trainees probably will benefit from calorie tracking at least in the beginning stages of their program.
How many calories should you eat to lose fat sustainably?
A good range to aim for is about 300-500 calories below maintenance per day.
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More than 1 way to skin a cat i guess. I eat low carb, high fat. I don't ever think about calories. I just eat until satiated, but I'm hungry a lot, I dont think my appetite has reduced. I have a lot of energy for an old guy and I'm not over weight. So low carb works for me.
A calorie is the heat energy given off when combusted. My body does not burn food. Coal is extremely high calorie. It doesn't make you fat if you eat it, granted, that's an extreme example.
I'm not convinced the calorie is perfect but if it works for you that's great 😊 eating less certainly helps with weight loss, but it seems I dont need to worry about that because I avoid carbs.
But if you can stay in shape with carbs, that's great! I'm like a crack addict with carbs, I have to say no.
Bodyfat is basically reserved energy. You need to be in a caloric deficit to tap into those reserves
This is actually exactly what Jason Fung has been saying for years. I'm not sure why so many of the youtube bros choose to mislead people into thinking that he says that "calories don't matter" etc.
I’m between a rock and a hard place here. I understand calorie deficit. I’ve dropped a considerable amount of weight and tbh I look pretty good dressed. Id like to get leaner though but I only weigh 150 so I’m having trouble with the disciple it takes to maintain a deficit at that weight. I’ve accepted that it might take me a while to get there because I feel like I’ve got to put on muscle weight in order to get a meaningful deficit going without freaking starving.
Out of all the fitness influencers you’re probably the best but I’ve got to disagree with u on most of this. Calorie deficit is probably the worst thing u could possibly do to lose body fat. Yes being on a calorie deficit for a period of time will definitely make u lose weight, both muscle and fat. Then as soon as u start eating again your metabolism is so messed up because your body has been thinking I’m starving to death it so stores everything it can as fat because that’s what it’s supposed to do. So what I do it constantly eat, 300 grams of protein and about 4,000 calories a day. The secret is to eat 15-20 grams of protein every hour or as close to that as possible. Yes it’s a hassle but when u see the results and only have to workout 4 hours a week, it’s a no brainer. More food does not mean more fat. If you constantly eat small meals of high protein rich real foods and stop gorging yourself, you’ll find getting in great shape is extremely easy. I’m 45 years old and I don’t do gear. This is all I do and I’m In Better shape than 99% of the world. Not bragging at all, I’m just saying if u eat like nature and your body wants u too, getting in shape is probably the easiest thing on anyone’s menu. Most people do it wrong and make it almost impossible. I know I did for over 25 years. And yes the most important advice is free, and his is why you’ll never hear anyone say this because they can’t make money off of it, in fact it ruins everything they’ve been trying to do, which is make money off desperate people. I became a personal trainer just to give people this secret. It completely changed my life
having done the Keto diet I can say it does work, its not sustainable long term and I ended up gaining 70% back
Here is the caveat though I found It worked when I was near 10 grams of carbs a day not near 20, and stoped working when I added Keto breads
I definatly lost a whole lot more per deficit at 1900 calories I lost 10 Lbs a month I am now only losing half that
However when I got down 100 lbs and I losened up and got around 20 carbs and added keto breads I felt very tired all the time, and when I added carbs back I gained fast
I am doing things a lot difrent now prioritizing protien and eating better foods, I have much better energy and genrally happier I could eat this way even at maitenence there is no adding things back, I can eat a slice of pizza once in a while I had chineese food a few weeks ago
as long as I keep it in the prgram and I eat good 80% of the time I dont have anything cut out and this I believe will be better long term
Food type doesn’t matter for weight loss only calories matter ie energy in and out… types of food plays a roll in composition….
Caloric intake calculators are very subjective. My TDEE said I need close to 3000 calories per day. I’ve found I need about 200+ grams of protein, low carb, 16/8 intermittent fasting. Losing about 1-2 pounds per week and getting leaner, no significant loss in strength on a targeted 2100 calorie per day diet.
How the fuk is white rice more satiating than lentils?????? Lentils has like 20 times more fibre and way more protein then white rice. Wtf
Talking to my family about weight loss is beyond frustrating.
I’m so glad I found this video. Now I can finally ditch eating 2000 calories of salmon, broccoli, and chicken breast and go back to consuming 2000 calories in Snickers bars. Calories are all that matter. ☺️🙏🏼
I am 48..issa certified trainer..certified sports nutrition expert..former competitive bodybuilder..6 feet..249.. 14 to 15% bodyfat offseason…not pumping myself up..just saying …i know my shit..very educated and experienced…and bottom line…calories in vs calorie expenditure is absolutely the thing to go to for WEIGHT loss.. i mean. Its silly to even argue against it. That being said…it DOES matter WHAT you eat if youre trying to make sure that the bulk of your weight loss comes from fat and thats a tatally different conversation … but…100%..no question about it…calories in vs calorie expenditure is absolutely what decides if you lose weight..gain weight..or stay the same
At some point, a bunch of people decided managing calories was too hard, so they've tried to invent their own reality where basic physiology and laws of physics don't exist.
None of this contradicts what Jason Fung is saying. You are trying to create a beef where there is none by straw-manning his position. Pretty lame stuff dude.
Good vid, this is also my experience. Yes you can save up calories trough the day to eat that 500 calorie bag of chips in the evening. But you’ve thrown away 1/4 of your daily calories on something that doesn’t satiate or benefit your health. And it makes the rest of the day a lot more miserable, if you want to stay in your deficit. A bowl of fat free greek yoghurt with berries satiates a lot more and I can have 4 of those for the same calories.
My experience is that vigorous tracking to fit your calories, eventually leads to making the better choices anyway.
What also helps me, is too add a food in my trackingapp BEFORE I put it in my mouth. This way I can reflect how it will affect my day before eating it, not regret eating it.
6:16
It's impossible to store the calories from protein on your body so calories are not equal.
Great Video very Well Explained!!
israetel says that more muscle has a very small effect on caloric expenditure so IDK
The problem is, and you even touched on it, your doesn't absorb all calories (like you said, high fibre foods), and it uses more energy to process some foods (proteins > fats > carbs). This means that the calories that you put into your mouth are not the same as the calories that go into your body, so in a sense "calories aren't the same". BUT, the overall message is completely correct.
Finally someone made it clarified the confusion. This makes lot of sense.
It's very simple, you put fuel in a car, drive the car, the fuel runs out, you then run on fumes.
calories in, workout, calories depleted, fat gets burned.
I need help !!!
Part of the problem with "caloriy" weight loss your body fights you when you eat less and "finds" ways to slow your metabolism down, in ways you might not even notice (e.g. you might move less while working at your desk) Also when you lose weight, if you don't do a lot of weight training you will lose muscle as well as fat. When one has less muscle the metabolism goes down as well. What happens with many people is they diet without exercise (or exercise but don't do any weight training) and at some point the metabolism and muscle mass drop enough where eating 400 calories less a day no longer works. Finally being less massive takes up less energy. If I weigh 10 pounds less, it takes less energy to walk down the street, that also has an effect where after 10-15 pounds the weight loss stops. It is still true that you need to use more than is absorbed by digestion to lose weight, you just have to adjust it as your program continues.
It’s been a almost 4 weeks
Calories matter I have been fasting and working out walking 20 k steps and counted my calories I’ve eaten kfc with mashed potato’s and some sweets almost everyday and I have lost 4 kg of fat and also gained tons of strength
Fasting is about a lot more than caloric intake or losing fat.
It gives your body a chance to heal and clean your inside.
Right now I'm going finishing two months that contradict this video. Starting from a point where I wasn't gaining or losing weight for some time, I ate exactly the same food, but cutting the portions by 30%. No calorie counting needed. Simply eat 30% less of what I had been eating for a year. The hunger I felt the first week is hard to describe – incredibly powerful. After three weeks I was regularly having vivid dreams of eating tasty food. I felt a deep hunger even after a full meal. I found what it's like to be hungry and fed simultaneously. I also added 20 minutes of cardio 5 days a week where I pushed myself every time to beat my performance of the previous time. The calorie deficit from my starting point was definitely above 700. After two months of this psychological torture I weighed myself and found I had GAINED one pound. I weighed myself for a few days in a row in the morning after going to the bathroom just to be sure, but the result was the same. All that suffering just to make backwards progress. I did a bunch of blood tests with my doctor just to make sure there wasn't an underlying issue, and the results were perfectly normal. Human bodies, it seems, are not as simple as a coal furnace. We have adaptive bodies that can cope with changes.
I did find out something that was kind of bonkers. So I have been on a daily 1700 calorie diet. I started at 200lbs and dropped down to 188lbs, but I hit a plateau and wasn't losing anymore weight. I would bounce between the 188s to the 187s. I was eating about 150grams of protein a day. Yesterday I bumped my protein to 1gram per pound of body weight and like magic, I finally dropped to 186.8.
i recently did some math on my diet, and the calorie equations they give for base metabolic rate and the walking one are remarkably accurate (were 99.9% accurate when i first tried them, but now they look to be about 95% accurate). using these you can then calculate how much actual fat you lose each week, or more realistically how much muscle/fat you lose each week. e.g. if I have a 6400 kj deficit on a given day, I can expect to lose 168g of fat a day (or more realistically lose 134g fat and 15g muscle per day).
Note: I count 1g of fat as 38kJ and muscle as 3.4kJ per gram. the reason why 1g of muscle is not 1g of protein (i.e. 17kJ per gram) is because muscle is mostly made up of water and hence is mostly 0kJ per gram. Asking chatgpt, it said only about 20% of muscle is usable for energy by the body (20% * 17kJ = 3.4kJ), and this checks out pretty accurately for my weight loss (I measure body fat and muscle percentages every day). yes, certain food can have better effects on your diet, but calorie counting is not bunk.
It's not about understanding calories. It's about understanding yourself to such a degree that you change your behavior.
Damn that was long winded
9:45 I'm at this stage.
The backlash is because it doesn't work. I lost weight by eating MORE
And don't tell me I was counting wrong. I'm eating mostly the same foods, I just eat more of it and added some additional of the same things. I have more energy to do more exercise and sleep better. I'm up about 400-600 calories a day and I've gone down 4 inches on my belly
If calorie deficit worked, we'd all be thin
Atkins plus calorie deficit plus heavy cardio
Our bodies are not bomb calorimeters. They are a set of chemical processes. Your hormones control EVERYTHING. When you are in your "calorie deficit", insulin is low therefore your body undergoes lipolysis. You will probably feel like shit though when you get too lean if you are still consuming refined grains and sugars. How exactly is a calorie "burned" in our body? I'm curious. Ever heard of Robert Lustig? Refined sugar is empty calories. Your body processes it differently. BTW I eat mostly meat and eggs, NO added sugar, work out 6 days a week, have a "BMR" of 1800 "calories", eat 2500 – 3000 a day, yet I'm still losing bodyfat. Explain that. Oh wait, I will. Your body doesn't know what the f a calorie is, it only wants nutrition.
Didnt have to do Dr Jason Fung like that. Guy is a genius and doing a lot of good for many many people. Seems like youre in a competition with people you make up in your head . Social media is really a blessing and a curse
CICO isn’t an incorrect model, but it is so over-simplified that it’s dangerous. More people have gained weight because of CICO than have lost weight because of it in the long term.
96% of people following a CICO diet gain the weight back within 5 years. Most of those who gain that weight back, gain back more weight than they lost and find themselves with a lower maintenance calorie level because of a damaged metabolism.
A big part of this is how oversimplified CICO is. If you eat low calorie meals frequently through the day, you are starving your body. You are locking away your fat where your body can’t access it (because each time you eat you are stimulating insulin, and your body cannot break down fat while insulin is elevated because that would throw you into ketoacidosis). If you don’t consume enough calories while simultaneously locking away your fat stores, then your body is being forced to function without sufficient energy and it will lower your metabolism in response because it has no other option. At night when you sleep and you aren’t locking away the fat stores, yes you probably will lose some weight… for a time. But not in the long term, and you will be worse off than you were before.
Counting calories is fine, but make sure you pay attention to meal timing and size too! Eat fewer, larger meals that are well spaced out.
Always great content. Trusted and true