caloric deficit It is the situation of lack of nutrients, due to a limited food intake, usually. Therefore, the amount of energy we expend ends up being greater than the amount we ingest. This method is often used to lose weight. However, following internet recipes for a caloric deficit is a mistake, as it puts the person’s health at risk. The person may lose weight, but lose muscle instead of fat.
Katherine Cántaro, nutritionist and teacher at the UPC Graduate School explains what a caloric deficit is all about and what consequences it could have if it is not planned by a specialist.
To lose weight it is very important that the person stop sedenterism and opt for a healthy life including sports. Photo: Pexels.
CALORIC DEFICIT
What is the caloric deficit?
First we must talk about the energy balance. In simple terms, it is the balance between the nutrients we ingest (energy) and the energy expenditure we make. Let’s keep in mind that our body spends energy to maintain the functioning of our body and also to carry out all physical activity in our daily actions.
In this sense, the caloric deficit is the situation of lack of nutrients, usually due to a limited food intake. Therefore, the amount of energy we expend ends up being greater than the amount we ingest.
This method is often used to lose weight. When having an energy deficit, the organism looks for the nutrients that the body needs in our reserves, those of carbohydrates that are minimal, and those of fat that are the most abundant.
Internet diets are very strict that can help lose weight, but with some risks to our health. Photo: Pexels.
METHOD USED TO LOSE WEIGHT
How to apply it to lose weight?
We must be emphatic in mentioning that the caloric deficit must be planned and prescribed by a professional nutritionist, in order to avoid adverse effects at the metabolic level.
A caloric deficit made with internet recipes (generally based on restrictive diets, even removing food groups) is a mistake, since it puts the health of the person who performs it at risk, generating constipation, headaches, loss of muscle mass . The person may lose weight, but lose muscle instead of fat. And you enter a vicious circle of ‘eating vs not eating’.
In addition, in a prolonged time of making a bad caloric deficit, the probability of developing insulin resistance, diabetes, hypertension increases. A poorly done caloric deficit only worsens the processing of nutrients.
On the contrary, a well-done caloric deficit prescribed by the nutritionist respects the way you eat, your schedules, your lifestyle and your physical activity. He calms the body and tells it ‘we are not going down that fast, but we are going down progressively, steadily, learning to eat and gaining health’.
In conclusion, the person who hears this term and wants to include it in their weight loss routine must necessarily go to a nutritionist professional. Avoid following internet diets or diets recommended by people who are not qualified to prescribe eating plans.
STRENGTH OR CARDIO EXERCISES
What exercises do you do better with, strength exercises or cardiovascular exercises?
New studies tell us that both types of exercise are important. It is not getting involved in one type of exercise, but doing both. If in the process you mix the two types of training, then we will stimulate the use of fat reserves, but we will also help to strengthen muscle mass, and more energy will be spent throughout the day.
Normally, in a person who is just starting out, you should reach 150 minutes of exercises a week, which is 30 minutes of daily exercise (5 days). Or do three days of more intense or moderate exercises of 50 minutes, where we can have strength dynamics or aerobic exercise.
The idea, in general, is to move. It will help to obtain better results while we are in a caloric deficit process.
AGES AT WHICH THE CALORIC DEFICIT WORKS BEST
At what ages does it work best?
It will be useful in all ages of people who have completed their development. However, it is not going to generate the same results in people in their 20s as in people in their 50s. In youth, the body works more efficiently and spends more energy in its processes. Therefore, caloric deficit becomes very easy.
At older age, there is more accumulation of fat and energy. So you can make restrictions with food, but the body regulates itself with reserves. The older, the more reserves.
In this sense, the older you have to be more constant, be patient because the results usually take longer and increase physical activity to activate our metabolism. It is important to note that children, adolescents, pregnant and lactating women should not have a caloric deficit under any circumstances. The caloric deficit is taking away nutrients, and in these stages of life, these groups need good nutrients because they need to build tissues and all the processes that are being formed, otherwise they will not finish growing, they will not form neurons.
What is done at these ages is only to improve eating habits and maintain weight so that as children grow, they do not gain weight. Let them grow but keep the weight.
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