A calorie is a measure of energy we get from food and a calorie deficit is the number of calories we burn by consuming less or exercising more – or both. When it comes to eating well, maintaining a balanced diet and lifestyle, and improving overall wellbeing, it is so important to have the right knowledge and mindset.
What are calories & kilojoules?
Before we jump into what a calorie deficit is, let’s jump back a step to what a calorie is. Calories and kilojoules often get a negative reputation due to fad diets and misinformation, but simply, calories and kilojoules measure the energy that we get from food. Most packages and labels will use kilojoules as a measure, but we sometimes see calories being used for measurement.
When it comes to food intake, there’s never a one-size-fits-all approach, but here are the measurements to consider when thinking about food and energy balance:
1 kJ = 0.2 kcal
1 calorie = 4.184 kJ
Calorie deficit
So now we know what a calorie is, let’s talk about calorie deficit. Put simply, a calorie deficit is the number of calories we burn by consuming less or exercising more – or both. We can achieve a calorie deficit when we burn more energy than what we consume, and this is usually where weight loss occurs.
For example, if you consume 1,800 calories in a day, and you burn 2,000 calories, your deficit is 200.
Before you think, ‘how am I meant to burn 2,000 calories at the gym?!’, we need to explain a little further. The type of exercise you do, and how active your lifestyle is, as well as the type of foods and liquids you consume will all have an impact on burning energy throughout the day, including at rest. Weight training in particular has shown to increase our body’s ability to burn more energy at rest.
Understanding your deficit is also valuable if you are looking to gain weight or manage your current weight.
If better nutrition management is where you’d like to dedicate more of your time, we’d recommend setting up an appointment with a Fernwood Food Coach, or signing up for our new Food & Mood program.
