Health habits to help achieve a calorie deficit

In our previous article we discussed the simple science of being in calorie deficit (https://buff.ly/3R2JZsk), and it was clear that an effective way of losing fat is by reducing your daily energy or calorie consumption ^(1–3). We learnt the importance of accurately estimating a person’s Basil Metabolic Rate (BMR), which can calculated through using bioimpedance technology ^(2,4). We also covered different things that can increase our daily energy expenditure, or calories out, such as daily movements and moderate intensity exercise ^(2,5). Lastly, we covered the different types of macronutrients and their caloric values ⁽⁶⁾. With all the information we discussed, it seems simple enough to follow, but eating for weight loss remains a popular google search term, with 95 million searches by 2023 ⁽²⁾. The question remains, how do we get into, and maintain a calorie deficit?

The importance of working with a registered dietician cannot be stressed enough when it comes to finding a weight loss eating plan that best suits you. They are the experts, and no online robot app or influencer can provide the same in-depth guidelines and advice that a dietician can. In the event of you not having one available, here are some important things to consider when trying to achieve a calorie deficit.

Number one: fill up on vegetables ⁽⁶⁾. Not only do they provide all the healthy micronutrients that our bodies need, but they also have little calories for a lot of volume. Aim to have 5 cups of veggies a day by filling half your plate with vegetables of many different kinds and colours. Think, gem squash, carrots, broccoli, peas, butternut, baby marrows, peppers, onions, and tomatoes!

Number two: choose low GI, high fiber, whole-grain carbohydrates ⁽⁶⁾. Great examples of this are bulgur wheat, oats, All Bran cereal, quinoa, brown rice, or whole wheat bread. When choosing a carbohydrate, you want to pick one with 7g of fiber per 100g. You can see this on the nutritional information on the back of most carbohydrate products. For example, the serving size for a portion of All Bran cereal is 40g, which packs 9g of fiber. Low GI options take longer to digest, making us feel fuller for longer whilst helping maintain steady blood glucose levels and avoiding an insulin spike ⁽³⁾. This reduces the need to snack, minimizing our overall calorie intake. High fiber foods also help maintain a healthy digestive system and gut. 

Number three: choosing high quality protein options, such as chicken, fish, eggs, yoghurt, legumes, or chickpeas ⁽⁶⁾. Red meat is also very high in protein but should only be consumed 2 – 3 times a week due to its high levels of saturated fats ⁽⁶⁾. Protein helps achieve a feeling of fullness, once again reducing the need to snack and increase calorie intake. Protein also enables us to maintain and build our muscle mass, which can help raise our BMR. Including protein foods in every meal can increase the thermic effect of your food, meaning that the body actually uses calories to digest it ⁽²⁾. 

Before we move onto number four, it’s important you use number 1 – 3 daily, incorporating vegetables, low GI / high fiber carbohydrates and high-quality protein into as many of your daily meals as possible. Don’t forget to incorporate healthy fats, such as avocado, nuts, olive oil and fatty fish, but make sure to use these sparingly to keep your calories within your deficit ⁽⁶⁾. As mentioned in our previous article, studies conducted on different macronutrient amounts showed no difference in weight loss in participants following a high fat, low carb diet in compared to a high carb, low fat diet, and that weight loss was due to being in a calorie deficit only ^(5,7,8). Simply put, it’s important to include all three macronutrients!

Number four: avoid processed, premade food ⁽⁹⁾. The more you can cook at home, the better the quality and the lower the calories. Take out franchises, restaurants and convenience stores all make money off sales, and sales come from great tasting food. Unfortunately for us, a lot of these outlets pack their foods with butter, oil, trans fats and sodium ⁽⁹⁾. Not only creating a negative impact on your gut but increasing the number of calories dramatically.  

Number five: get enough good quality sleep every night ⁽¹⁰⁾. When we are sleep deprived our hunger hormones are increased, making us crave high carbohydrates foods and snacks, subsequently increasing our calories throughout the day. Getting 8 hours of good quality sleep is recommended to help maintain our daily satiety.

To bring you the most evidence-based and cutting information in the fields of sports and exercise science and health, SSISA works alongside the UCT Research Centre for Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Sport (HPALS) to disseminate the latest research.  HPALS research focuses on optimizing human performance and promoting health and well-being through physical activity, sports participation, healthy eating and good sleep hygiene.  Their work begins at the DNA, to the human performance laboratory and ultimately to the community. To read more about the Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Research Centre, Division of Physiological Sciences at the University of Cape Town, please see the HPALS website or email Ayesha Hendricks for more information about applications for MSc/PhD research programmes.

To get in touch with the Sports Science Institute of South Africa Group for Research Implementation and Translation (GRIT) Research Consultants, get in touch with Warren Lucas at research@ssisa.com or call 021 650 5728 for enquiries. Read more about the SSISA GRIT Team here.

Yours in Sports Science,

Sports Science Institute of South Africa

References:

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9. Hall KD, Ayuketah A, Brychta R, Cai H, Cassimatis T, Chen KY, et al. Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake. Cell Metab. 2019 Jul 2;30(1):67-77.e3.
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