How to stay in a calorie deficit – and not count the calories

To maintain a calorie deficit for weight loss (in which you eat fewer calories than you burn every day), focus on consumption of food with proteins and fibers and avoiding calories rich food such as candies and fried foods. Build lifestyle habits such as regular exercise, the smallest portions and eat in mindfulness.

Jump at the main dishes to remember.

1. eat lean protein

Eating a diet rich in protein helps you feel more full, longer, consuming fewer calories and maintaining a calorie deficit.

Envist proteins (which have fewer calories in fat) include:

• Beans
• Turnard’s chicken or breast
• Edamame
• Eggs or egg whites
• Legumes
• Low -fat dairy products, in particular Greek yogurt and cottage cheese
• Nut
• Pork
• Quinoa
• Tofu
• Whitefish

2. Prayerize hydration

Drink water throughout the day to stay hydrated. Adequate hydration supports the metabolic function and helps your body burn more calories. Drinking water can also reduce hunger levels and cause fewer calories consumed.

3. Involve the fiber

Fiber is a plant -based carbohydrates that offers a feeling of fullness. Eat foods rich in fiber to stimulate your intestinal health, prevent constipation and remain satisfied. Examples of fiber -rich foods include:

4. Choose healthy fats

Insaturated fats can help you feel full and replace saturated fat can help reduce your risk of heart disease. Healthy fats, such as avocados, fatty fish (for example, salmon, trout, tuna), nuts and olive oil, are an important part of the diet and should not be eliminated.

5. Snack Maixage

Remember to choose your meals and healthy snacks in advance to help your body stay in a calorie deficit. Keep healthy snacks at hand (such as fresh fruit, vegetables or low -fat dairy products) to avoid looking for calories rich.

6. Regular exercise

Regular physical exercise burns calories and reduces health risks. THE Guidelines on physical activity for Americans, second edition, Recommends that adults engage in 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity exercise or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise each week. Examples of beneficial exercises include a fast walk, a race or a bicycle.

Adults also benefit from muscle strengthening exercises. A 2018 study revealed that adults who engaged in resistance training were more likely to lose body fat than muscle mass.

7. Limit added sugar

Sugar is rich in calories and can cause weight gain over time. Remember to limit added sugar in your diet to support your calorie deficit goal. Highly processed foods such as soda, crackle, fries and cookies can contribute to weight gain.

8. Reduce portions

To reduce your daily calories, remember to enjoy smaller sizes of portions. Take a look at your food slowly so that you can recognize when you feel full. When you eat outside, plan to ask your server to place half of your meal in a take -out container. Avoid taking a second meal help before registering with your level of hunger.

9. Avoid fried foods

Fried foods tend to be rich in calories and saturated fats. Avoiding or limiting foods such as fries or chicken chips is a healthy choice for most people, especially those who want to stay in a calorie deficit.

10. Limit high calorie drinks

The consumption of high -calorie drinks can make it difficult to stay in a calorie deficit. Examples of high -calorie drinks include soda, energy drinks, fruit juice, coffee and alcohol drinks. Even drinks that seem healthy, such as fruit smoothies, can provide up to 500 calories.

Navigate life in a calorie deficit

Consider the following advice, home and traveling:

• Eat up in mind: When you try new foods in a restaurant, take the time to savor each bite. Eating slowly and conscience will help you enjoy your food and notice when you feel full.
• Take advantage of the process: It may not be possible to maintain a caloric deficit 100% of the time. Make sure you allow you to enjoy the experience and add fruits and vegetables where you can.
• Focus on fibers and proteins: Give your body the nutrients it needs with fresh and whole foods such as nuts, legumes, vegetables and fruits.
• Plan your snacks in advance: Fill up with fresh fiber foods to allow you to feel full longer and avoid constipation.
• Record your leftovers: Consider wrapping half of your meal to avoid additional calories and save money on a future meal.
• Stay hydrated: Transport a bottle of water when you travel or spend time away from your home.

Signs that you get too few calories

When maintaining a calorie deficit, it is possible to eat too few calories. The signs that you may not consume enough calories include:

Do not lose weight in a calorie deficit – now what?

See a health professional if you don’t lose weight while maintaining a calorie deficit. A supplier can carry out a physical exam and assess if you have underlying health problems. They can provide recommendations and refer to a registered dietitian for additional help.

Your health professional can discuss the following strategies:

• Exercise: Daily physical activity is an effective way to burn calories and keep your energy. Choose an activity you like and try to integrate it into your schedule most of the time.
• Eat enough food: Consuming too few calories can slow down your weight loss. Make sure you eat enough food to stay full and energize throughout the day.
• Revaluate your calorie needs: Your body requires fewer calories to operate once you lose weight. You may need to reassess the number of calories to consume every day.

Main to remember

• A calorie deficit occurs when you consume fewer calories than your body uses for energy.
• To stay in a calorie deficit, plan healthy meals and snacks, limit the parts, focus on filling foods rich in protein and fiber, consume fresh and whole foods and obtain daily physical activity.
• If you do not lose weight or if you do not get enough calories, consult a health care provider or a recorded dietitian to discuss healthy food plans.