Blog #1 - Calorie Deficit vs. Surplus
Have you ever heard someone talk about being in a “calorie deficit” or a “calorie surplus” but had absolutely no idea WHAT THE HECK they were talking about?
If so, you’re not alone!
Most people have heard these terms before because they are CONSTANTLY being used and thrown around in the fitness world; however, a lot of people don’t actually know what these terms
mean or what the concepts entail!
So to help clear up any confusion or misconceptions, I am breaking down EXACTLY what calorie deficits and surpluses are, WHY they are used and HOW they affect our health journeys!
Calorie Deficit
What EXACTLY does it mean to be in a “calorie deficit”?
Being in a calorie deficit means that you are consuming calories BELOW your maintenance level by consuming LESS calories than you're burning.
So what the heck is a maintenance level?!
Your maintenance level is the amount of calories that your body needs PER DAY to maintain your weight, as well as to properly function with things like breathing, muscle movement and cell growth/repair.
Believe it or not, every single individual BODY has a unique, set amount of calories it needs to utilize for energy purposes. This set amount, known as your maintenance level or TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), is determined based off of various factors that are specific to YOUR body, including:
✔️ Height
✔️ Age
✔️ Weight
✔️ Sex
✔️ Physical Activity Level
✔️ Basal Metabolic Rate
So even if you and a friend or a family member are the same weight, height, sex and age...
🗣️ YOUR MAINTENANCE LEVEL CAN STILL BE DIFFERENT!
Blame it on Genetics!
So once your maintenance level is determined, you will have to determine your goal (i.e. how much weight you want to lose & a realistic time frame to do it in). Depending on what your goal is and what your maintenance level is will determine HOW MUCH of a deficit is appropriate for you to start with.
Ideally, if you've decided you want to start a weight loss journey, it's best to ease your way into a new nutrition plan by only having a 200 calorie deficit. This type of deficit is an appropriate amount to start with because it's enough of a deficit for your body to start making changes WITHOUT being too extreme and restrictive, causing possible physical & mental health issues to arise in the future. Can Being in a Calorie Deficit Negatively Affect Our Journey & Health?
*Here’s the truth - YES it can, but ONLY if you’re not careful and properly managing your intake.
In order to lose weight & fat, you need to be in a CALORIE DEFICIT, which will cause your body to use [and burn] the fat that has been stored and built up over time as a source of fuel.
Upon starting your calorie deficit, you want to MAKE SURE you are in an *appropriate* deficit for YOUR body composition and goal - meaning, you want to START with a 200 calorie deficit (and not an 800 calorie deficit) to “test the waters” and see how your body reacts BEFORE getting too extreme and cutting out TOO many calories.
If you go into too big of a deficit too soon (or have been in one for too long), your body will go into “fight or flight” mode, causing it to hold on to energy (aka fat) as much as possible and for as long as possible, resulting in your metabolism slowing down and your weight possibly increasing or becoming stagnant.
Believe it or not, your body will start fighting AGAINST you as a result of being deprived of proper nutrients and adequate energy for too long. If you’ve been in a deficit for too long, your body will show you signs, which include:
❌ Fatigue
❌ Constipation
❌ Irritability + Moodiness
❌ Amenorrhea
❌ Insomnia
❌ Frequently Feeling Cold
❌ Skin Problems
❌ Increase in Hunger + Cravings
❌ Muscle Atrophy
❌ Decrease in Metabolic Rate + Weight Loss
As you can see, it is IMPERATIVE that you properly calculate & manage your calorie intake and not have TOO extreme of a deficit or be in a deficit for too long. If you DON'T properly manage it or take breaks with the dieting, you run the risk of developing future health problems.Calorie Surplus
Let's shift gears now and talk about the opposite type of consumption - Calorie Surplus.
What exactly IS a “Calorie Surplus”?
A calorie surplus means you’re consuming calories ABOVE your maintenance level by consuming MORE calories than you're burning.Why Would You Want to Be in a Calorie Surplus?
I think it's safe to say that the majority of women have the goal of growing, toning, lifting and defining their booty!
I mean, who wouldn’t want a nice round peach that fits nice in jeans and sundresses, right?!
But how can you GET a nice round, firm, lifted, toned booty if your genetics didn't bless you with one at birth?
Well, that's where a Calorie Surplus comes in to play!
I know this may be shocking to hear and a hard concept to grasp, but ladies - in order to grow, tone, lift and round your booty, YOU HAVE TO GAIN WEIGHT BY EATING IN A CALORIC SURPLUS!
Now when I say "gain weight", do I mean have the scale increase significantly and gain nothing but fat?
Absolutely NOT!
Believe it or not, you CAN eat in a surplus, gain weight and have that toned, lifted and round booty WITHOUT looking like a bulky bodybuilder - it just depends on HOW you nourish yourself + exercise. Key Elements Needed to Gain Muscle + Build a Booty
To build that round and voluptuous booty that most women dream of, you'll need to:
✔️ Eat ABOVE your maintenance level so your body can use the extra calories as fuel to help grow [and repair] the muscles
✔️ Have a macro split that prioritizes a little bit more carbs than protein to help with muscle building & recovery
✔️ Increase strength training by adding more leg days + glute focused exercises to enhance hypertrophy, or the increasing of muscle cells.
And ladies - don't be afraid to add a few more strength training days to your routine because in addition to building muscle, strength training *also* helps speed up the fat burning process due to the increase in lean muscle mass and metabolism.
And to help enhance the fat burning process and the increase in muscle mass EVEN MORE, you'll want to make sure that you fuel yourself with nutrient-dense foods about 80% of the time while only treating yourself to your favorite comfort and energy-dense foods the remaining 20% of the time.
Needless to say, the types, sources and quantity of food that we consume DO IN FACT MATTER when it comes to making progress and being successful on a weight loss or muscle building journey!
So whether you’re in a deficit or a surplus, just remember that the approach to each method will be VERY different for EACH individual body due to the different factors and requirements that are needed for the body to properly function. Remember, what may work for me, may NOT work for you and vice versa. Unsure on What Foods to Eat While Being in a Calorie Deficit or Surplus?
If you’re ready to kickstart your weight loss or muscle building journey, but don't know how to create the right diet for your goals or know what healthy foods to consume that would fit within the proper calorie ranges, then I have JUST the tool for you!
And that tool is the Sculpt My Diet Cookbook Bundle!
This bundle gives you access to 3 DIFFERENT cookbooks that consist of 200+ recipes for ALL parts of the day, including breakfast, snack, lunch, dinner, smoothies and dessert! Each recipe has its calories and macros broken down so you know EXACTLY how much of each nutrient you're consuming with each serving!
Still concerned about not knowing how to create the perfect meal plan? I GOT YOU!
The bundle *also* consists of various weekly meal templates that fit within different calorie ranges for you to utilize as a guide when first starting out on your journey. This way, you can reap ALL the benefits without doing ANY guesswork!
Needless to say, if you want to feel less intimidated and anxious about knowing WHAT to eat, as well as HOW MUCH to eat when starting your journey, then click the link below to grab your copy of the Sculpt My Diet Cookbook Bundle!
And as a way to MAKE SURE you utilize all the tools and methods the bundle offers to help ensure you have a successful journey, I'm giving you 15% OFF the bundle by using promo code: KICKSTART15 at checkout!
So click the link below NOW to secure your copy of the Sculpt My Diet Cookbook Bundle and use promo code: KICKSTART15 at checkout to save 15% on your order!👇🏽Link: https://www.sculptingbodies.com/shop/p/cookbook-bundle
If you have any questions or just want to share what your experience has been like since using the cookbook bundle and the calorie deficit or surplus diets, shoot me a DM on Instagram: @sculpting.bodies OR send me an email at: SculptingBodiesLLC@gmail.com
Can't wait to see all the progress you'll make throughout your journey!Xo,
Monique 💗