It sounds like you're referring to a "calories in vs. calories out" type of equation. First you need to understand that one pound of fat is made up of roughly 3,500 extra calories. So in order to lose one pound of fat, you need to create a caloric deficit of 3,500 calories. Basically, you can create a deficit of calories in three different ways: 1. Eat fewer calories than you burn each day. Keep in mind that your body burns calories all day long as part of your basal metabolic rate (BMR), because it takes energy (calories) for your body to perform basic physiological functions that are necessary for life—breathing, digesting, circulating, thinking and more. On top of that, physical activity (bathing, walking, typing and exercising) uses even more calories each day. It's not important for you to know what your BMR is. Your SparkDiet has already estimated your BMR based on variables like age, gender and weight, so you don't have to do any calculations. The calorie goal recommended in your SparkDiet plan will help you create a caloric deficit and lose weight. Example: If you eat 500 fewer calories each day for a week, you'll lose about one pound of fat (500 calories x 7 days = 3,500 calories). Again, keep in mind that your SparkDiet has already done these calculations for you, so simply follow the calorie recommendations on your plan (don't eat less than is already recommended). 2. Burn more calories than you consume by increasing your physical activity. If you eat enough calories to support your BMR, but exercise more, you'll create a caloric deficit simply by burning extra calories. This works only when you're not overeating to begin with. Example: Regardless of your BMR, if you exercised to burn an extra 500 calories each day, you'll lose about one pound of fat in a week (500 calories x 7 days = 3,500 calories). 3. A combination of eating fewer calories and exercising to burn more calories. This is the most effective way to lose weight and keep it off. It's much easier to create a substantial calorie deficit when you combine dieting with exercise because you don't have to deprive yourself from food, and you don't have to exercise in crazy amounts. Example: If you cut just 200 calories a day from your diet and burned just 300 calories a day by exercising, you'd lose about one pound per week. Compare that to the other examples above—you're losing weight at about the same rate without making major changes to your diet or exercise routine. Some people hate to cut calories, while others hate to exercise, so a combination approach allows you to do more of whatever comes easier for you. As long as you are consistent, your calorie deficit will "add up" over time, and you’ll slim down. But it's important to remember that your SparkDiet Nutrition and Fitness recommendations are already based on the goals you created. You don't have to do any extra math. Simply follow the Nutrition and Fitness recommendations on your Trackers and you'll be creating the deficit needed to reach your goal weight! It's also important to note that although this math seems relatively simple, our bodies are very complicated and you might not always see the results you expect based on equations alone. Many other factors can affect your weight loss rate along the way.  You will earn 5 SparkPoints
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This is sort of misleading in that it suggests that we lose fat when we diet. We actually lose glycogen and water before we lose fat. It's only when we hit the "weight loss plateau" when our bodies have depleted our glycogen reserves. Report
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I personally think that creating a cal deficit diet is the worse thing to do to your body specially if you want to lose weight. I personally find for me if I dont worry bout cals and just eat healthy and work out at lest once a day for at lest 20-30mins I lose weight.
If I eat the suggest cals 1,200-1,500 and work out for 20-30 mins a day I feel sick. at worse I gain weight if I stick to the suggested cal in take here and at best I just stay the same weight.
So it really depends on the person and how their body responds. My body went into Starvation Mode when creating a small 500 cal deficit in my diet. Report
Hope this helps! Report
Our bodies are highly adaptable, so we can survive on near-starvation calorie intake for quite some time. But it's not optimal.
And I completely respect that every body is different. I'm one of those people that gets really irritated when I read comments telling people that they should never eat an item because of their personal experiences. Life doesn't work that way.
I apologize if I came across as preachy or insulting. That was not my intent. My hope is that people will research, educate themselves, and make well-reasoned decisions. We only get one body and one life; they both need to be handled carefully. Report
I'm 5'6", 175 pounds, and I believe a healthy weight for me is about 145 pounds. My BMR is 1500 calories. I have a desk job, but unless I'm doing research or writing, I'm never seated for more than 20-30 minutes at a time. I commute by bike several days a week, and I'm training for triathlon, so I walk or run four or five days a week and I swim a couple days a week. If I followed SparkPeople's recommendations for my calorie intake, I would lose weight very quickly. But I would also lose strength and endurance, and I would be miserable. (Which would mean The Hubs would be miserable, too.)
Food is fuel. Eat enough to fuel your life. Exercise enough to keep yourself strong and healthy. And enjoy your life. If you're always crabby because you feel deprived, is it really worth it? Report