Is the topic of weight loss really that simple that by eating fewer calories one can lose weight?

Tipping the scale Your weight is a balancing act, but the equation is simple: If you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight. And if you eat fewer calories and burn more calories through physical activity, you lose weight.

How does eating too few calories affect weight loss?

If you take in fewer calories than needed, you will lose weight. Restricting intake to fewer than 1,000 calories daily can slow down your metabolic rate and lead to fatigue since you’re not taking in enough calories to support even the basic functions that keep you alive.

Do calories directly correlate to weight?

There is a direct relationship between the weight we lose and calories. The calorie is the unit we use to measure how much energy is in food (in the form of carb, protein, fat, alcohol) and how much energy we store or use (body fat and body sugar stores).

Is there a correlation between calories and fat?

Fat has more than twice as many calories per gram as carbohydrates and proteins. A gram of fat has about 9 calories, while a gram of carbohydrate or protein has about 4 calories. In other words, you could eat twice as much carbohydrates or proteins as fat for the same amount of calories.

What is a good calorie deficit?

What Should Your Calorie Deficit Be? A good rule of thumb for healthy weight loss is a deficit of about 500 calories per day. That should put you on course to lose about 1 pound per week. This is based on a starting point of at least 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day for women and 1,500 to 1,800 calories a day for men.

What will happen if I eat less than 1200 calories?

A 1,200-calorie diet is much too low for most people and can result in negative side effects like dizziness, extreme hunger, nausea, micronutrient deficiencies, fatigue, headaches, and gallstones ( 23 ). Furthermore, a 1,200-calorie diet can set you up for failure if long-term weight loss is your goal.