drtbear1967
Musclechemistry Board Certified Member
We know you need a calorie deficit for fat loss. But one of the most common reasons people struggle with creating a calorie deficit is that they are consuming more calories without knowing. In today's post, I will discuss a few potential fat loss barriers and practical solutions.
-
First, we have restaurant meals. Research investigating the calorie contents of frequently purchased restaurant meals find that most meals are quite high in calories. In one study, the calories of restaurant meals in several different countries were measured [1]. As you can see when you swipe left, the average calories of the meals often exceed 1100 kCals. For many, that's already half (if not more) of your daily calorie goal for fat loss. This is not to say you can't eat out. But when you do eat in a restaurant, be aware that most meals are higher in calories than expected.
-
Next, we have snacks in between meals. I struggle with this one myself. While walking by the kitchen, it is easy to grab a handful of nuts or some crackers. Even though the snack may only be 50-100 calories, the calories of these snacks add up over the course of a day. This helps explain why a research review found that individuals who snack more throughout the day are more likely to experience weight regain [2]. So either limit or control the calories you consume in between meals.
-
The last variable is underreporting calorie-intake. If we look at the body of literature, we see that most people are quite bad at reporting how many calories they consume on a daily basis [3]. Even trained nutrition professionals struggle with this. In one study, it was found that dietitians underreport their calorie-intake by ~220 kCals/day [4]. Non-dietitians underreported their calories by ~430 kCals/day. So if you feel like your calories are very low but you are still not losing fat, try more closely tracking your calories for 1-2 weeks.
-
References:
1. Measured energy content of frequently purchased restaurant meals: multi-country cross sectional study | The BMJ
2. Who succeeds in maintaining weight loss? A conceptual review of factors associated with weight loss maintenance and weight regain - PubMed
3. Using biomarker data to adjust estimates of the distribution of usual intakes for misreporting: application to energy intake in the US population - PubMed
4. Energy intake and energy expenditure: a controlled study comparing dietitians and non-dietitians - PubMed
-
First, we have restaurant meals. Research investigating the calorie contents of frequently purchased restaurant meals find that most meals are quite high in calories. In one study, the calories of restaurant meals in several different countries were measured [1]. As you can see when you swipe left, the average calories of the meals often exceed 1100 kCals. For many, that's already half (if not more) of your daily calorie goal for fat loss. This is not to say you can't eat out. But when you do eat in a restaurant, be aware that most meals are higher in calories than expected.
-
Next, we have snacks in between meals. I struggle with this one myself. While walking by the kitchen, it is easy to grab a handful of nuts or some crackers. Even though the snack may only be 50-100 calories, the calories of these snacks add up over the course of a day. This helps explain why a research review found that individuals who snack more throughout the day are more likely to experience weight regain [2]. So either limit or control the calories you consume in between meals.
-
The last variable is underreporting calorie-intake. If we look at the body of literature, we see that most people are quite bad at reporting how many calories they consume on a daily basis [3]. Even trained nutrition professionals struggle with this. In one study, it was found that dietitians underreport their calorie-intake by ~220 kCals/day [4]. Non-dietitians underreported their calories by ~430 kCals/day. So if you feel like your calories are very low but you are still not losing fat, try more closely tracking your calories for 1-2 weeks.
-
References:
1. Measured energy content of frequently purchased restaurant meals: multi-country cross sectional study | The BMJ
2. Who succeeds in maintaining weight loss? A conceptual review of factors associated with weight loss maintenance and weight regain - PubMed
3. Using biomarker data to adjust estimates of the distribution of usual intakes for misreporting: application to energy intake in the US population - PubMed
4. Energy intake and energy expenditure: a controlled study comparing dietitians and non-dietitians - PubMed
