How does eating less calories result in weight loss?

[Anonymous]

I'd like to get a clearer picture. If you have 30lbs to lose, how does eating less calories result in a slimmer body overtime? I understand the concept of calories in/burn them for energy but if you already have the extra weight on your body, what is happening as you lose weight?

Updates

+1 y

Thanks everyone - why does the body tap into the body fat stores if today we ate less? Which body fat is tapped into and why does it go so slowly?

[Prettygurl12]

There are roughly 3,500 calories in a pound.

You need roughly 2,000 calories a day for your body to function and maintain its weight. If you eat said 2,000 calories a day, and then burn 500 at the gym without eating them back you create a deficit of 500 calories per day. This will make for one pound lost per week.

Weight loss experts advise women, when they choose to lose weight, to start eating 1,200 calories per day. If you eat 500 calories less per day than what your body needs, it will start using the calories it has stored in its fat reserves to make up for the loss of calorie intake. This will result in you losing 1 pound a week baring any unseen circumstances such as genetic conditions or health problems.

If you chose to eat 1,500 calories a day (instead of the 2000) and add exercise to the mix without eating back the calories you burn via exercise, you will increase the rate at which you lose weight.

When choosing to engage in diet/exercise it is important not to overdo it and to set realistic goals. Eating healthy and not overworking yourself physically are important things to remember when deciding to take this step.

[Deft_maiden]

Your body needs a certain amount of Calories to maintain current weight. east less and it will result in taping in to the stored fat. The result is weight loss.
Excersice will help maintain a higher metabolism and muscle mass. But the bulk of weightloss is from eating les. Easiest way is to cut sugars and carb. That means cutting down on alcohol, junk/processed food, dairy, and grains.

[Anno_Domini]

As someone who cut all sugars and carbs out of my diet a few years ago, I have to kind of disagree. Sure, I lost weight like crazy, to the point of people thinking I was ill. I also developed hypothyroidism, and I've had trouble losing all the weight I've regained since going off such a restrictive diet.

[Deft_maiden]

@ Anno_Domini this is why it's a good idea to consult your physician before Amy weightloss plan.
They too suggest cutting down ( not completely out) carbs. Sugars are found naturally in many foods. You just don't need the proceed kind

[kheserthorpe]

I'd suggest doing a weekly carb shock if your'e mainly going no-carb. Helps hormonal systems quite a bit. Also every 6-8 weeks do a full diet break.

[Asker]

Carbs would remain in my diet. I've been eating a portioned about of nuts/raisins/fruit/greek style yogurt during the day and a main meal in the evening. I've cut down 1.5kg in the last week.

[Deft_maiden]

@asker good goe you. If you hit s plateau (a happy point where yiur body don't want to go below) then you might have to increase your workout intensity or change your diet a bit.

[meatballs21]

Your body needs energy to function. If your stomach is the main gas tank, the body fat is your reserve tank.

If it can't get enough fuel from what you've eaten, it will go to the fat for energy. Conversely, if you eat too much, your body stores some for later when food might not be plentiful - as fat.

So by eating less, you encourage your body to make up the deficit by burning away some of your fat every day. This is why diets take time to work and why to maintain a lighter weight long term you need to change how much and what you eat long term too - you gained excess weight for a reason!

Starving doesn't work since your body will get energy from your fat but it needs other nutrients to maintain your body in good working order. All you'll get from starving is sick - not least of all because eventually, with no fat left, your body has no option to but start digesting muscle tissue.

[Prof_Don]

When u eat a calorie deficit, the body taps into the fat stores of the body, to "make up" the calorie difference.

Example:

Let's say your bodies uses 1800 calories a day (base metabolism + exercise). You only consume 1300 calories. That 500 that is not consumed by foodstuffs, your body will tap into your bodyfat stores to get.

So your body will burn off 500 calories from the bodyfat on your body.

One lb of body fat is 3500 calories.

So in 7 days, following this formula, your body will consume 3500 calories, or 1lb, of your bodyfat.

That means u lose 1lb of bodyfat off of your body a week.

[Asker]

Understood from your first paragraph! Thank u x