Losing weight doesn’t mean giving up all your favorite foods or forcing yourself into a strict diet. The focus of this process lies in calorie balance, which means ensuring that the amounts of calories you consume is always less than the amount of calories your body burns each day. When you maintain this principle, weight loss will happen naturally, while you can still comfortably enjoy your meals without being too constrained.
Calories are the unit of energy that the body needs to maintain life activities. On average, men need about 2,200 calories/day and women need about 1,800 calories/day. However, this is just a general reference number. Actual calorie needs will depend on your age, gender, height, weight and level of activity.
Why do calories play a decisive role?
Our body operates like an “energy machine”, and calories are the fuel that helps that machine operate. Every day, you need a certain amount of calories to maintain basic activities such as breathing, blood circulation, brain and other organs even when resting. This amount of energy is called the basal metabolic rate (BMR).
Not only that, calories are also burned through:
- Physical activities: walking, jogging, exercising or simply doing housework.
- Food digestion: breaking down and absorbing food also requires energy.
All of the above factors add up to the total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). This is an important number to know how many calories your body needs each day to maintain weight.
If the amounts of calories consumed exceeds TDEE, the excess will be converted into fat reserves. Conversely, when you consume less than TDEE, the body is forced to “withdraw” from fat reserves to compensate, and this process creates weight loss. In other words, the difference between calories consumed and calories burned is the core mechanism that determines your weight.
Calorie balance strategy for effective weight loss
To lose weight sustainably, the important thing is not to completely cut out your favorite foods, but to learn how to balance calories intelligently so that your body is always in a state of consuming more than it consumes.
1. Reduce portion size but do not skip meals
Fasting to lose weight is often counterproductive: the body becomes tired, easily loses muscle and increases cravings. Instead of skipping meals, you can:
- Use a small bowl or plate to naturally reduce portion size.
- Eat slowly, chew thoroughly so that the brain has time to send a signal of fullness.
- Divide meals into smaller portions, avoid eating too much in one meal.
2. Eat flexibly and intelligently
You do not need to completely “cut out” your favorite foods. If you eat a cake today, balance it with a lighter meal, such as more greens vegetables and less fat.
For example, if you have a buffet in the evening, you can choose a simple lunch like mixed vegetable salad with grilled chicken breast and fruit. This way, you can still enjoy the flavor without worrying about exceeding the allowed calorie amount.
3. Prioritize nutritious and low-calorie foods
To lose weight while still being healthy, you should focus on:
- Vegetables and fruits: rich in fiber, creating a feeling of fullness for a long time.
- Lean proteins: such as chicken breast, fish, tofu – help maintain muscle.
- Whole grains: brown rice, oats – rich in nutrients and aid digestion.
These foods are not only low in calories but also provide full vitamins and minerals to help the body maintain energy during the weight loss process.
4. Combine exercise to increase energy expenditure
Diet is a big factor, but if you want to lose weight effectively and sustainably, you need to combine exercise.
Cardio exercises such as jogging, brisk walking, and cycling help burn calories quickly.
Strength exercises such as weight training and bodyweight training help increase muscle mass, thereby increasing BMR. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn even when resting.
In short, losing weight is not a race to the bone, but a skillful balance between reasonable eating and regular exercise. When you understand the calorie mechanism and apply appropriate balancing strategies, weight loss will become easy, sustainable, and not make you feel deprived in enjoying food.
