HOW LONG SHOULD YOU STAY IN A CALORIE DEFICIT? EXPLORING CALORIE DEFICIT RED FLAGS
There is so much nuance in talking about the topic of a calorie deficit. From navigating a deficit in a sustainable way to recognizing if your body is even ready for a deficit, there are so many different factors to consider.
[At the bottom of this article I have linked some additional posts that are helpful in navigating all of these factors surrounding a fat loss phase.]
We often think so much about the circumstances surrounding a deficit and how to maintain our deficit when in it, but what about knowing when we’re ready to exit said deficit?
First, a refresher about what a calorie deficit even is:
Tailoring your nutrition to your specific goals all boils down to energy balance: good ol’ calories in vs. calories out. Yes, it is more complex than it sounds as there are many ways we expend energy and our expenditure is dependent on so many factors, but it does not change the fact that energy balance determines the changes we see in our body composition and that specific goals determine whether you should be eating in a calorie deficit, at maintenance calories, or in a calorie surplus.
A calorie deficit is when you are burning more calories than you are eating on average. If you have aesthetic goals geared toward losing body fat, a calorie deficit is absolutely essential. Being in a calorie deficit should be a temporary phase. Because you are eating less, energy and performance may not be optimal and you may experience some hunger or fatigue.
HOW LONG SHOULD I BE IN A CALORIE DEFICIT?
This, as usual, is an “it depends” answer. It depends on our dieting history, our relationship with food, our goals, our rate of progress, and many more factors. In general, a deficit can range from 8-16 weeks.
We may trend toward the shorter end of the range if working toward less drastic goals within a shorter time frame. This may be applicable to someone who has shorter-term aesthetic goals or who has done a fat loss phase in the past year and is revisiting their goals after a break/time at maintenance.
We may trend toward the middle-end range if working toward more significant goals and when approaching them in a less drastic way (implementing a smaller deficit, taking a diet break or two along the way).
Regardless, we must always be flexible with our timeline and stay open to exiting a deficit when biofeedback suggests it’s time.
WHEN DO I TAKE A BREAK FROM A DEFICIT?
We utilize biofeedback from areas like energy, performance, recovery, sleep, and more to gauge how we’re feeling during a fat-loss phase. There is an understanding that while in a cut (a calorie deficit), we are going to experience some discomfort; it’s part of the process since our bodies aren’t meant to be underfed!
Our goal in a deficit is to minimize and mitigate the negative side effects of a deficit and pay attention to how our bodies are handling the deficit so we are always prioritizing our health and well-being.
CALORIE DEFICIT WARNING SIGNS
Calorie deficit beige flags are those that are maybe not ideal but are expected. These can look like having lower energy, some hunger, or slightly compromised (read: not absolutely ideal) performance in our workouts. These beige flags are ones we generally deem acceptable during a deficit knowing that a deficit is short-term, not forever. We can try to mitigate their effects by staying as fueled as possible while in a deficit (not going into an extreme deficit for “faster progress”) and focusing on hydration and food quality.
The pink flags we may experience are slightly more drastic iterations of the beige flags mentioned above. This could look like more hunger and cravings, more frequent low-energy days, and less ideal performance and recovery from workouts. When these pink flags wave, we generally want to consider having a timeline in sight for the end of our deficit or implementing a diet break in the near future.
Calorie diet red flags are a sign that it’s time to step away from a deficit and, in most cases, spend some time at maintenance. These look like significant hunger, big mood swings, chronic low energy, poor sleep, poor performance, poor recovery or constantly feeling sore, low sex drive, and thinking about food constantly.
TAKING A BREAK: DIET BREAK OR MAINTENANCE PHASE?
There are options and various strategies when it comes to taking a pause from a deficit.
A Diet Break is a short term break spent eating at maintenance, then returning back to a deficit. A diet break is generally a week or two long. While the literature suggests that there is no benefit to more progress with a diet break, it does provide a mental break from a deficit that can lead to increased adherence. If spending a longer time in a deficit (12-16 weeks), a short diet break may be necessary.
A Maintenance Phase: A maintenance phase means spending ample time eating at maintenance (or eating approximately as many calories as you are burning on average). A maintenance phase generally comes after a calorie deficit, and is that phase in which we focus on maintaining the progress created in said deficit. In general, a maintenance phase should be as long as, or longer than, the time spent in a deficit. Example: If you were in a cut for 12 weeks, you want to spend at least 12 weeks in maintenance before attempting another deficit. This is the very shortest end of the range, and an ideal maintenance period would be longer. We should aim to spend a majority of our time at maintenance.
OPTIMIZING A CALORIE DEFICIT
The absolute best way to navigate your fat loss journey is to set your goals, commit to them HARD, and then move on. Our bodies are not meant to be in a calorie deficit for a long period of time, and spending too much time in a deficit can have negative consequences on both our physical and mental health. Fat loss is not meant to be forever, so committing to your fat loss goals when you have them allows you to meet those goals sooner so you can move on to maintaining those changes and eating in a more sustainable manner.
In the grand scheme of things, fat loss is a phase, and maintaining that fat loss is the real goal. Success in that endeavor comes from being strategic in how we approach our goals and being attentive to signs that indicate when we should end a deficit so that we are chasing our goals in a sustainable way with our optimal mental and physical health in mind.
Some additional resources about a fat loss phase you may find helpful as you navigate your goals:
AM I READY FOR A FAT LOSS PHASE?
We believe that the best way to achieve your fat loss goals is working with a coach who creates a plan specific to you - your needs, your preferences, and your goals. A sustainable approach to our nutrition is essential to long-term habits and success. For high support coaching and guidance, apply for our 1:1 Nutrition Coaching here.