I am a 29-year-old male, I’m fairly active, and would like to lose 5% of my body fat. I decided to start tracking my daily calories and set a goal of creating a 500-1,000 calorie-per-day deficit. I know that my resting metabolic rate is 1,850 calories and I’ve been tracking all my steps, exercises, and time spent at the gym to sum into my total calories OUT. Typically, I burn ~2,000+ to 2,500+ calories depending on the day. The problem has been that a 1,500 to 2,000 calorie diet usually leaves me feeling very hungry, and sometimes low on energy. I cut out dairy, bread, and sugar but I still eat lean meats, rice, quinoa, and veggies. Is my 1,500 to 2,000 calorie intake too low, or do I just need to find different low-cal foods to fill me up?
– Bill Z.
Bill, your question seems to already have answered itself in the description of your situation. You state you are usually hungry and low on energy, which would imply you’re eating less than normal, which you are trying to do. You’ve determined how many calories you’re expending but did not seem to track your previous energy intake to get your average baseline consumption. You’re working under the assumption that your personal body chemistry was following an equation* to begin with (rarely the case). Thus, your self-determined deficit appears to be from an expenditure calculation and not from analysis of your original diet intake.
What I’m trying to say is that it’s very likely that you were maintaining weight before on a much higher calorie intake, thus 2,500 Cals/day could be reduced enough from your true metabolic rate to assist with weight loss. By eating 2,000-2,500 calories/day for a while you will soon find out a) if satiety and energy improve, and b) whether weight loss is achievable at that level.
“To achieve weight loss while also maintaining RMR, calorie intake should be reduced by no more than 500 calories per day…” – Mark P. Kelly, PHD of the American Council on Exercise
* Whether your stated 1,850 RMR was calculated or extrapolated from a brief indirect calorimetry measurement, it may not reflect your actual physiological energy balance over 24 hours as it doesn’t take into account personal factors like digestion/absorption efficiency, level of stress, and sleep quality.
Resources:
– Debbie J., MS, RD
This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.
Some questions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!
Email nutrition@lafitness.com or submit your question below and it may be featured in an upcoming article!
Navigating the world of protein powders and supplements can indeed feel daunting, with countless options lining store shelves and online marketplaces. As you consider adding a scoop to your post-workout smoothie or exploring new ways to boost your nutrition, it’s...
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Chef Patrick O’Connell. All photos courtesy of The Inn at Little Washington.
This year, The Inn at Little Washington is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Just weeks after the Inn opened in 1978, a DC restaurant reviewer wrote: ”Once in a great while there comes along a restaurant so good that you worry. You ask yourself, was everything that happened a series of fortunate flukes? Or, if it’s that good, will it crumble under the pressure of success?” Since then, the Inn and Chef Patrick have won five James Beard awards, two Michelin stars and this year became the longest tenured 5 Star and 5 Diamond restaurants in the world. For information about 40th-anniversary events, go to theinnat40.com or to make reservations, go to theinnatlittlewashington.com.
Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Drop the bias cut asparagus into the boiling water and cook, uncovered, until tender – about 45 seconds. Remove the asparagus immediately and refresh in the ice water until completely chilled. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
Step 2: In a medium-sized skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the chopped morel mushrooms and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, shallots and blanched asparagus and sauté for 1 minute more. Remove from heat, season with salt and white pepper.
Step 3: Using a sharp pairing knife, slice off the top of each egg. Pour the raw eggs into a chinois or fine mesh strainer. Save the shells, rinse carefully, and set aside.
Step 4: In the top of a double boiler or in a stainless steel bowl which will rest securely on top of a pot of simmering water, whisk together the eggs, 1 ½ tablespoons of the crème fraîche, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg
Step 5: Place the bowl over a simmering pot of water and stir the eggs with a rubber spatula until they are very lightly scrambled.
Step 6: Remove the eggs from heat. Gently fold in the sautéed morels and asparagus and chopped chives. Pour the scrambled eggs in a pastry bag and pipe into the reserved egg shells. Top each shell with a dollop of the remaining crème fraîche. Serve immediately.
Serves 6 as an appetizer and 4 as a first course.
Featured Recipes
Navigating the world of protein powders and supplements can indeed feel daunting, with countless options lining store shelves and online marketplaces. As you consider adding a scoop to your post-workout smoothie or exploring new ways to boost your nutrition, it’s...
Cue the sound of a revving engine… running your blender at home can bring goodness with that whirring noise! Creating your own smoothies is a great way to get in some nutrients and plant phytochemicals you otherwise wouldn’t during the day. It allows you to prepare...
With so many sources offering nutrition advice, it’s hard to know what’s true. Even factual information can become distorted by the time it reaches you. Like a game of telephone, the message often changes as it’s passed along. Here, we debunk 5 common diet myths to...
I am a vegetarian and I’m finding it very hard to lose weight and gain muscle as much of the food that is available to me is either very high in carbs or made of some sort of soy protein (which I know isn’t the best for weight loss). Do you have any pointers or tips to help me eat cleaner and lose weight?
– Sophia K.
As plants are mostly carbohydrate-based, you’re bound to eat a greater proportion of your calories from carbs as a vegetarian. There are plenty of higher protein and higher fat grains, legumes, and vegetables, though! Use quinoa, lentils, chickpeas, and cannellini beans in place of pasta and rice. Try a variety of nuts and raw or toasted seeds to complement an assortment of vegetables and seasonings. Incorporate avocado, olives, and coconut to fill out your meals and provide healthy fats and promote satiety.
If you’re looking for items premade with an alternative protein but are not finding non-soy options locally, you can always order such products online. To eat cleaner, you’ll need to prepare more of your own food from raw ingredients rather than shop for products. In the greater Toronto area there are some good health food stores in which you can find seeds, nuts and bulk grains and legumes.
Here are a couple of my favorite moderate carbohydrate vegetarian meals:
Read our answers to similar questions here: Gaining Muscle, Losing Belly Fat: Vegetarian Edition | Q+A and My Weight Loss Has Plateaued… Any Advice?
– Debbie J., MS, RD
This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.
Some questions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!
Email nutrition@lafitness.com or submit your question below and it may be featured in an upcoming article!
Navigating the world of protein powders and supplements can indeed feel daunting, with countless options lining store shelves and online marketplaces. As you consider adding a scoop to your post-workout smoothie or exploring new ways to boost your nutrition, it’s...
Cue the sound of a revving engine… running your blender at home can bring goodness with that whirring noise! Creating your own smoothies is a great way to get in some nutrients and plant phytochemicals you otherwise wouldn’t during the day. It allows you to prepare...
With so many sources offering nutrition advice, it’s hard to know what’s true. Even factual information can become distorted by the time it reaches you. Like a game of telephone, the message often changes as it’s passed along. Here, we debunk 5 common diet myths to...
Is there a supplement recommended for weight loss?
– Christian H.
Speaking only of pills, tablets or individual ingredients (not enhanced protein powders) there are a few items that show promise for weight reduction. Do not take these as my recommendation or endorsement — I am just trying to answer your question. Because there is a lack of strong evidence of efficacy, none can be recommended specifically for weight loss. Most physicians agree that no weight-loss supplements meet criteria for recommended use.
GREATEST research / LARGE number of participants
FEW studies / SMALL sample sizes
References:
– Debbie J., MS, RD
This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.
Some questions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!
Email nutrition@lafitness.com or submit your question below and it may be featured in an upcoming article!
Navigating the world of protein powders and supplements can indeed feel daunting, with countless options lining store shelves and online marketplaces. As you consider adding a scoop to your post-workout smoothie or exploring new ways to boost your nutrition, it’s...
Cue the sound of a revving engine… running your blender at home can bring goodness with that whirring noise! Creating your own smoothies is a great way to get in some nutrients and plant phytochemicals you otherwise wouldn’t during the day. It allows you to prepare...
With so many sources offering nutrition advice, it’s hard to know what’s true. Even factual information can become distorted by the time it reaches you. Like a game of telephone, the message often changes as it’s passed along. Here, we debunk 5 common diet myths to...
Is it safe to use avocado as a daily meal and sufficient nutrition per day? How about honey? Is it full of carbohydrates and should be avoided?
– Ahmed
An avocado as a meal might tide you over once, but it’s not sufficiently nutritious to replace the other components of a meal, namely protein, and minerals. An avocado added to meals, totaling one per day in place of other fats within an energy-balanced diet is fine. Avocados from Florida are generally lower fat (best for slicing) and those from California – generally Hass variety – tend to be fattier (best for mashing). Avocados contain the type of unsaturated fats known to lower blood LDL cholesterol. A serving of 1/3 medium fruit has 8 grams of fat and is a good source of fiber, copper, and vitamins K, folate, and pantothenic acid. Avocados are also notable for potassium, containing as much in one fruit as a potato, a cup of cooked Swiss chard, or 2 bananas. Avocados enhance satiety thereby contributing to a lower total caloric intake overall.
Structurally, honey is made mostly of glucose and fructose (the 2 base units in sucrose, aka “table sugar”) and 17% water. At only 21 calories per teaspoon, there’s no nutritional reason to avoid honey outside of an allergy in those over 1 year of age. Honey can be used as a sweetener to replace table sugar without its negative health impacts, provided that portions are kept modest. In fact, there are many health benefits to honey in the diet including soothing cough and sleeping difficulties and improving the immune system. Use raw, 100% pure unfiltered honey to get the most medicinal properties (antibacterial, antioxidant).
Resources:
– Debbie J., MS, RD
This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.
Some questions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!
Email nutrition@lafitness.com or submit your question below and it may be featured in an upcoming article!
Navigating the world of protein powders and supplements can indeed feel daunting, with countless options lining store shelves and online marketplaces. As you consider adding a scoop to your post-workout smoothie or exploring new ways to boost your nutrition, it’s...
Cue the sound of a revving engine… running your blender at home can bring goodness with that whirring noise! Creating your own smoothies is a great way to get in some nutrients and plant phytochemicals you otherwise wouldn’t during the day. It allows you to prepare...
With so many sources offering nutrition advice, it’s hard to know what’s true. Even factual information can become distorted by the time it reaches you. Like a game of telephone, the message often changes as it’s passed along. Here, we debunk 5 common diet myths to...