Trying to lose weight? Woman who lost 26 kgs shares the calorie deficit method that worked for her

Many people trying to lose weight often think that they have to go on strict diets or make drastic lifestyle changes in order to see results. But one woman’s viral is proving a simple understanding of calorie intake, coupled with consistency, can make a big difference over time.

The woman recently shared on Instagram that she shed 26 kgs not with an extreme diet but by gradually cutting down her calories and keeping a calorie deficit. She said that learning about maintenance calories completely changed the way she approached weight loss.

How learning about calorie deficit changed her approach

In the video, the woman revealed that she was consuming more than 2,000 calories a day but was not losing weight. She said everything changed once she understood the concept of a calorie deficit.

Explaining it in simple terms, she said every person's body needs a certain number of calories each day to carry out basic functions such as breathing, thinking, moving and maintaining normal bodily processes. These are known as maintenance calories.

"If you eat your maintenance calories, your weight generally stays the same. Eat more than that and you may gain weight. Eat less than that and you create a calorie deficit, which can help you lose weight over time. That's the whole science," she explained.

The gradual calorie-cutting method she followed

Rather than making a sudden and drastic reduction, the content creator said she chose a gradual approach.

Starting from around 2,000 calories a day, she reduced her intake by 100 to 150 calories every week until she reached approximately 1,450 calories a day. She maintained that calorie deficit for 12 weeks before returning to her maintenance calories and then repeated the same cycle again.

According to the woman, this slow and sustainable strategy helped her lose 26 kgs without relying on any extreme dieting methods.

How to calculate a calorie deficit

The woman recommended the following steps for anyone looking to create a calorie deficit:

Find your maintenance calories (TDEE): Use a free online TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) calculator and enter your age, gender, height, weight and activity level.

Create a small deficit: Subtract 100 to 300 calories from your maintenance calories to begin with.

Monitor your progress: Review your progress every week. If you do not notice any results, reduce your calorie intake slightly or increase your physical activity.

Why consistency matters

The woman's experience suggests that weight loss does not always require extreme restrictions. Instead, understanding your maintenance calories, creating a manageable calorie deficit and staying consistent over time may be a more practical and sustainable way to reduce body weight.