Weight loss fundamentally relies on maintaining a energy balance deficit, which means consuming fewer calories than your body needs. This guide provides an easy-to-follow plan, focusing on macronutrients and calorie control to support fat loss, founded on the energy-balance model of obesity. Step 1: Estimate Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) To manage weight effectively, understanding your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is essential. The equation for calculating changes in energy storage (ΔES) is as follows: ΔES = EI - [BMR + TEF + (EEex + NEAT)] ΔES = Change in body energy storage (calories) EI = Energy intake (calories consumed through food and drink) BMR = Basal Metabolic Rate (energy needed for basic bodily functions at rest) TEF = Thermic Effect of Food (energy used for digestion and metabolism) EEex = Energy expenditure from planned exercise NEAT = Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (energy expended through daily movement and activities) Calculating each component precisely can be complex, so a practical approach is to use online TDEE calculators that estimate your calorie needs based on age, weight, height, and activity level. Note that each calculators will vary slightly, so make sure to use the same TDEE calculator every time. I personally use one from KetoGains. Step 2: Set Caloric Intake for Weight Loss Once you have your TDEE, aim to create a caloric deficit for fat loss. A common recommendation is reducing calorie intake by 10-20% from your TDEE. For example, if your TDEE is 2,500 kcal/day, aiming for 2,000-2,250 kcal/day could support fat loss while minimizing muscle loss. Modifying TDEE Based on Results If you're losing weight: Continue following your current plan. If you're consistently losing weight over time without significant energy loss or hunger issues, your TDEE estimate is likely accurate. Keep doing what you're doing and monitor your progress. If you're gaining weight: Don’t immediately make adjustments if you notice a short-term increase in weight. Weight fluctuations can happen due to factors like water retention or muscle gain. Continue tracking your weight and calorie intake for at least 2 weeks. If you're still gaining weight after this period, it may indicate that your calculated TDEE is higher than your actual metabolism. In this case, reduce your TDEE estimate slightly and adjust your calorie intake accordingly. For women before menopause: Weight tracking can be more complex due to hormonal fluctuations and water retention during the menstrual cycle. These changes can cause temporary increases or decreases in weight, making it harder to assess actual progress. To account for this, track your weight consistently and compare averages across menstrual cycles rather than focusing on short-term changes. This method provides a more accurate picture of weight loss over time and helps avoid unnecessary adjustments to your TDEE based on temporary water retention. Step 3: Macronutrient Breakdown for Fat Loss After determining your daily caloric target, you can plan your macronutrient intake to optimize fat loss. 1. Protein Intake Recommendation: Consume approximately 2.2g of protein per kg of body weight daily.

Yesterday's Efforts vs. Today's Goals Since I worked hard on eating yesterday, I thought I should work hard on exercising today. I focused on a lower-body routine with squats and Romanian deadlifts. After the workout, I could feel how much my muscles were stimulated—my entire body felt sore, so I treated myself to a session with the massage gun for the first time in a while. Post-Workout Incident As I was taking off my workout clothes, I heard a little "pop!" sound, and something dropped to the floor. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was my continuous glucose monitor (CGM) that had been attached to my left forearm. Yes, it had been dangling since yesterday afternoon, and it finally gave way. Still, it hung on well until the morning of day 15, so I think it did its job. Actually, my interest in tracking blood sugar has decreased, and there were a few inconveniences as well, so I was planning to remove the sensor this afternoon instead of tomorrow when it expires. But maybe it worked out for the better. No Glucose Tracking Today Since the CGM is off, there's no glucose data for today. I had an iced Americano in the morning before working out, and afterward, I had a protein shake. For lunch, I ate bulgogi, had a Zero Coke brownie as a snack, and for dinner, I ate 150g of rice with homemade chashu. By my standards, this isn't a meal that would cause a big blood sugar spike. I usually maintain this kind of diet. Since it feels like a shame to end here, let's review some past data. Glucose Tracking Recap Looking at the average blood sugar over the entire period, my fasting glucose stayed in the 80-90 range, and even after meals, my blood sugar didn't rise significantly, so the average came to 97. I'd say that's a pretty healthy number. Excluding days like yesterday when I had cheat meals, there wasn’t much variation in my blood sugar levels. Nothing particularly interesting to note. Personal Conclusions from This Experiment Here are my personal takeaways: I am sensitive to white rice. I can handle about 3/4 of a bowl per meal. My blood sugar doesn't spike much even when I consume liquid carbs after strength training.