How to achieve a caloric deficit

There are two ways to lose weight, but one is more effective than the other:

1. Eat fewer calories

2. Burn more calories

You often hear that you need to do both—the classic 'eat less, move more.' But in reality, people tend to overestimate how many extra calories they burn through exercise.

Exercise has huge benefits for your health, and you should definitely do it if you can. It also helps you maintain your weight after a diet. However, when it comes to speeding up weight loss, exercise is often overrated.

Example: A standard Snickers bar (50g / 1.86oz) has 250 calories. An average woman has to run about 5 kilometers (3 miles) to burn that off. It's much easier and more efficient to simply avoid the bar and create a caloric deficit through your diet.

So, should you exercise?

Absolutely! It's one of the best things you can do for your health. Just don’t trick yourself into thinking you can "eat those calories back." For example, saying, "I ran for 60 minutes and burned 500 calories, so now I can eat two chocolate bars," is the wrong mindset.

Exercise to feel better, boost your health, and improve your mood—but remember, weight loss happens in the kitchen.

Takeaway: You can't outrun your fork. For effective weight loss, your main focus should be on what you eat.