People decided to take their weight loss goals up a notch
When life pushes people to the brink, some decide it’s time to turn things up a notch. These 15 stories of resilience reveal how everyday individuals stepped up, faced their hardest challenges, and took charge of their own happiness. Their courage and drive could be just the spark you need to push forward in your own life.
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1. “I got so emotional about seeing the way the clothes fit and how much progress I have made.”
2. “Now I’m adding calories on purpose for the first time.”
3. “Lost over 100+ pounds naturally through calorie deficit and exercise.”
What is a calorie deficit? A calorie deficit happens when you burn more calories than you eat. Studies show that a 500-calorie deficit can aid weight loss, but this varies for each person based on different factors.
Calories are the energy you get from food and drinks. Calorie expenditure is the amount of energy you burn each day, which breaks down into three parts:
Resting energy expenditure (REE): The calories your body uses while at rest for vital functions like breathing and circulation.
Thermic effect of food: The energy used to digest, absorb, and metabolize food.
Activity energy expenditure (AEE): The calories burned through movement, like exercising, fidgeting, or doing chores.
A calorie deficit happens when you eat fewer calories than you burn. Over time, this can lead to weight loss. On the flip side, eating more calories than you burn leads to weight gain, called a calorie surplus.
Other factors can also affect weight, including:
Physical activity
Hormones
Lifestyle habits
Stress
Health conditions
Medications
Genetics
Sleep habits
Keep reading to learn how to calculate your calorie deficit and achieve it in a healthy way.
4. “These pictures are taken 4 years apart (August 2021 — May 2025).”
