07/09/2026
the math behind lasting weight loss
You’ve probably heard it a million times...
“Eat less, move more.”
But if weight loss was that simple, why do most people regain all the weight they lose?
Here’s what nobody’s telling you about sustainable calorie management:
It’s not about how LOW you can go.
It’s about how LONG you can go.
Here’s a quick example.
Person A:
Cuts to 1200 calories, loses weight fast, but can only maintain this for 3 weeks before giving up.
Person B:
Reduces to just 300 calories below maintenance, loses weight slowly, but can easily maintain this for 6+ months.
After 6 months:
Person A has lost and regained weight multiple times
Person B has steadily lost 10-12kg and kept it off
The difference?
Sustainability.
Your mind doesn’t respond well to extreme restrictions.
When you slash calories too drastically, your adherence becomes nearly impossible to maintain.
The smarter approach is finding your “sweet spot” calorie deficit:
Large enough to produce results
Small enough to be sustainable
Flexible enough to accommodate real life
For most people, this means a 10-20% reduction from maintenance calories.
This allows for steady fat loss (0.5-1% of bodyweight weekly) with plenty of flexibility.
Remember…
The goal isn’t just to lose weight as quickly as possible...
It’s to lose weight while building habits you can maintain forever.
Team Steel 🖤
