You have probably heard of Caloric deficitbut and in Caloric surplus? Have you heard? Both are food strategies, but with different goals. Want to better understand the differences and benefits of each one? So keep reading!

What does caloric deficit and caloric surplus mean?

Caloric deficit and caloric surplus are used to describe the balance between the calories we consume and the ones we spend. Sports and clinical nutritionist Nathalia Schnaak explains that these two concepts are essential for setting up a diet aligned with each person’s individual goals:

• Caloric deficit: It means consuming less calories than the body needs to maintain its functions, which leads to body fat burning and, consequently, weight loss;

• Caloric surplus: It’s the opposite. That is, it means ingesting more calories than you spend, which results in weight gain, being essential, for example, in strategies of muscle hypertrophy.

How we can analyze, the Caloric deficit has as its main focus the loss of peso and the reduction of body fat, as well as improving indicators such as cholesterol, triglycerides and insulin resistance. “Already the caloric surplus is mainly used for the gain of muscle mass, Increased healthy weight and improvement of physical performance, especially in people with accelerated metabolism or who practice high intensity activities, ”says the professional.

In any case, it is important to reinforce that both strategies should be planned with nutritional quality and individually, ensuring safe and effective results for each metabolism and objective. In addition, the Practice of physical activity is essential in this processsince, in both cases, the combination of proper feeding and regular exercise is what ensures consistent and sustainable results.

• Exercises in the caloric deficit: It enhances fat burning, helps preserve muscle mass and improves total energy expenditure, making weight loss more efficient and healthy;

• EXERCISES IN THE CALORIC SUPERAVIT: With a focus on hypertrophy, training, especially strength, is essential to stimulate muscle growth and ensure that caloric excess is directed to lean mass gain rather than fat.

How to put it into practice?

To ensure good nutritional balance, both in the caloric and caloric surplus deficit, it is essential to have professional follow -up. This is because it all depends on the individual objective, the body’s response and the quality of nutritional planning.

The duration of each strategy can vary greatly. However, according to the nutritionist, “in general, the deficit can be kept for a few weeks to months, with strategic breaks (such as diet breaks or reverse diet) to avoid metabolic adaptations. Supervit is often maintained for longer periods, especially in hypertrophy phases, and may last from 3 to 6 months or more, depending on the goal and evolution”.

However, in both cases, it is essential to maintain a Good hydration, sleep well, practice physical activities and prioritize food quality to ensure expected results, such as:

• Macronutrient intake: carbohydrates, proteins and fats in the proper proportion;
• Also ingest micronutrients: vitamins and minerals in good offer;

According to the expert, “protein should be well distributed throughout the day to preserve (or gain) muscle mass, while carbohydrates and fats are adjusted according to the goal and level of physical activity.”

It is possible to gain muscle mass and lose fat at the same time, especially in beginners, people who are returning to training or with high fat percentage. Nathalia explains: “This process is known as body recomposition and requires careful planning, with a balanced diet, proper protein intake, consistent strength training and a slight caloric deficit (or maintenance, depending on the case).”

Most common errors

Before you start applying any of these strategies, it is important to be aware of the main mistakes made by beginners. According to the sports and clinical nutritionist, Nathalia Schnaak, these are these:

• Exaggerate deficit or surplus: Very drastic caloric cuts or exaggerated excesses can harm health and make it difficult to obtain sustainable results;
• Neglect food quality: Focusing only on calories and ignoring nutritional value leads to deficiencies and performance fall;
• Do not adjust macronutrients: Consuming insufficient protein or imbalance between carbohydrates and fats can compromise objectives, either fat loss or muscle gain;
• Lack of consistency: Oscillate too much between diet days and exaggeration makes progress difficult;
• Ignore individuality: Copying ready -made diets or following internet strategies without customization can lead to frustrations;
• Do not practice adequate physical activity: either by physical inactivity or excess of cardio in the deficit, or lack of strength training in the surplus;
• Disregard sleep and stress: Both directly affect results and are often neglected in the process.

Now that you know the main differences and benefits of these eating strategies, seek nutritional follow -up and practice physical activity to achieve your goals!