The majority of weight loss occurs as a result of energy deficit and nutrient depletion. At least part of the energy deficit must occur from a deficiency in one or more of the macronutrients, which will decrease your body’s ability to manufacture or use that macronutrient. It is best to replace the energy deficit with calories burned, and then to add to the calories burned what energy was put away in the first place.
Energy deficit is made up more of a matter of what is consumed than of what is consumed. A diet high in fat is likely to result in a calorie deficit. That is because your body can not produce as much fat from its own resources (e.g. muscle or liver, and therefore cannot use as many calories as it is used to.)
Nutrient depletion is generally not thought to be as significant an issue as caloric deficit, which is a result of a decrease in the ability of your body to produce or use the nutrients necessary to keep you alive, including protein and vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids. The body needs food to keep its metabolism running efficiently. Low dietary protein increases the chances of the body trying to produce less of what it needs for maintaining its health.
A low carb diet, and especially an energy-deprived one, also tends to result in a caloric deficit and a decrease in nutrient intake. It can take a long time for the body to adjust to these changes. If the body stops having a sufficient supply of vitamins and minerals, then protein and fat calories are needed to keep it alive. They must be replaced with more and more energy. This is the “energy problem.”
What causes weightloss?
A caloric deficit results in a decreased calorie intake. The body uses energy (calories) as needed to keep you alive. If the calories are eaten more often than is required, the body will use less calories to maintain itself. This means the body will use less energy and therefore lose weight; this means the body is in a weight loss deficit.
A food deficit causes the body to expend more energy. An example would be putting more sugar into a meal. In general, foods high in fats tend to have a greater effect on weight loss than foods high in carbohydrates. The body cannot use fat as its main energy source (as long as it doesn’t break down the fat into its own usable forms or to turn into energy for use in a cell.) Therefore, the body must burn more calories (and fat) than what