Back to our Roots - Calorie Deficiency: Why It's More Than Just Eating Less

 In my last article, I talked about how crucial protein is in transforming your body and health. Now, I want to address another concept that often gets misunderstood: calorie deficiency. You may have heard that losing weight is just a matter of eating fewer calories. But that’s not quite right. In fact, this is one of the reasons many people struggle with weight loss, quit their plans, and feel defeated. A calorie deficiency isn’t about starving yourself; it’s about understanding the needs of your body—specifically, how protein, carbs, and fats (your macronutrients) factor into your daily intake. Many people believe they can simply drop their calorie intake from, say, 2,000 to 1,500 and the weight will magically fall off. But here’s the problem—when you cut calories without considering what those calories are made of, you’re setting yourself up for failure. The health industry has been pushing this idea for years because it’s easy to sell. They want you to fail so you’ll keep buying their products, their diets, and their quick fixes. But there’s a better way, and it doesn’t come from a bottle or a fad diet. So, what is a calorie? A calorie is simply a unit of energy. But inside every calorie, there’s a breakdown of what we call macros: protein, carbo hydrates, and fats. These macros are what fuel our bodies and allow them to function properly. Everyone’s body requires a certain balance of these macros to not only lose weight but to do so in a healthy way that maintains muscle and boosts energy. When we talk about calorie deficiency, we mean creating a gap between the energy your body needs to maintain your current weight and the energy you consume through food. For example, if your body needs 2,000 calories to stay at its current weight and you eat 500 fewer calories—while still meeting your macro needs—you’ll start to lose weight. But here’s the kicker: those 1,500 calories you consume need to be the right calories. You need to know your protein number, your carb number, and your fat number. That’s where true, sustainable change happens. Take my own story. Back in February 2024, I weighed 150 pounds. My goal was to lose 25 pounds, and I’m proud to say that I’ve done it. But I didn’t just cut calories. I calculated the exact amount of protein, carbs, and fats my body needed to function properly while still creating that daily 500-calorie gap. Let me tell you, this wasn’t about starving myself or relying on pills, potions or prepackaged food. It was about eating whole foods, understanding my body, and increasing my movement. At 54, working on the farm keeps me active, and I added daily walks while the kiddo is practicing sports—to reach my goals. It’s not just about losing weight— it’s about maintaining energy, sup porting muscle, and keeping your body healthy in the process. That’s where macros come in. When I was targeting my goal weight of 125 pounds, I didn’t just aim for a lower calorie number. I made sure my body was getting enough protein to preserve muscle, enough carbs to fuel my energy, and the right amount of healthy fats. It’s about balance, not restriction. Here’s the truth that the health industry doesn’t want you to know: you don’t need their gimmicks to succeed. You don’t need their diets, their pills, or their quick fixes. You need whole foods—the kind that our farmers are growing right here in America. When you focus on real, unprocessed food, and you learn to balance your macros, you’ll see real, lasting change. Losing weight isn’t about cutting corners. It’s about fueling your body with the right foods and understanding how your metabolism works. You can find out your body’s current calorie needs (your BMR and TDEE), figure out how to adjust your intake, and then balance your macros to start seeing results. The answer is simple: eat whole foods, know your protein, carb, and fat numbers, and move your body. You can find free and paid apps to track your food intake. This is essential to teach yourself about macros and hit your protein goals. In the end, your life transformation doesn’t come from deprivation, it comes from understanding your body and making informed choices. And the best part? The foods that will help you succeed are growing in our backyards, right here in America, thanks to our farmers.