What is a calorie deficit?

A calorie deficit occurs when the number of calories expended by the body exceeds the number of calories consumed through food and beverages. This state is essential for weight loss, as it forces the body to utilize stored fat for energy, leading to a reduction in body weight over time.

When individuals achieve a calorie deficit, they create the necessary conditions for their body to draw on fat reserves, ultimately resulting in weight loss. This concept is fundamental in weight management strategies, as maintaining a persistent calorie deficit over time can lead to significant changes in body composition.

The other options describe different scenarios related to caloric intake and expenditure: consuming more calories than expended leads to weight gain, having a balance between consumed and expended calories means maintaining the current weight, and eating the same number of calories as expended does not create a deficit necessary for weight loss. Therefore, the identification of a calorie deficit as the situation where calories expended exceed those consumed is fundamentally accurate and critical for understanding weight management.