Have you ever wondered how many calories are in 1kg of body fat? What if I told you that understanding this number can make your weight loss journey much easier and less stressful? This seemingly simple maths holds the potential to break your all-or-nothing mentality when it comes to dieting and also give you breathing room when things don’t go to plan calorie-wise. In this blog, we'll explore this “calorie mystery” and show you how you can use this information the right way in order to take control of your fat loss strategy and help you stop worrying about “diet speed bumps” on your journey. Let’s dive in and see how what the math says! In reality, single days of indulging or going slightly off-track don’t mean your progress is lost. However, this is not how most dieters think. Likely that this is not even how you think! I know the stress that can come from calorie uncertainty when we fall off track or indulge from time to time. Weight regain fear is a real boogeyman in the dieting space, real talk. So how much would you need to hypothetically eat to gain a kilo of fat? The QUICK MathsWhen it comes to fat loss and body fat, you might have heard the math: 1 kg of body fat = 7,700 calories. That’s not just random math—it’s a starting point for understanding how calories and fat loss work together. I know you knew calories and fat are connected but now you know the actual fancy, scientific number behind it. So we know that there are 7700 calories in 1 kg of body fat. By a process of quick maths… This means there is 3850 calories in ½ kilo of body fat. This would mean that, for example, one would need to eat 1100 calories per day OVER maintenance to gain 1kg of fat in 1 week, theoretically speaking of course. That is a heck of a lot of food above and beyond on a daily consistent basis - but yes, it is very doable and there are many people who do it (albeit more likely than not in a more sporadic fashion leading to gradual gain over a longer period of time). Now the reality of the matter is that if you are trying to lose weight, there is a very good chance that you are trying to eat in a calorie deficit. Let’s assume that you are and that it is in fact a bonafide calorie deficit forged from the fires of thermodynamics and fat loss science. This would mean you are eating anywhere from 100-500+ calories below the maintenance line already. “Aleksa, what is the point of this rambling?” - You, maybe. The point is that this would mean you would in a deficit state need to eat maybe 1200-1600 calories more each day to create 1kg of fat in a week. That is even more harder to do without actively trying. But hold up—it’s important to see all of this as a general framework, not a strict rule. While these numbers can be useful as a rough guide to understand the bigger picture, it doesn’t provide the full story nor can they truly be used as an exact science. So what’s the point of all of this? Glad you asked. Not An Exact Science (Nor Math)Even though 7,700 calories per kilogram is a common estimate, it’s not an exact science that you can just plug n’ play into your situation and take advantage of the numbers. Our bodies aren’t simple robotic calculators, and many factors can influence how we actually lose and in this case, GAIN fat. Likewise, various things will influence the reality of what can actually lead to 1 kg of body fat gain. Simply eating 7700 calories worth of food won’t = 1kg of bodyfat gain. The thermic effect of food (TEF) is one example: your body uses calories to digest, absorb, and process thy food. This can vary based on what you eat and how much you eat, meaning you don’t absorb every single calorie (and this isn't even including foods that the body can’t fully digest such as fibres). On top of that, hormones, sleep, stress, and even hydration levels play a part in how efficiently we burn calories - not to mention it’s effect on your given basal metabolic rate (I.e. if your maintenance number changes then the 7700 intake will have a more or less pronounced effect on a given day, simple). So, think of the 7,700-calorie rule as a rough guide to understanding the bigger picture science, not a hard-and-fast rule that will work in the exact way the science hypothetically suggests. Truthfully, the real reason for me sharing these figures with you is going to be shared in the next section. Exact science and accuracy aside, the 7700 calorie maths can actually help your fat loss in another way. A much more important way in my opinion. Let’s explore. How to Use This Info for Easier Fat LossRather than obsessing over exact numbers and thinking about how you can now use “7700” in your daily or weekly strategy, let’s use this information to our advantage and create a more balanced approach to fat loss nutrition. One Day Can’t Ruin Everything The biggest way that this information can help and how I want you to use it… Is to show you that there is so much more margin of error before you truly f*** up your results (excuse my Australian). People think 1 day of going out and eating some takeaway or falling off the diet with a snack attack after dinner (which may be at most 2000 calories more than they want to eat), is setting them back. You may gain some weight from this but how much of that is truly fat, hmm probably not much if any. Especially when you suddenly see the scale go up 1kg after a night out…this can’t be bodyfat. Weight gain and fat gain are not always one in the same. Most importantly, I want you to simply use the 7700 figure to show you that you would need to be falling off multiple days, consistently to even be at risk of gaining 1kg of bodyfat. This is even harder to do from a calorie deficit mode too. And not all weight gain is fat. Suddenly eating more carbs and salt can lead to a sudden water weight increase, for example. So there is your good news—one day of overeating won’t reverse your progress. Remember, if it takes roughly 7,700 calories to gain 1 kg of fat, eating a little extra here and there is no big deal. What matters most is consistency over time, not perfection every single day. Understanding fat loss math is meant to help you stress less, not more. The best progress comes from a place of enjoyment, so relax and trust the process. Occasional treats won’t throw you off track, and by focusing on what feels sustainable, you’re far more likely to see results in the long run, my guy/gal. Extra Tip: Focus on Trends, Not Tiny Details Or Single Snapshots in Time Instead of focusing on each and every calorie and weight change, keep an eye on the overall trend. Creating a calorie deficit over days and weeks and months leads to true fat loss—not by stressing about single moments of lapsing. Remember, it’s the bigger picture that matters. Plus the speed bumps are learning opportunities, not failures or signs to give up. Take-Home MessagesTo sum it all up, the 7,700-calorie rule is a helpful guideline but not an exact science to live by or calculate or try and figure out to the fine degree in your own diet. By taking the pressure off and focusing on the big picture, you can make fat loss a little easier and a lot more enjoyable because using this number you now know that it takes a heck of a lot more “damage” to truly cause an impact on your fat loss progress. Think of it like saving money - it’s not one day of minor overspending that makes or breaks your savings, but the overall habit of being consistent over time. Giving up when you have 1 day here and there of falling off your diet plan is like being side tracked by 1 flat tyre and deciding to slash the rest. Don’t slash your metaphorical tyres, please and thank you. So unless you are overeating by a lot AND regularly, you should be safe. Take a deep breath and get better by 1% every day/week/month. And don’t forget that your deficit gives you breathing room too, because overeating first needs to hit maintenance before it becomes a possible fat gain issue. RecapUnderstanding how many calories are in a kilogram of body fat can transform your approach to fat loss. By recognizing that this number is more of a guiding principle than an absolute rule, you can reduce some of the stress associated with occasional overeating and focus on the bigger picture. Please stop letting minor setbacks de-rail your journey, friend. Need Help Figuring Out This Nutrition Thing?There is a chance that doing this fat loss thing alone is holding you back or it’s simply taking you longer to achieve with more stress than you need right now. If you’re ready to trust the process and leverage personalised nutrition strategies, I’m here to help. Contact me today to learn about and discuss your options, and let’s get you the results you keep waiting for! Perhaps it is time to really put your focus on reaching your peak potential with a nutrition specialist in your corner. Simply email me at: [email protected] or go to my contact form to have a chat about this and see if we are a good fit to work together and get you your best results yet. Or to apply now to see if you are a good fit, simply CLICK HERE and start the process for reaching your peak potential and getting the body you feel happier, healthier, and more confident in. Sports Dietitian and Coach Aleksa Brisbane Sports Dietitian and Nutritionist
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AuthorHi there! My name's Aleksa Gagic - i'm a Brisbane Sports Dietitian & Brisbane Sports Nutritionist. I have 7+ years experience in providing professional nutrition consulting and want to help you learn about the power of flexible nutrition. Archives
February 2025
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