What do those terms mean and how do you use these to achieve your goals? 

I am sure you have heard about the importance of being in a calorie “deficit” if you are looking to lose body fat and achieve a desired goal but have probably wondered what that actually looks like or means? 
Well to be in a calorie deficit it simply means you consume less calories than you burn off that day. For example – If you ate 1500 calories but your daily energy expenditure was 1800 you would be in a deficit. 
In order to achieve fat loss or weight loss you would need to be in a deficit on a daily basis over a prolonged period of time. It is important to inform you that it is not necessary to be in an extreme deficit to achieve your goals, instead as long as you are in a 10-15% deficit you will lose. 

So now you understand that, it should make it easier to understand that maintenance calories means equal to your energy output. So you are eating sufficient food to be able to keep your body sitting at a regular weight and body fat percentage. This is beneficial to know for when you have achieved your goals and you are looking to stay at that goal weight/physique. 
You should be able to maintain energy levels, performance and be able to eat a complete balanced diet at this stage. 

Which leads us onto the term calorie surplus – This means that you are needing to eat more calories than you are burning. This can be done purposely or unintentionally. When you are overconsuming on a regular basis and not tracking or being mindful of the types of foods and amount of calories you are consuming it is inevitable that you will gain weight and fat. This can lead to poor health and excesive body fat percentages. 
HOWEVER, there is a place for a calorie surplus in some situations, for example when you are looking to gain muscle and strength. Your trainer will be able to advise you how much of a surplus you should be in and the types of foods you should be looking to include in your diet in order to achieve this. Foods such as carbohydrates and protein will be important for you to be able to maintain performance and increase your muscle tissue mass over a period of time, when done alongside regular progressive weight training. 

Overall there is a place for all of these phases but it will depend on your goal as to which you focus on at one time. If you have any questions about this then the team at fitness flex basingstoke will be able to help you! Get in touch today to find out more.