How to Calculate Your Calorie Deficit
Published on August 3, 2025
If you're aiming to lose weight effectively and sustainably, understanding how to calculate your calorie deficit is crucial. A calorie deficit means you are consuming fewer calories than your body needs to maintain its current weight, leading your body to burn stored fat for energy.
Step 1: Determine Your Maintenance Calories
Maintenance calories are the number of calories your body needs to maintain its current weight. You can calculate this using Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) calculators available online. These consider factors like age, sex, height, weight, and activity level.
Step 2: Choose Your Deficit Level
To lose weight safely, a deficit of 10–25% below your TDEE is recommended. For example, if your TDEE is 2,500 calories, a 20% deficit means you'd consume around 2,000 calories per day. This would result in about 1–2 pounds of fat loss per week.
Step 3: Track Your Calories
Use a food-tracking app like MyFitnessPal, Cronometer, or Lose It! to monitor your intake. Accuracy is key—track everything, including cooking oils and snacks.
Step 4: Adjust as Needed
Weight loss isn’t always linear. If progress stalls after a few weeks, reassess your intake and activity. Your maintenance level decreases as you lose weight, so your deficit needs to evolve, too.
Tips for Success
- Prioritize protein: Helps preserve muscle mass while in a deficit.
- Stay hydrated: Water supports metabolism and reduces hunger.
- Sleep and stress: Poor sleep and high stress can sabotage fat loss.