Weight loss comes down to eating fewer calories than you burn. The practical version: estimate your daily burn (TDEE), subtract a moderate amount, and aim for steady, sustainable loss rather than a crash.
Step 1 — find your maintenance calories
Your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is roughly how many calories you burn in a day, including activity. Eating at your TDEE keeps your weight stable. Our calculator estimates it from your age, sex, height, weight and activity level.
Step 2 — apply a sensible deficit
To lose weight, eat below your TDEE. A pound of fat is about 3,500 calories, so a daily deficit of 500 calories points toward roughly a pound a week.
| Daily deficit | Approx. weekly loss | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 250 cal | ~0.5 lb | Slow, very sustainable |
| 500 cal | ~1 lb | Most people |
| 750–1000 cal | ~1.5–2 lb | Higher starting weight, with care |
Step 3 — keep protein up
In a deficit, adequate protein helps preserve muscle so most of what you lose is fat. It's also the most filling macronutrient, which makes the deficit easier to stick to. See setting protein targets (a macro calculator is coming soon).
Step 4 — adjust with reality, not the formula
The calculator gives a starting estimate. Track your weight trend over 2–3 weeks; if it's not moving, nudge calories down or activity up. Bodies differ, and the scale is the real feedback.
Find your starting target with the calorie calculator, then refine from there.
This article is general information, not financial, tax, or medical advice. See our disclaimer.