1. What is Calorie Deficit?

A calorie deficit occurs when you consume fewer calories than your body expends. This is the fundamental principle behind weight loss, as the body taps into stored energy (fat) to make up the difference.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the simple formula:

Where:

• \( TDEE \) — Total Daily Energy Expenditure (calories your body burns in a day)
• \( Intake \) — Calories consumed through food and drink

Explanation: The difference between what your body needs and what you consume determines your deficit, which leads to weight loss over time.

3. Importance of Calorie Deficit

Details: Maintaining an appropriate calorie deficit is crucial for healthy, sustainable weight loss. Too large a deficit can lead to muscle loss and metabolic slowdown, while too small may not produce results.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter your TDEE (calculated separately or estimated) and your actual calorie intake. Both values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's a safe calorie deficit?
A: Generally 300-500 kcal/day for moderate weight loss (0.5-1 lb/week) or 500-1000 kcal/day for more aggressive loss (1-2 lb/week).

Q2: How do I calculate my TDEE?
A: TDEE can be estimated using formulas like Harris-Benedict or Mifflin-St Jeor, multiplied by activity factor.

Q3: Why am I not losing weight despite a deficit?
A: Possible reasons include inaccurate tracking, metabolic adaptation, water retention, or underestimating intake/overestimating expenditure.

Q4: Should I maintain the same deficit continuously?
A: Periodic "diet breaks" at maintenance calories may help prevent metabolic slowdown and improve adherence.

Q5: Can I create a deficit through exercise alone?
A: While possible, combining dietary changes with exercise is typically more sustainable and effective for long-term weight management.