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 noticeable results.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter your TDEE (calculated from a TDEE calculator) and your actual daily calorie intake. Both values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's a healthy 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: Can I have too large a deficit?
A: Yes, deficits >1000 kcal/day can lead to muscle loss, nutrient deficiencies, and metabolic adaptation.

Q3: Should I eat back exercise calories?
A: It depends. If using a TDEE that includes exercise, no. If using BMR + separate exercise tracking, yes.

Q4: Why isn't my weight changing with a deficit?
A: Possible reasons include water retention, inaccurate tracking, metabolic adaptation, or overestimated TDEE.

Q5: How often should I recalculate my deficit?
A: Reassess every 4-8 weeks or after significant weight loss (10+ lbs) as your TDEE will decrease.