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 calculator subtracts your daily calorie intake from your estimated energy expenditure to determine your daily deficit.

3. Importance of Calorie Deficit

Details: Maintaining an appropriate calorie deficit is crucial for healthy, sustainable weight loss. A moderate deficit typically leads to steady weight loss while preserving muscle mass and energy levels.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter your TDEE (calculated separately or estimated) 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 my deficit be too large?
A: Yes, deficits >1000 kcal/day can lead to muscle loss, nutrient deficiencies, and metabolic slowdown.

Q3: How do I calculate my TDEE?
A: TDEE calculators estimate it based on your BMR (basal metabolic rate) multiplied by an activity factor.

Q4: Should I eat back exercise calories?
A: If your TDEE already includes exercise, don't eat them back. If using just BMR, you may add some exercise calories.

Q5: Why am I not losing weight despite a deficit?
A: Possible reasons include inaccurate tracking, metabolic adaptation, water retention, or needing to recalculate TDEE.