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 your body taps into stored energy (fat) to make up the difference.

2. How Does Calorie Deficit Work?

The calculator uses the simple formula:

Where:

• \( TDEE \) — Total Daily Energy Expenditure (your body's total calorie needs)
• \( Calorie Intake \) — Calories you consume through food and drink

Explanation: A sustained calorie deficit of 500 kcal/day typically results in about 1 pound (0.45 kg) of weight loss per week.

3. Importance of Calorie Deficit

Details: Understanding your calorie deficit helps create effective weight loss plans. Too large a deficit can be unsustainable and lead to muscle loss, while too small may not produce noticeable results.

4. Using the Calculator

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

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's a healthy calorie deficit?
A: Generally 300-500 kcal/day for moderate weight loss, or up to 1000 kcal/day for more aggressive loss under supervision.

Q2: How do I calculate my TDEE?
A: TDEE = BMR (basal metabolic rate) × activity factor. Many online calculators can estimate this for you.

Q3: Why am I not losing weight despite a calorie deficit?
A: Possible reasons include water retention, inaccurate calorie tracking, metabolic adaptation, or changes in activity levels.

Q4: Can calorie deficit be too large?
A: Yes, very large deficits can cause muscle loss, nutrient deficiencies, metabolic slowdown, and other health issues.

Q5: Should I maintain the same deficit continuously?
A: Periodic "diet breaks" at maintenance calories may help with long-term adherence and metabolic health.