How to Calculate Calorie Deficit
Step-by-step guide to calculating your BMR, TDEE, and personal calorie deficit using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation.
Weight Loss Guides
Learn about calorie deficits, safe weight loss, and nutrition science. Each guide is based on established research and the same formulas used in our calculator.
Where to Start
- New to calorie counting? Start with How to Calculate Calorie Deficit
- Want the formula details? Read Calorie Deficit Formula
- Not seeing results? Check Deficit But Not Losing Weight?
- Gender-specific advice? See our guides for Women and Men
Getting Started
Learn the fundamentals of calorie deficits and how to calculate yours.
Calorie Deficit Formula
Deep dive into the math behind weight loss: BMR formulas compared, activity multipliers explained, and worked examples.
Results & Strategy
What to expect from different deficit levels and approaches.
500 Calorie Deficit Results
Month-by-month breakdown of what a 500 calorie deficit looks like in practice, including realistic food swaps and timelines.
How Long to Lose 20 Pounds
Realistic timelines at different deficit levels, week-by-week expectations, and factors that speed up or slow down progress.
Deficit vs Exercise
The science behind diet vs exercise for weight loss, why you can't out-exercise a bad diet, and the optimal combined approach.
Safety & Troubleshooting
Stay safe and break through plateaus.
Is 1000 Calorie Deficit Safe?
When aggressive deficits are appropriate, the risks involved, who can do it safely, and comparison with moderate approaches.
Minimum Calories Per Day
How low is too low? Essential nutrient needs, metabolic adaptation risks, and the science behind calorie minimums.
Deficit But Not Losing Weight?
12 common reasons your scale isn't moving despite eating in a deficit, with actionable fixes for each one.
Gender-Specific Guides
Tailored advice for women's and men's unique physiology.
Calorie Deficit for Women
How menstrual cycles, hormones, and body composition affect female weight loss, plus safe calorie targets by life stage.
Calorie Deficit for Men
Men's BMR profiles, protein optimization for muscle preservation, body fat percentage guide, and training plans during a deficit.