Weight loss basics
What is a calorie deficit (and how do you create one)?
Quick answer: A calorie deficit means eating fewer calories than your body burns, so it uses stored fat for the difference. A 500-calorie daily deficit is roughly 1 pound of fat loss a week.
How a calorie deficit works
Your body needs a certain amount of energy every day. If you eat less than that, it makes up the difference from stored energy, mostly body fat. That gap is your calorie deficit.
Every weight-loss diet works this way, whether it’s keto, intermittent fasting or a meal-replacement plan. They’re all just different ways to eat less.
How big should your deficit be?
- Small (250–300 kcal/day): slow, very sustainable. About 0.5 lb a week.
- Moderate (500 kcal/day): about 1 lb a week. Right for most people.
- Large (750–1,000 kcal/day): 1.5–2 lb a week. Best saved for people with a lot to lose.
Find your numbers with the calorie deficit calculator.
8 easy ways to create a deficit
- Swap sugary drinks for water or diet drinks. A daily soda is about 150 calories.
- Fill half your plate with vegetables. Lots of food, few calories.
- Eat protein at every meal. It keeps you full longer.
- Measure oils, dressings and spreads. A tablespoon of oil is about 120 calories.
- Walk more. Adding 3,000 steps a day burns roughly 100–150 calories.
- Plan for weekends. Two big days can erase five careful ones.
- Eat slower. It takes time for fullness signals to kick in.
- Log your food. Even a rough log keeps you aware of what you’re eating.
Signs your deficit is too big
- You’re hungry all the time and thinking about food constantly.
- Workouts feel much harder and your strength is dropping.
- You’re tired, irritable or sleeping badly.
- You’re losing more than about 1% of your body weight a week after the first two weeks.
If that sounds like you, eat 100–200 more calories a day. Slower progress you can keep beats fast progress you can’t.