Question 1

How many calories should I cut to lose weight?

Accepted Answer

Start 250–500 kcal/day below your TDEE. That produces roughly 0.25–0.5 kg (0.5–1 lb) per week for most people — fast enough to see progress, slow enough to keep muscle and sanity.

Question 2

Is a 500-calorie deficit safe?

Accepted Answer

For most healthy adults, yes — it's the textbook starting point. The caveat is the floor, not the deficit: if TDEE − 500 lands below your BMR or below ~1,200–1,500 kcal, work with a professional instead of pushing through.

Question 3

Why am I not losing weight in a deficit?

Accepted Answer

Usually one of three things: the deficit is smaller than estimated (portions drift), maintenance is lower than estimated (equations are ±10%), or water retention is masking fat loss. Three weeks of consistent tracking almost always reveals which.

Question 4

Should I eat back exercise calories?

Accepted Answer

If you chose an activity level that already includes your training, no — they're already in your TDEE. Counting them twice is the most common way deficits quietly disappear.

Question 5

How fast is too fast?

Accepted Answer

Losing more than ~1% of body weight per week for sustained periods costs disproportionate muscle and usually rebounds. The aggressive tier here (−750) is the sensible ceiling for most people without supervision.

Question 6

What should I actually eat in a deficit?

Accepted Answer

That's the question this site exists for: the MyPlate Plan translates a calorie level into food groups — produce, grains, protein, dairy — so the deficit is built from a balanced plate rather than willpower alone.

Free Calorie Deficit Calculator — Safe Targets & Weekly Rates (2026)