Calorie deficit 101: how fast should you lose fat?
Fat loss comes down to eating a bit less energy than you burn, consistently, for long enough. That gap is your calorie deficit. Everything else (meal timing, "fat-burning" foods, cutting carbs) only works if it helps you keep that deficit.
How big should the deficit be?
For most people, about 300 to 500 calories a day below maintenance is the sweet spot. It's small enough to keep training hard and big enough to see progress. A good pace is 0.5 to 1% of your bodyweight per week.
Not sure what your maintenance is? The calorie calculator on my homepage gives you a starting estimate. Then adjust based on what your weight actually does over 2 to 3 weeks.
Why the scale lies
Your weight can swing 2 to 4 lb in a day from water, salt, carbs and how much food is in your gut. That's not fat. Weigh yourself most mornings, after the bathroom, before eating, and compare weekly averages. If the average is trending down, it's working.
When progress stalls
- Check your tracking first. Oils, drinks and snacks add up fast.
- Give it time. Two weeks of no change is a stall; three days is noise.
- Walk more before you eat less. Adding 2,000 steps a day is often easier than cutting food further.
- Take a break if you need one. A week at maintenance can help your training and your head.
Don't go too low
Very low-calorie diets make you lose muscle, feel terrible and rebound. If you notice you're obsessing over food or feeling out of control around eating, step back and talk to a professional. Getting lean is not worth your health.
Not medical advice. This is general education from my own training and what the research generally shows. If you have a medical condition, an injury, or a history of disordered eating, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian first.
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