🔥
Dynamic Strategy: Calorie Deficit & TDEE Guide
What is your true activity level? How can a deficit lead to sustainable fat loss? Read the expert guide.
Read Weight Loss Guide →What Are Calories?
A calorie is a unit of energy. In nutrition, calories measure the energy content of food and beverages. The number of calories you need each day depends on your age, gender, height, weight, and physical activity level. Consuming more calories than you burn leads to weight gain; consuming fewer leads to weight loss.
BMR and TDEE Explained
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the number of calories your body burns at complete rest — just to keep vital organs functioning. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is your BMR multiplied by an activity factor to account for exercise and daily movement.
Mifflin-St Jeor Equation (Used Here)
Men: BMR = 10×weight(kg) + 6.25×height(cm) − 5×age(yr) + 5
Women: BMR = 10×weight(kg) + 6.25×height(cm) − 5×age(yr) − 161
TDEE = BMR × Activity Factor
Women: BMR = 10×weight(kg) + 6.25×height(cm) − 5×age(yr) − 161
TDEE = BMR × Activity Factor
Calorie Goals by Objective
| Goal | Calorie Adjustment | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Mild weight loss | TDEE − 250 cal | ~0.25 kg/week |
| Weight loss | TDEE − 500 cal | ~0.5 kg/week |
| Fast weight loss | TDEE − 1000 cal | ~1 kg/week |
| Maintenance | TDEE | 0 change |
| Muscle gain | TDEE + 250–500 cal | ~0.25–0.5 kg/week |