TDEEFinder

Cutting Calorie Calculator

Set your calorie deficit for cutting — choose a deficit size, get your daily target and high-protein macros that protect muscle while you lose fat.

A calorie deficit means eating fewer calories than your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) — the gap forces your body to burn stored fat. A moderate deficit of about 500 kcal per day leads to roughly 1 lb of fat loss per week while preserving muscle. This calculator finds your TDEE, subtracts 500 kcal, and sets protein-first macros.

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How your cutting calories are calculated

Cutting means eating below your TDEE (maintenance) — the gap is your calorie deficit, and your body covers it by burning stored fat. This calculator finds your TDEE first (Mifflin-St Jeor BMR × activity multiplier), then subtracts a moderate 500 kcal deficit — the classic cutting preset.

Deficit size

A 15–20% deficit is the sweet spot for most people: fast enough to see weekly progress, small enough to protect muscle, energy, and adherence. A 10% deficit is slower but easier to sustain; 25% is aggressive — effective short-term, but expect more hunger, fatigue, and muscle-loss risk.

Protein-first macros

When cutting, protein is the priority: aim for 1.6–2.2 g per kg of body weight daily, combined with resistance training. That combination shifts weight loss toward fat and away from muscle. The default macro split on this page is higher in protein for exactly that reason.

Expected rate of loss

Roughly 3,500 kcal equals one pound of fat. A 500 kcal daily deficit therefore predicts about 1 lb per week — real-world results vary with water shifts and tracking accuracy, so judge by the multi-week trend.

Frequently asked questions

How big should my calorie deficit be?

15–20% below maintenance is the sweet spot for most: roughly 0.5–1% of body weight per week with muscle preserved. Use 10% for a slow, easy cut; 25% only for short aggressive phases — hunger and muscle loss rise sharply there.

How fast will I lose weight in a deficit?

About 3,500 kcal ≈ 1 lb of fat, so a 500 kcal daily deficit predicts roughly 1 lb per week. Early weeks are often faster (water and glycogen); judge by the 3–4 week trend, not week one.

How much protein should I eat while cutting?

1.6–2.2 g per kg of body weight per day, toward the higher end during a cut — plus 2–4 resistance sessions per week. This is the single biggest lever for keeping muscle while losing fat.

Will I lose muscle in a calorie deficit?

Some risk is unavoidable, but high protein plus lifting keeps the vast majority of the loss as fat. Crash deficits without protein or training are what cost muscle.

My weight loss stalled — what should I do?

First, wait 2–3 weeks — stalls are often water masking fat loss. Then recalculate your TDEE (it drops as you get lighter), tighten tracking accuracy, and only then deepen the deficit slightly.

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