Daily Energy Balance Calculator (Calorie Surplus)

Daily energy balance: intake minus expenditure (TDEE)

The energy balance equation is Balance = Intake − TDEE. A value above 0 means a surplus (weight gain), below 0 a deficit (weight loss), and exactly 0 is maintenance. As a rough guide, ~7,700 kcal ≈ 1 kg of adipose tissue, though that figure is only approximate. Take an example: intake of 2,200 against a TDEE of 2,480 (BMR 1,600 × 1.55) leaves a balance of −280 kcal/day, which projects to about 1 kg lost over 28 days. A sustainable deficit usually sits in the 300-500 kcal/day range; push past 1,000 kcal/day and you start risking muscle mass. For moderate bulking, +200-500 kcal does the job. One thing throws estimates off more than anything else: NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) swings wildly from person to person, which is why your real expenditure rarely matches the predicted number.

Applications: weight loss, recomp, athlete maintenance

It shows up in weight loss protocols, body recomposition, muscle gain (bulking) and endurance athlete maintenance, and it's what apps like MyFitnessPal, Cronometer, FatSecret and Lose It! track behind the scenes. Nutritionists also lean on it during consultations when building a personalized diet plan.

FAQ

Why don't I lose weight on a deficit? Usually it's portions you've underestimated, activity you've overestimated, metabolic adaptation pulling your TDEE down as the deficit drags on, or water held back by cortisol or sodium.

What's the safe deficit limit? For healthy adults, somewhere up to 500-750 kcal/day. Go beyond that and muscle loss picks up while adherence falls off; a diet break every 8-12 weeks tends to help.

Does the 7,700 kcal = 1 kg rule work? Treat it as a ballpark, nothing more. What you actually shed includes water, glycogen and lean tissue, so in the first weeks the scale drops far faster than the calorie math would predict.