Training TDEE Deficit

Caloric deficit on TDEE: how to lose fat without losing muscle

Your caloric deficit is what's left when you subtract your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure = BMR · activity factor) from what you eat. So deficit = intake − TDEE. Run a deficit of 500 kcal/day and you'll drop somewhere around 0.5 kg/week of fat (figure 1 kg of fat at roughly 7,700 kcal). Try not to go past 1,000 kcal/day, though. Once the gap gets that wide, your body starts eating into lean mass along with the fat and your metabolism slows to compensate (this is adaptive thermogenesis). While you're cutting, keep protein around 2.2-2.8 g/kg of body weight so the muscle stays put. Example: TDEE 2,400 kcal, intake 1,900 kcal → 500 kcal deficit, ~2 kg/month.

Applications: sustainable cutting and body recomposition

This shows up in sustainable fat loss (a moderate deficit held for 12-16 weeks), in body recomposition (a small deficit paired with high protein lets you add muscle while shedding fat, which works best for beginners and people coming back after a layoff), after bariatric surgery (a controlled deficit with strict protein targets, run under a nutritionist's watch), and in athlete weight cutting for combat sports or bodybuilding before a show. The more aggressive you push the deficit, the more you stand to lose in both performance and lean mass.

FAQ

What's the ideal deficit? For something you can keep up, 300-500 kcal/day. Save the 750-1,000 range for short cuts with supervision.

Do I have to count macros? Hitting your protein target (2.2-2.8 g/kg) is the part that matters most. Carbs and fats you can shuffle around to suit how you like to train.

Why did the scale stall? Could be metabolic adaptation, could be water your body is holding because of cortisol, or it might just be noise in how you're measuring. Recheck your TDEE every 4-6 weeks.