Start at 300-500 kcal
This is often enough to create a trend without making the plan feel impossible.
Guide
How to calculate a calorie deficit without overdoing it.
The goal is not the lowest possible target. The goal is a deficit you can repeat long enough to create a measurable trend.
The simple formula
Start with your estimated maintenance calories, also called TDEE. Then subtract a planned daily deficit. If maintenance is 2,300 kcal and you subtract 400 kcal, your starting target is 1,900 kcal.
The exact number is not magic. Your real maintenance changes with steps, workouts, sleep, water weight, adherence, and body weight changes.
That is why BurnFat treats the calculator as step one. The app is built around the daily feedback loop: log meals, see calorie balance, watch the estimated trend, then adjust.
Example
2,300 - 400 = 1,900
Maintenance minus deficit equals the first daily target.
A safer way to choose the deficit
Use weekly averages
Daily scale weight moves from water and digestion. Weekly averages reveal the better signal.
Adjust slowly
If the trend is flat for 2-3 weeks, change the target by a small amount instead of restarting.
Helpful calculators
Source and caveat
For general public guidance, the CDC describes gradual, steady weight loss around 1 to 2 lb per week as more likely to be maintained than faster loss. BurnFat provides wellness tracking, not medical advice. See the CDC healthy weight guidance.
FAQ
What is a calorie deficit?
A calorie deficit means your body uses more energy than you eat over time. It is usually estimated from maintenance calories minus your daily intake.
Is a 500 calorie deficit required?
No. A 500 kcal deficit is a common planning example, but smaller deficits can be more sustainable and larger deficits can be too aggressive for many people.
How soon should I adjust my target?
Give the target enough time to show a trend. A 2-3 week window is usually more useful than reacting to one noisy day.
Turn the calculator into a daily feedback loop.
BurnFat connects meal logging, activity, and calorie balance so the number becomes a trend you can actually follow.