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How to Calculate a Safe Calorie Deficit
Formula
A calorie deficit occurs when you consume fewer calories than your body burns. About 7,700 calories equals roughly 1 kg of body fat, so a daily deficit of 550 calories leads to about 0.5 kg of loss per week.
Deficits larger than 1,000 kcal/day are generally not recommended as they can lead to muscle loss, nutrient deficiencies, and metabolic slowdown.
Common use cases:
- Setting realistic weight loss timelines
- Meal planning for a calorie deficit
- Avoiding overly aggressive dieting
Frequently Asked Questions
Maria Gonzalez
Registered Dietitian, RD, MPH
Maria is a Registered Dietitian with a Master's in Public Health. She focuses on evidence-based nutrition assessment tools including BMI, calorie calculations, and body composition analysis.
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