Weight loss is not magic — it comes down to eating fewer calories than you burn. The useful question is not whether a deficit works, but how to set one you can actually live with.
TL;DR — Enter your details in the calorie calculator to see targets to maintain, lose or gain weight.
Start from maintenance
Everything begins with your maintenance calories — your TDEE, the amount that keeps your weight steady. To lose weight, you eat below it; to gain, above it. The calculator works out maintenance from your body and activity, then offsets it for each goal.
What a safe deficit looks like
A deficit of about 250–500 calories a day produces a steady loss of roughly 0.25–0.5 kg per week. That may sound slow, but it is the pace most people can sustain, and it protects muscle far better than aggressive cuts. Bigger deficits lose weight faster on paper but are much harder to maintain and often rebound.
Why eating too little backfires
It is tempting to slash calories hard, but very low intakes work against you. They are difficult to stick to, make it hard to hit your protein and nutrient needs, and can strip muscle along with fat. Most adults should not go below roughly 1,200–1,500 calories without professional guidance.
Make it sustainable
The best calorie target is one you can follow for months, not days. Pick a moderate deficit, pair it with enough protein and some resistance training, and adjust based on real results. Set your starting numbers in the calorie calculator.