Using Your TDEE to Lose Weight
Losing fat comes down to one simple principle — eating fewer calories than your body burns. Your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) tells you exactly how many calories your body uses each day. To lose fat, you eat a little less than that number, creating a calorie deficit.
The key is finding the right deficit — large enough to produce results, but not so large that you lose muscle, feel exhausted, or give up entirely.
🔥 The golden rule: A calorie deficit of 10–20% below your TDEE is the sweet spot for most people — producing steady fat loss while preserving muscle and energy levels.
How to Calculate Your Weight Loss Calories
The calculation is simple once you know your TDEE:
Lose fat: TDEE × 0.85 (15% deficit)
Lose fat faster: TDEE × 0.80 (20% deficit)
For example, if your TDEE is 2,200 calories per day:
- Slow fat loss: 2,200 × 0.90 = 1,980 calories/day
- Moderate fat loss: 2,200 × 0.85 = 1,870 calories/day
- Faster fat loss: 2,200 × 0.80 = 1,760 calories/day
Find Your Personal Weight Loss Calories
Use our free TDEE calculator to get your exact calorie target for fat loss based on your age, weight, height and activity level.
Calculate My Calories →How Much Weight Will You Lose?
As a general guide, one kilogram of body fat contains approximately 7,700 calories. So to lose one kilogram per week, you would need a daily deficit of around 1,100 calories — which is quite aggressive for most people.
A more realistic and sustainable target is:
| Deficit Size | Daily Calories Below TDEE | Estimated Weekly Loss |
|---|---|---|
| Small (10%) | ~200–300 kcal | 0.2–0.3 kg per week |
| Moderate (15%) | ~300–450 kcal | 0.3–0.5 kg per week |
| Larger (20%) | ~400–600 kcal | 0.4–0.6 kg per week |
Slow and steady fat loss is nearly always more sustainable and results in far less muscle loss than aggressive crash dieting.
Why You Shouldn't Cut Calories Too Aggressively
It can be tempting to create a very large calorie deficit to speed up fat loss — but this often backfires. Here's why:
- Muscle loss: Large deficits cause your body to break down muscle for energy, not just fat
- Metabolic adaptation: Your body slows your metabolism in response to severe restriction
- Hunger and fatigue: Very low calorie diets are hard to sustain and often lead to binging
- Nutrient deficiencies: Eating too little makes it hard to get enough protein, vitamins and minerals
⚠️ Important: Most adults should not eat below 1,200 calories (women) or 1,500 calories (men) without medical supervision. Always ensure your calorie target stays above these minimums.
Step-by-Step Guide to Losing Fat with TDEE
Calculate your TDEE
Use our free calculator to find your Total Daily Energy Expenditure based on your stats and activity level.
Choose your deficit
Start with a 15% deficit for moderate fat loss. If you're very close to your goal weight, try 10%. If you have more to lose, 20% is fine.
Track your food intake
Use an app like MyFitnessPal or Cronometer to log what you eat. Accuracy matters — even small underestimates add up over time.
Weigh yourself weekly
Weigh yourself at the same time each day (ideally morning, after the bathroom) and take a weekly average. Daily fluctuations are normal.
Adjust after 2–4 weeks
If your weight isn't changing, reduce calories by 100–200. If you're losing too fast or feeling terrible, increase by 100–200. Adjust gradually.
The Role of Protein in Fat Loss
When losing fat, eating enough protein is essential. Protein helps preserve muscle mass during a calorie deficit, keeps you feeling full, and has a higher thermic effect than carbohydrates or fats — meaning your body burns more calories digesting it.
A good target during fat loss is 1.8–2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day. For a 75kg person, that means 135–165g of protein daily.
Does Exercise Help With Weight Loss?
Yes — but perhaps not as much as most people think. Exercise burns calories, but it also increases hunger, making it easy to accidentally eat back the calories burned. The most effective approach is to use your diet to create the calorie deficit, and use exercise to preserve muscle, improve fitness, and support overall health.
Resistance training (weights or bodyweight exercises) is particularly valuable during fat loss as it helps maintain muscle mass and keeps your metabolism higher.
💡 Remember: Your TDEE already accounts for your activity level. Don't add extra calories for exercise unless you dramatically increase your training volume.
Calculate Your Fat Loss Calories Now
Get your personalised TDEE, calorie target, and full macro breakdown for fat loss — free, in seconds.
Calculate My TDEE Free →Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly should I expect to lose weight?
A realistic and healthy rate of fat loss is 0.25–0.75kg per week. Faster than this often means you're losing muscle as well as fat. Slower than this is also fine — sustainable progress beats fast results that don't last.
Why has my weight loss stalled?
Weight loss plateaus are common and have a few causes. As you lose weight, your TDEE decreases — meaning the same calorie intake that caused a deficit before may now be at maintenance. Recalculate your TDEE at your new weight and adjust accordingly.
Should I do cardio to lose weight faster?
Cardio can help increase your calorie deficit slightly, but it's not essential for fat loss. Many people lose fat successfully with diet alone. If you enjoy cardio, include it — but don't rely on it as your main tool.
What's the difference between losing fat and losing weight?
Weight loss includes fat, muscle, water, and other tissue. Fat loss specifically targets body fat while preserving muscle. Eating enough protein and doing resistance training helps ensure the weight you lose is predominantly fat, not muscle.