What is a healthy calorie deficit?

[xidh]

What is a healthy calorie deficit?

[raroxe]

A healthy calorie deficit is usually moderate rather than extreme. Many people start with around 300–500 fewer calories than they burn each day.

[jiyap]

For most people, a deficit of about 10–20% below maintenance calories is a reasonable starting point.

[titem]

You don’t need to drastically cut food to lose weight. A modest calorie deficit that you can maintain consistently is usually a better approach.

[kagid]

I’d start with a small deficit and see how your weight changes over a few weeks. You can adjust from there instead of cutting calories aggressively.

[sigigya]

Around 300–500 calories below your maintenance intake is often used as a practical starting range, but it isn’t a rule for everyone.

[petor]

The goal is to eat fewer calories than you use while still getting enough protein, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.

[reyan treh]

If weight loss is your goal, start conservatively. You can always make the deficit slightly larger later, but there’s rarely a reason to begin with an extreme restriction.

[tapiye]

Think of a calorie deficit as a range, not a magic number. Your actual progress will tell you whether the starting target is appropriate.

[mitim]

The right deficit also depends on how much weight you have to lose. Someone with a higher body weight may be able to use a larger absolute deficit than someone who is already lean.