Cutting Calorie Calculator

The right cutting calorie target is your TDEE minus a deficit. Get the deficit wrong and you'll either stall or lose muscle. Here's how to set it correctly.

The formula: Cutting calories = TDEE − deficit

Don't know your TDEE? Calculate it for free here — takes 60 seconds.

Pick your deficit

A calorie deficit forces your body to use stored fat for energy. The size of the deficit decides how fast you lose — and how much muscle you keep.

Mild cut: TDEE − 250

Loses ~0.5 lb (0.25 kg) per week. Almost no muscle loss, low hunger, easy to maintain.

Best for: people already lean (under 15% BF for men, 22% for women), or anyone who wants a sustainable long-term cut.

Standard cut: TDEE − 500

Loses ~1 lb (0.5 kg) per week. The default recommendation. Visible weekly progress with manageable hunger.

Best for: most people most of the time. Start here.

Aggressive cut: TDEE − 750+

Loses 1.5+ lb (0.7+ kg) per week. Faster but higher risk of muscle loss, fatigue, and rebound.

Best for: people with significant fat to lose (over 25% BF for men, 30% for women), or short pre-event cuts. Don't run aggressive deficits longer than 8 weeks without a diet break.

Worked example

A 30-year-old man, 180 lb (82 kg), 5'10" (178 cm), desk job + trains 4 days/week. We compute TDEE from his actual day, not a generic dropdown:

BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor) ≈ 1,790 cal
Typical day: 8h sleep, 13h sedentary, 2h light walking, 1h gym
MET-hours: (8×1) + (13×1.3) + (2×3) + (1×6) = 36.9
PAL = 36.9 / 24 ≈ 1.54
TDEE = 1,790 × 1.54 ≈ 2,755 cal/day
Standard cut target = 2,755 − 500 = 2,255 cal/day
Protein target = 180 × 0.9 = 162 g/day

The MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) method matches what dieticians and the WHO/FAO use. FindTDEE does this calculation for you from your own daily activities — no need to memorize MET values.

Protein matters more than calories during a cut

The single biggest mistake on a cut is not eating enough protein. Protein protects muscle in a deficit, increases satiety (you'll be less hungry), and has the highest thermic effect (you burn more calories digesting it). Aim for 0.8–1.0 grams per lb of body weight (1.6–2.2 g/kg). The rest of your calories come from carbs and fats in whatever ratio you find sustainable.

Frequently asked questions

How big should my cutting deficit be?

For most people, a 250–500 calorie deficit below TDEE is the sweet spot — fast enough to see weekly progress, slow enough to keep muscle and avoid burnout. Aggressive deficits of 750+ calories work for the very overweight or short cuts but risk muscle loss and rebound.

How fast should I lose weight when cutting?

Aim for 0.5–1% of body weight per week. For a 180 lb (82 kg) person, that's about 1–2 lb (0.5–1 kg) per week. Faster than that and you're losing muscle along with fat.

Should I cut on rest days too?

Yes — your TDEE on rest days is lower than training days, but the average matters more than the day-by-day. A consistent daily deficit is easier to track and gives the same result.

Why am I not losing weight in a deficit?

Three usual culprits: (1) you're underestimating your calorie intake — most people miscount by 20–30%, (2) your TDEE estimate is off — recalculate, (3) water retention is masking fat loss — give it 2–3 weeks of consistency before adjusting.

How long can I stay in a cut?

8–16 weeks is the typical sustainable range. After that, metabolic adaptation kicks in (TDEE drops, hunger rises). Take a 1–2 week diet break at maintenance every 8–12 weeks to keep results moving.

Calculate your TDEE first

Get your maintenance calories in 60 seconds, then subtract your deficit. No signup, no paywall.

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