Start with the 3,500 rule
One pound of body weight is about 3,500 calories. To lose a pound a week, you need a 3,500-calorie deficit over seven days. Divide 3,500 by 7 and you get 500 calories a day. To lose two pounds a week, double it to a 1,000-calorie daily deficit.
The equation
Think of the calories you burn as negative numbers and the calories you eat as positive ones:
What you eat − your BMR − what you burn through exercise = your daily deficit
Your BMR (basal metabolic rate) is the energy your body burns just to keep you alive. That covers breathing, heart rate, and recovery, even before you move.
- 1 pound a week: Food − BMR − Exercise = −500
- 2 pounds a week: Food − BMR − Exercise = −1,000
Example
Say your BMR is 1,800 calories and you burned 400 in your workout today. You want to lose a pound a week.
1,800 + 400 − 500 = 1,700 calories
That's how much you can eat today. If you train harder tomorrow and burn 600, your number goes up to 1,900. Your food budget moves with your activity.
Track your numbers
This equation is only as good as the numbers you put into it. The best way to get accurate results is to track: what you eat, what you burn, and your BMR. Guessing gets you guessed results, and tracking gets you real ones. That's how you make this work for your body, your goals, and your lifestyle.
Coach's tip: Faster isn't always better. A 500 to 1,000 calorie deficit is plenty. If you go much more aggressive than that, you start losing energy, strength, and muscle. Stay consistent, track daily, and let the math do its job.
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