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Calorie needs

Calorie needs for a cut

On a cut, you eat below maintenance — often maintenance − 300 to 500 kcal — while keeping plenty of protein to preserve muscle. Your figure depends on your real maintenance.

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Cutting calorie benchmarks (moderate deficit)

ProfileCutting intakeNote
Woman on a cut≈ 1,400–1,700 kcal/dayMaintenance − 300 to 500 kcal
Man on a cut≈ 1,900–2,300 kcal/dayMaintenance − 300 to 500 kcal
Prudent minimum≈ 1,200 (W) / 1,500 (M)Don't go below
Good to know: don't stay below ~1,200 kcal (women) / ~1,500 kcal (men), and keep 1.6 to 2.2 g/kg of protein. Too aggressive a deficit costs muscle and is hard to sustain.

The keys to a good cut: a moderate deficit, plenty of protein, and resistance training to signal the body to keep muscle. Aim for 0.5 to 0.75 kg of loss per week at most.

Follow your trend over 2 to 3 weeks and adjust. The deficit calculator sets your starting point, as a range rather than a fake exact number.

Tools: calorie calculator · deficit calculator · count from a photo.

See also

Calorie needs for a woman→Calorie needs for a man→How many to lose weight?→Deficit calculator→

Frequently asked questions

How many calories per day on a cut?＋

Your maintenance minus 300 to 500 kcal. For many that means about 1,400–1,700 kcal (women) or 1,900–2,300 kcal (men).

How much protein on a cut?＋

Aim for 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg of body weight: that's what best protects muscle during the deficit.

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