To lose weight you need to be in a calorie deficit — eating fewer calories than your body burns (TDEE). Everything else just helps the deficit stay sustainable and makes sure you lose fat, not muscle: enough protein (1.8–2.2 g/kg), strength training, more movement, good sleep and patience. Aim for ~0.5–1% of body weight per week (roughly 300–500 kcal less per day). There's no magic food or diet — what matters is your overall calorie balance over time and consistency.
Build a weight-loss planWork out your expenditure (TDEE), then subtract 15–20% (about 300–500 kcal). That's a pace of ~0.5 kg a week without much hunger.
1.8–2.2 g per kg per day — protein is the most filling and preserves muscle in a deficit, so you lose fat instead of muscle.
Lifting 3–5× a week signals your body to keep muscle. Without training, some of the weight you lose will be muscle, not just fat.
Steps, walks and stairs (NEAT) burn more calories than you think — it's easier to add movement than to keep cutting food.
Too little sleep increases hunger and makes weight loss harder. Aim for 7–9 hours; stress and hormones affect appetite and water retention.
Weigh in and measure your waist weekly and follow the trend, not daily swings. If it stalls for 2–3 weeks, cut another ~100–200 kcal or add movement.
Start with the numbers: calorie calculator · calorie deficit · meal plan.
Starving slows you down, eats muscle and leads to bingeing. A moderate deficit is faster and easier long term.
Without enough protein you lose muscle along with fat and stall sooner. Keep protein high in a deficit.
Cardio burns calories, but strength training is what keeps muscle and shapes your body as you lose weight.
The fastest sustainable way is a moderate deficit (~15–20% of TDEE), roughly 0.5–1 kg a week. Faster than that usually means muscle loss, hunger and rebound.
About 15–20% below your TDEE (300–500 kcal). Work out your TDEE with the calculator, then subtract that for a sustainable deficit.
You can with diet alone (a deficit), but without strength training some of the weight you lose will be muscle. Training keeps muscle and shapes your body.
Usually: underestimated intake, overestimated burn, or a drop in expenditure as you lose weight. Recalculate TDEE and track intake precisely for a week or two.
1.8–2.2 g per kg of body weight — it keeps you full and preserves muscle while you're in a deficit.
If you go back to your old habits, yes. So aim for a gradual pace and habits you can keep for good, not a short crash diet.
MicroPlan sets your calories, macros and training for weight loss and tracks your progress — free, no account.
Open the app