How big should my calorie deficit be to lose fat?

The instinct after years of dieting is to slash calories hard. On Ep. 199, Nikkiey says there is no need to do that. A big drop puts your body into survival mode and kicks metabolic adaptations into gear much faster, while a deficit of 10 to 20 percent below maintenance helps you preserve muscle and still drop body fat. On Ep. 356 she frames it as 300 to 500 calories below maintenance, warning that aggressive deficits accelerate muscle loss, tank your energy, hurt your training and drive adaptation quickly. Your body doesn't selectively burn fat when you under-eat; it burns muscle too, which is how women end up smaller but skinny fat.

Some women need even less. On Ep. 201, Nikkiey says most women can sit around 10 percent below maintenance and still lose fat while keeping as much muscle as possible, and someone who doesn't need to lose weight may only need to clean up her nutrition and balance her macros. She stresses it's individual, so don't leave the episode and slash everything.

Whatever size you choose, protein and strength training carry the deficit, because protein is what protects your muscle. Watch for fatigue, mood changes and constant hunger; on Ep. 199 she says those are signs to end the cut and return to maintenance, which she calls just as important as the cut itself. If your plan has been starving you, it's the plan, not you.