300 Calorie Deficit: The Women's Guide

A 300 calorie deficit is not the same for everyone. It represents a larger percentage deficit for someone with a lower TDEE and a smaller percentage deficit for someone with a higher TDEE. For example, 300 calories is a 14% deficit for someone with a 2128 calorie TDEE, but only a 10% deficit for someone with a 3,000 calorie TDEE. The percentage matters because it determines how sustainable the deficit is and how much muscle you risk losing.

Your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the number of calories your body burns in a day. It determines what a 300 calorie deficit actually means for you. Someone with a higher TDEE can handle a larger absolute calorie deficit without it being too aggressive. Someone with a lower TDEE needs to be more careful. Use FitCommit to calculate your exact TDEE based on your lean mass (measured via AI body scan) instead of relying on generic online calculators that only use weight and height.

Women typically have lower TDEEs than men due to less lean mass, which means a 300 calorie deficit represents a larger percentage of their total expenditure. A 300 calorie deficit might be a 20% deficit for a 180 lb man (TDEE ~2,700 cal) but a 25% deficit for a 150 lb woman (TDEE ~2,000 cal). Women also tend to lose weight slightly slower due to hormonal differences and lower baseline metabolic rates. However, women have better fat oxidation efficiency during exercise, which can help offset the slower rate.

• •Track your food intake daily using a calorie tracking app. Consistency matters more than perfection.
• •Eat at least 100g of protein every day to protect lean mass.
• •Weigh yourself daily and track the weekly average. Expect 1-2 lbs of water weight loss in the first week.
• •Focus on whole foods that keep you full: lean protein, vegetables, and fiber-rich carbs.
• •You have room for flexibility at this moderate deficit. One higher-calorie day per week will not derail progress.

Adjust your calorie target every 4-6 weeks as you lose weight. Your TDEE drops as you get lighter, so what was a 300 calorie deficit at the start may only be a 200-100 calorie deficit later. Recalculate your TDEE and maintain the same calorie deficit to keep progress steady. If weight loss stalls for more than 2 weeks, drop calories by 100-150 and reassess after another week.