🎯 Goal: Lose ~25 lbs (200 → 175) · Rate: ~1 lb/week · Timeline: ~26 weeks (end of year)
📊 Your Numbers: BMR ~1,618 · TDEE ~2,200 (Austin) · Daily Target: ~1,800 calories (~400 cal deficit)
📖 Recipes from: Fit-ish Cookbook (FIC) · Good Food Mood (GFM) · FlavorFull (FF) · Prettyfit Plan (PP) · Homemade (HM)
| Your Calculation | Austin's Estimate | |
|---|---|---|
| BMR | 1,618 cal | — |
| TDEE | 2,427 cal | ~2,200 cal |
| Deficit | −500 cal | −400 cal |
| Daily Target | ~1,927 cal | ~1,800 cal |
✅ Use 1,800 as your daily target. Austin's TDEE estimate is more conservative, which protects you from overestimating burn. At ~1 lb/week, you hit 175 by late November/December 2026.
To lose 1 lb = 3,500 calorie deficit. At 400–500 cal/day deficit → 0.8–1 lb/week → 25 lbs in ~25–31 weeks.
💡 Weigh yourself weekly, same day + time. If you stall for 2+ weeks, drop 100 cal. If you're losing more than 1.5 lbs/week consistently, add 100 cal back — you want to preserve muscle!
| Meal | Target Calories | Target Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | ~350 cal | 25–40g |
| Lunch | ~400 cal | 25–35g |
| Dinner | ~500 cal | 30–40g |
| Snack 1 | ~175 cal | 15–25g |
| Snack 2 | ~150 cal | 5–15g |
| Extras (sauces, oil, coffee creamer, etc.) | ~200 cal | — |
| TOTAL | ~1,775–1,800 cal | ~130–150g protein |