Calorie Calculator · Practical guide
How Many Calories Should I Eat to Lose Weight?
Find your maintenance calories, subtract 250–500, and expect 0.5–1 pound of fat loss per week.
At a glance
The Direct Answer
To lose weight, eat 250–500 calories below your maintenance level each day. Because one pound of body fat stores roughly 3,500 calories, a 500-calorie daily deficit produces about 1 pound of fat loss per week, and a 250-calorie deficit about half a pound. Faster is rarely better — larger deficits cost muscle and are hard to sustain.
Interactive tool
Calorie Calculator
Enter your own values, then compare the result with the examples below.
Step 1: Find Your Maintenance Number
Everything starts with maintenance calories (your TDEE): your BMR from the Mifflin-St Jeor equation multiplied by an activity factor. A 35-year-old man at 80 kg and 180 cm has a BMR of 1,755 kcal; at moderate activity (×1.55) his maintenance is about 2,720 kcal/day. A 500-calorie deficit sets his target at 2,220 kcal/day. A woman with identical stats maintains at about 2,463 kcal and would target 1,963 kcal on the same deficit.
Step 2: Pick Your Pace
| Daily Deficit | Expected Loss | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| −250 kcal | ≈0.5 lb/week | Smaller bodies, long diets, preserving performance |
| −500 kcal | ≈1 lb/week | Most adults with meaningful weight to lose |
Respect the Calorie Floor
Without medical supervision, women should generally not eat below 1,200 kcal/day and men not below 1,500 kcal/day — below those levels it is nearly impossible to cover protein and micronutrient needs. If your maintenance is modest, choose the 250-calorie deficit so the target stays above the floor. And recalculate every few weeks: as you lose weight, your maintenance drops, and yesterday's deficit becomes today's maintenance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why am I not losing weight at a calorie deficit?
Common causes are under-tracking food, overestimating activity, and water retention masking fat loss. Weigh daily, average weekly, and judge the trend over 2–3 weeks before cutting further.
Is a 1,000-calorie deficit safe?
For most people, no — it raises muscle loss, fatigue, and rebound risk. A moderate 250–500 kcal deficit is the sustainable choice for most adults; larger deficits belong under professional guidance.
How often should I recalculate my calories?
Every 4–6 weeks or after every 5–10 pounds lost. As your weight falls, so does your maintenance level, and your target needs to move with it.
Do I need to eat back exercise calories?
Not if you already counted exercise in your activity level — the multiplier includes it. Only add calories for activity beyond what your chosen level describes.