How Many Calories Should You Eat to Lose Weight?
Weight loss comes down to one core principle: eating fewer calories than your body uses. This is called a calorie deficit. But "how many calories" depends on your size, activity, and how fast you want to lose. This guide walks through the numbers.
Step 1 - Find your maintenance calories
Your maintenance calories (also called TDEE, total daily energy expenditure) are how many calories keep your weight stable. A rough estimate is your basal metabolic rate (BMR) multiplied by an activity factor from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (very active). For many adults this lands between 1,800 and 2,800 kcal per day.
You can estimate yours in seconds with the Calorie Calculator or the TDEE Calculator.
Step 2 - Subtract a sensible deficit
To lose fat, eat below maintenance. A deficit of 500 kcal per day produces roughly 0.5 kg (about 1 lb) of fat loss per week, because 1 kg of body fat stores about 7,700 kcal.
- Mild loss: 250 kcal/day deficit produces about 0.25 kg per week
- Standard loss: 500 kcal/day deficit produces about 0.5 kg per week
- Aggressive loss: 750-1,000 kcal/day deficit produces about 0.75-1 kg per week, but is harder to sustain
A worked example
A 30-year-old woman, 165 cm and 70 kg, lightly active, has a maintenance of roughly 2,000 kcal per day. A 500 kcal deficit means eating about 1,500 kcal per day to lose around 0.5 kg per week.
How low is too low?
Most experts advise not dropping below about 1,200 kcal per day for women or 1,500 kcal per day for men without medical supervision. Very low intakes risk muscle loss, nutrient gaps, fatigue, and rebound weight gain.
Make the deficit stick
- Prioritize protein (roughly 1.6-2.2 g/kg) to protect muscle and stay full.
- Fill half your plate with vegetables for volume and fiber.
- Lift weights 2-3 times per week to preserve lean mass.
- Recalculate every few kilograms - calorie needs fall as you shrink.
Use the Calorie Deficit Calculator to turn a target weight loss and timeline into a daily number.