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Find out exactly how many calories to eat to reach your goal
Enter your current weight, goal weight, timeline, and daily calorie expenditure (TDEE) to calculate your daily calorie target for safe, sustainable weight loss. Supports both metric (kg) and imperial (lbs) units.
Enter your details below and click Calculate to see your results.
A calorie deficit occurs when you consume fewer calories than your body burns. Your body needs a certain number of calories each day to maintain its current weight — this is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). When you eat less than your TDEE, your body makes up the difference by burning stored energy, primarily from body fat. A widely used estimate is that 1 pound of body fat contains approximately 3,500 calories (or about 7,700 calories per kilogram). So to lose 1 pound per week, you would need a daily deficit of about 500 calories. While this rule is a simplification — metabolism adapts over time — it remains a useful starting point for planning your weight loss journey.
Most health professionals recommend a daily calorie deficit of 250 to 750 calories, which translates to roughly 0.25 to 0.75 kg (0.5 to 1.5 lbs) of weight loss per week. A moderate deficit of 500 calories per day is the most commonly recommended target for sustainable fat loss. Deficits larger than 1,000 calories per day are generally considered aggressive and can lead to muscle loss, nutrient deficiencies, fatigue, hormonal disruption, and metabolic slowdown. As a general guideline, women should not eat fewer than 1,200 calories per day and men should not eat fewer than 1,500 calories per day without medical supervision. If your calculated target falls below these thresholds, extend your timeline or adjust your goal weight.
There are three ways to create a calorie deficit: eat less, move more, or combine both. Reducing calorie intake through diet is typically the most efficient approach — it is much easier to skip a 300-calorie snack than to burn 300 calories through exercise. However, combining a modest dietary reduction with increased physical activity produces the best results. Exercise preserves muscle mass, improves metabolic health, and allows you to eat more while still losing fat. Practical strategies include tracking your food intake with an app, prioritizing protein (which increases satiety and preserves muscle), eating more vegetables and whole foods, reducing liquid calories, and planning meals in advance. Small, consistent changes are more sustainable than drastic overnight overhauls.
Weight fluctuates daily due to water retention, food volume, sodium intake, hormonal cycles, and other factors. A single weigh-in can vary by 1–2 kg (2–4 lbs) from one day to the next, which can be discouraging if you focus on daily numbers. Instead, weigh yourself at the same time each day (ideally first thing in the morning) and track your weekly average. Compare weekly averages over time to see the true trend. If your average weight has not decreased over 2–3 weeks, consider recalculating your TDEE — as you lose weight, your body burns fewer calories, so your deficit shrinks. Recalculate every 5–10 kg (10–20 lbs) lost, or every 8–12 weeks, to keep your plan on track.
Lisa is a 30-year-old woman who currently weighs 180 lbs (82 kg) and wants to reach 155 lbs (70 kg). Her TDEE is 2,100 calories per day, and she wants to reach her goal in 20 weeks.
Lisa needs to lose 12 kg over 20 weeks, which works out to 0.6 kg per week. At 7,700 calories per kilogram, she needs a total deficit of 92,400 calories over 140 days — a daily deficit of about 430 calories. Subtracting this from her TDEE of 2,100 gives a daily calorie target of approximately 1,670 calories. This is a safe and sustainable plan: the daily intake is well above the 1,200 calorie minimum, the weekly loss rate of 0.6 kg is within the recommended 0.5–1.0 kg range, and the deficit of 430 calories per day is moderate enough to maintain energy levels and preserve muscle mass. Lisa could achieve this through diet alone, or by combining a 300-calorie dietary reduction with a daily 30-minute walk.
Common questions about this calculator and how to use your results.
A safe calorie deficit is typically 250 to 750 calories per day, resulting in 0.25 to 0.75 kg (0.5 to 1.5 lbs) of weight loss per week. A deficit of 500 calories per day is the most commonly recommended target. Deficits larger than 1,000 calories per day increase the risk of muscle loss, nutrient deficiencies, and metabolic slowdown. As a minimum, women should consume at least 1,200 calories per day and men at least 1,500 calories per day without medical supervision.
Most health organizations recommend losing no more than 0.5 to 1.0 kg (1 to 2 lbs) per week for safe, sustainable weight loss. Faster rates are possible in the short term, especially for people with a higher starting weight, but rapid weight loss increases the risk of muscle loss, gallstones, nutritional deficiencies, and metabolic adaptation. Slower, steadier weight loss is more likely to be maintained long-term and preserves more lean muscle mass.
It depends on your approach. If your TDEE already accounts for your exercise (which it should if you selected the correct activity level), then you do not need to eat back exercise calories — they are already factored in. If you use a fitness tracker to log additional exercise beyond your normal activity level, eating back 50–75% of those extra calories is a reasonable approach, since trackers tend to overestimate calorie burn. The key is consistency: pick one method and stick with it.
An excessively large calorie deficit (more than 1,000 calories per day) can cause fatigue, irritability, brain fog, hair loss, hormonal disruption, and loss of lean muscle mass. Your metabolism may also slow down — a process called metabolic adaptation — making it harder to continue losing weight. Very low calorie diets can also lead to nutrient deficiencies and increase the risk of binge eating. If your calculated calorie target is below 1,200 (women) or 1,500 (men), extend your timeline or set a less aggressive goal.
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total number of calories your body burns in a day, including your basal metabolic rate (BMR) plus calories burned through daily activity and exercise. You can estimate your TDEE using our TDEE calculator, which uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation combined with an activity multiplier. For a more accurate estimate, track your calorie intake and weight for 2–3 weeks — if your weight stays stable, your average daily intake is approximately your TDEE.
You should recalculate your calorie deficit every 5–10 kg (10–20 lbs) lost, or every 8–12 weeks, whichever comes first. As you lose weight, your body requires fewer calories to maintain itself, which means your TDEE decreases and your original deficit shrinks. If your weight loss stalls for more than 2–3 weeks despite consistent adherence, it is a good sign that you need to recalculate. You may also need to adjust if your activity level changes significantly.
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