Daily calories to lose weight, by maintenance level
Find your maintenance calories (TDEE) on the left and your target weekly loss across the top. Based on 7,700 calories per kg of fat, exactly as the calculator uses. Targets under 1,200 calories are left blank — very low intakes need medical supervision. Even above that, never eat below your own BMR for long; the calculator above checks that for you.
| Maintenance (TDEE) | 0.25 kg/wk 0.6 lb | 0.5 kg/wk 1.1 lb | 0.75 kg/wk 1.7 lb | 1 kg/wk 2.2 lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,600 | 1,325 | — | — | — |
| 1,800 | 1,525 | 1,250 | — | — |
| 2,000 | 1,725 | 1,450 | — | — |
| 2,200 | 1,925 | 1,650 | 1,375 | — |
| 2,400 | 2,125 | 1,850 | 1,575 | 1,300 |
| 2,600 | 2,325 | 2,050 | 1,775 | 1,500 |
| 2,800 | 2,525 | 2,250 | 1,975 | 1,700 |
| 3,000 | 2,725 | 2,450 | 2,175 | 1,900 |
| 3,200 | 2,925 | 2,650 | 2,375 | 2,100 |
What is a calorie deficit?
A calorie deficit means eating fewer calories than your body burns, which forces it to use stored fat for energy. It's the fundamental mechanism behind all weight loss. This planner finds your maintenance calories (TDEE), then subtracts the deficit needed for your chosen weekly rate.
How big should your deficit be?
- 0.25 kg/week (~275 cal/day deficit) — slow, easy to sustain, best for lean people
- 0.5 kg/week (~550 cal/day) — the popular "sweet spot" for most people
- 1 kg/week (~1,100 cal/day) — aggressive; only sensible with a lot to lose
Because 1 kg of fat holds about 7,700 calories, your weekly rate simply divides into a daily deficit.
How many calories should I eat to lose 0.5 kg a week?
About 550 fewer than your maintenance calories each day (0.5 × 7,700 ÷ 7). If you maintain on 2,200, that's roughly 1,650 a day.
How many calories is a 1 lb a week deficit?
About 499 calories a day — 1 lb of fat is roughly 3,500 calories, spread over 7 days. That's a little less than the 0.5 kg/week column above, since 1 lb is about 0.45 kg.
Why is slow weight loss recommended?
Faster loss risks muscle loss, low energy, and rebound weight gain. Slower deficits are easier to stick to and keep more of your hard-earned muscle.
Will weight loss keep this pace forever?
No — as you get lighter your TDEE falls, so recalculate every 4–5 kg to stay on track.