How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
Eat about 550 kcal a day below your maintenance to lose about 0.5 kg a week. Example: a 30-year-old man, 80 kg, 170 cm, desk job, maintains on ~2061 kcal, so his target is 1511 kcal/day. A woman of 70 kg, 157 cm: maintenance ~1644, target 1200 kcal. Never go below 1,500 kcal (men) or 1,200 kcal (women) without a doctor.
Men, age 30, 170 cm (5'7"), desk job
| Weight | Maintenance | Target | Loss/week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 kg | 1761 | 1500 | 0.24 kg (floor) |
| 60 kg | 1821 | 1500 | 0.29 kg (floor) |
| 65 kg | 1881 | 1500 | 0.35 kg (floor) |
| 70 kg | 1941 | 1500 | 0.4 kg (floor) |
| 75 kg | 2001 | 1500 | 0.46 kg (floor) |
| 80 kg | 2061 | 1511 | 0.5 kg |
| 85 kg | 2121 | 1571 | 0.5 kg |
| 90 kg | 2181 | 1631 | 0.5 kg |
| 100 kg | 2301 | 1751 | 0.5 kg |
Men, age 30, 170 cm, exercise 1-3 days a week
| Weight | Maintenance | Target | Loss/week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 kg | 2018 | 1500 | 0.47 kg (floor) |
| 60 kg | 2087 | 1537 | 0.5 kg |
| 65 kg | 2155 | 1605 | 0.5 kg |
| 70 kg | 2224 | 1674 | 0.5 kg |
| 75 kg | 2293 | 1743 | 0.5 kg |
| 80 kg | 2362 | 1812 | 0.5 kg |
| 85 kg | 2430 | 1880 | 0.5 kg |
| 90 kg | 2499 | 1949 | 0.5 kg |
| 100 kg | 2637 | 2087 | 0.5 kg |
Women, age 30, 157 cm (5'2"), desk job
| Weight | Maintenance | Target | Loss/week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 kg | 1464 | 1200 | 0.24 kg (floor) |
| 60 kg | 1524 | 1200 | 0.29 kg (floor) |
| 65 kg | 1584 | 1200 | 0.35 kg (floor) |
| 70 kg | 1644 | 1200 | 0.4 kg (floor) |
| 75 kg | 1704 | 1200 | 0.46 kg (floor) |
| 80 kg | 1764 | 1214 | 0.5 kg |
| 85 kg | 1824 | 1274 | 0.5 kg |
| 90 kg | 1884 | 1334 | 0.5 kg |
| 100 kg | 2004 | 1454 | 0.5 kg |
Women, age 30, 157 cm, exercise 1-3 days a week
| Weight | Maintenance | Target | Loss/week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 kg | 1678 | 1200 | 0.43 kg (floor) |
| 60 kg | 1747 | 1200 | 0.5 kg (floor) |
| 65 kg | 1815 | 1265 | 0.5 kg |
| 70 kg | 1884 | 1334 | 0.5 kg |
| 75 kg | 1953 | 1403 | 0.5 kg |
| 80 kg | 2022 | 1472 | 0.5 kg |
| 85 kg | 2090 | 1540 | 0.5 kg |
| 90 kg | 2159 | 1609 | 0.5 kg |
| 100 kg | 2297 | 1747 | 0.5 kg |
"(floor)" means the safety floor (1,500 / 1,200 kcal) stopped the target going lower, so weekly loss is slower.
Method and sources
BMR: Mifflin-St Jeor (Am J Clin Nutr 1990;51:241-247). Activity: x1.2 desk job, x1.375 light exercise. 7,700 kcal per kg (rule of thumb; real loss slows over time). Loss capped at 1% of body weight per week. Needs can differ by 10% or more; with diabetes, thyroid, PCOS or blood-pressure medication, talk to a doctor first.
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Common questions
How many calories should I eat to lose 1 kg a week?
About 1,100 kcal below maintenance a day, which is too aggressive for most people; 0.5 kg a week (about 550 kcal below maintenance) is easier to keep up.
What is the minimum calorie intake for weight loss?
Without medical supervision, do not go below about 1,500 kcal a day for men or 1,200 kcal for women.