How Many Calories Should You Eat to Lose Weight?
The answer isn't the same for everyone. It depends on your body size, activity level, and how fast you want to lose weight.
The Math
Every 500-calorie daily deficit burns approximately 0.5 kg (1 lb) of fat per week. But that 500-calorie deficit is relative to *your* TDEE — not some generic 1,200-calorie target that ignores your actual energy needs.
Step 1: Calculate your TDEE
Use the BMR & TDEE calculator above. Enter your weight, height, age, sex, and activity level. This gives you your maintenance calories — the number you'd eat to keep your weight exactly stable.
Step 2: Choose your deficit
- Mild deficit (−250 cal/day): ~0.25 kg/week loss. Sustainable for long periods with minimal muscle loss. Best for people close to their goal weight.
- Moderate deficit (−500 cal/day): ~0.5 kg/week loss. The standard recommendation — meaningful progress without excessive hunger.
- Aggressive deficit (−750 cal/day): ~0.75 kg/week loss. Requires higher protein intake and ideally resistance training to preserve muscle.
Step 3: Set your calorie floor
Never eat below your BMR for extended periods. Your BMR is the minimum energy your body needs just to function. Going well below it causes muscle loss and metabolic adaptation.
Why 1,200 Calories Doesn't Work for Everyone
A 170cm, 80kg man who exercises regularly has a TDEE of roughly 2,800 calories. Eating 1,200 calories puts him 1,600 calories below maintenance — an aggressive deficit that will cause significant muscle loss.
For a 155cm, 55kg sedentary woman, a TDEE might be 1,700 calories — and 1,200 calories represents a 500-calorie deficit, which is perfectly reasonable.
The right calorie target is always relative to *your* TDEE.
Protein During Fat Loss
Protein is the most important macro during a calorie deficit: - 1.8–2.2g per kg of body weight prevents muscle loss - Protein has the highest thermic effect — you burn 20–30% of protein calories just digesting it - High protein intake suppresses hunger better than carbs or fat
When Weight Loss Stalls
After 4–8 weeks on the same calorie target, weight loss often slows or stops. This is metabolic adaptation — your body has become more efficient. Options: 1. Reduce calories by 100–200/day 2. Increase activity (add 10–15 minutes of cardio) 3. Take a "diet break" — eat at maintenance for 1–2 weeks, then resume deficit
Use the calculator above with your *current* weight to recalculate your targets every 5–7 kg you lose.