How Many Calories Should You Eat to Lose Weight?

Quick answer: To lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than your body uses. Eating about 500 fewer calories per day than you burn usually leads to losing about 1 pound (0.45 kg) of fat each week. First, figure out how many calories you need to keep your current weight (your TDEE). Then, subtract 500–750 calories from that number. Make sure you don’t eat less than about 1,200 calories if you’re a woman, or 1,500 calories if you’re a man, unless a doctor tells you otherwise.

Quick answer: If you want to lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than your body burns every day. This is called your TDEE. If you cut about 500 calories each day, you’ll likely lose around 0.5 kg (1 lb) of fat every week. Start by finding your TDEE, then take away 300–700 calories. Don’t go below roughly 1,200 calories (for women) or 1,500 calories (for men) unless a medical professional is guiding you.

Losing weight really comes down to simple math and sticking with it. In this guide, I’ll walk you through a three-step plan. We’ll cover how to figure out your calorie needs, how big of a calorie cut to aim for, and how to do it without feeling totally drained.

Step 1: Figure out how many calories your body burns (your TDEE)

Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is simply the total number of calories your body uses up in one day. It starts with your BMR, which is how many calories you burn just by existing (like sleeping or breathing). Then, we add in your daily activities. The Mifflin–St Jeor formula is one of the most common and accurate ways to calculate it:

• For men: BMR = 10 × weight (in kg) + 6.25 × height (in cm) − 5 × age + 5
• For women: BMR = 10 × weight (in kg) + 6.25 × height (in cm) − 5 × age − 161

Once you have your BMR, you multiply it by an activity factor. This factor ranges from 1.2 if you don’t move much (sedentary) to 1.9 if you’re very active. Don’t worry, you don’t have to do this by hand! Our TDEE calculator and BMR calculator can do all the math for you in a flash. If you want to understand more about how it all works, check out this explanation of TDEE.

Step 2: Choose a healthy calorie deficit

You might have heard that one pound of body fat holds about 3,500 calories. This means if you eat 500 fewer calories each day, you’ll likely lose about 1 pound per week. The trick is to pick a calorie goal you can actually stick to without feeling miserable. Here’s a simple guide:

A good rule of thumb is to aim for losing no more than 0.5–1% of your total body weight each week. If you cut too many calories too fast, you risk losing muscle and feeling tired all the time. That’s not the goal!

Step 3: Eat enough protein and don’t go too low on calories

Calories are key for weight loss, but protein and not cutting too many calories are super important. They help you keep your muscle and make sure you can actually stick to your plan:

• Protein is your friend: Try to eat about 1.6–2.2 grams of protein for every kilogram of your body weight. You can use our protein calculator to get a specific number, or even set your full macros.
• Don’t starve yourself: Eating below about 1,200 calories (for women) or 1,500 calories (for men) for a long time is really tough. It’s best only if a professional is watching over you.
• Check in with your numbers: As you lose weight, your body needs fewer calories. So, your TDEE will drop. It’s a good idea to recalculate your calorie target every time you lose about 4–6 kg (roughly 9–13 pounds).

Why your weight jumps around daily

It’s totally normal for your weight to go up and down by 1–2 kg (2–4 pounds) from one day to the next. Things like water, salt, carbs, and how your digestion is working all play a role. Don’t get hung up on the number you see each morning. Instead, look at your weekly average to see your real progress. If your weight loss stops for a while (a plateau), it usually means your TDEE has dropped because you weigh less, and your calorie intake now matches it. Just recalculate your TDEE and adjust your calories a bit!

Common questions about losing weight

How many calories should I eat to lose weight?

A good starting point is to eat about 500 calories less than your TDEE. This usually leads to losing about 1 lb (0.5 kg) each week. First, find out your TDEE, then cut 300–700 calories, depending on how quickly you want to lose weight.

How much weight can I safely lose each week?

You should aim to lose about 0.5–1% of your body weight per week. For most people, this means losing about 0.5–1 kg (1–2 lb).

What’s the lowest number of calories that’s safe to eat?

Generally, women shouldn’t go below about 1,200 calories, and men shouldn’t go below 1,500 calories. If you plan to eat less than these amounts for a long time, you should definitely talk to a doctor or dietitian first.

Do I have to count calories forever?

Not at all! Many people count calories for a few months. This helps them learn what proper portion sizes look like. After that, they can maintain their weight by focusing on healthy habits. Remember to recalculate your calorie goal as your weight changes.

Please remember, this guide offers general information and isn’t medical advice. Always chat with a doctor or a registered dietitian before starting any weight-loss plan, especially if you have existing health conditions.

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