How many calories should I eat?
Work out your maintenance calories and a safe target for losing or gaining weight, step by step.
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Your calorie needs depend on your size, age, sex and activity. The number that keeps your weight stable is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). Eat around it to maintain, below it to lose, and above it to gain.
Step 1 — estimate your TDEE
Start with your Basal Metabolic Rate (calories burned at rest) using the BMR calculator, then multiply by an activity factor with the TDEE calculator. This is your maintenance estimate.
Step 2 — set a goal
To lose fat, subtract a moderate deficit — around 300–500 calories a day gives roughly 0.25–0.5 kg (0.5–1 lb) of loss per week. The calorie-deficit calculator does this for you. Don’t go extremely low: very aggressive deficits are hard to sustain and can cost muscle.
Step 3 — adjust from reality
These are estimates. Track your weight for 2–3 weeks and adjust your intake by ±100–200 calories based on what actually happens.
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Frequently asked questions
- How many calories to lose weight?
- Eat below your maintenance (TDEE). A deficit of about 500 calories a day is a common target for roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) of loss per week. Use the calorie-deficit calculator.
- What is a safe calorie deficit?
- A moderate deficit of ~300–500 calories a day is sustainable for most people. Avoid going below roughly 1,200 (women) or 1,500 (men) without medical guidance.
- Why am I not losing weight?
- As you lose weight your calorie needs fall, so the same intake becomes a smaller deficit. Recalculate every few kilograms and adjust.
References
- Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, et al. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure (1990).
Educational information only — not medical advice.