Calorie Deficit Calculator
Calculate your calorie deficit for weight loss. Get a safe eating plan with timeline projections.
Your Details
Safety Guidelines
- Don't eat fewer than 1,200 cal/day (women) or 1,500 cal/day (men)
- Aim to lose 0.5-1 kg (1-2 lbs) per week maximum
- Consult a doctor before starting any diet
Choose Your Deficit Level
Projected Progress
| Week | Weight | Lost |
|---|
A calorie deficit means eating fewer calories than your body burns, so it draws on stored fat. This calculator estimates how many calories you burn each day (your TDEE), applies the deficit you choose, and projects how long it will take to reach your goal weight.
How big should the deficit be?
A deficit of 10–20% of your maintenance calories — often around 500 kcal a day — produces steady loss of roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) a week, which most guidelines consider sustainable. Larger deficits lose weight faster but are harder to keep up, cost more muscle, and should not take intake below about 1,200 kcal (women) or 1,500 kcal (men) without medical supervision.
The maths
Body fat stores roughly 7,700 kcal per kilogram (3,500 kcal per pound), so a 500 kcal daily deficit is about 3,500 kcal a week — one pound. Real results wobble around this because water, glycogen and metabolic adaptation all move the scale; judge progress over weeks, not days. Start from your TDEE and check your target range with the BMI calculator.
This tool gives general estimates, not medical advice.