Find the exact daily calories to eat to lose weight at your chosen pace, plus a projected timeline and target date to reach your goal weight.
A calorie deficit means eating fewer calories than your body burns, forcing it to use stored fat for energy. One pound of body fat holds roughly 3,500 calories, so a daily deficit of 500 calories produces about one pound of loss per week. This calculator finds your maintenance calories (TDEE), subtracts the deficit for your chosen pace, and projects how long it will take to reach your goal weight.
For most people, 1 to 1.5 pounds per week is the sweet spot — fast enough to stay motivated, slow enough to preserve muscle and energy. Very large deficits that push intake below about 1,200 calories (women) or 1,500 (men) are hard to sustain and can backfire. Pair your deficit with adequate protein and strength training to keep the weight you lose coming from fat, not muscle.