CALCULATOR 04
Calorie Goal Calculator
A daily calorie target for losing, maintaining or gaining weight at the rate you choose.
Daily calorie target
Choose the sex used in the formulas.
For general information only; not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before making health decisions.
How this is calculated
Daily adjustment = rate (kg/week) × 7,700 ÷ 7
Lose: target = TDEE − daily adjustment Gain: target = TDEE + daily adjustment
Time to target weight
weeks = (current weight − target weight) ÷ rate
7,700 kcal is roughly the energy in 1 kg of body fat.
Warnings appear when the target is below your BMR, below 1,500 kcal (men) or 1,200 kcal (women), or when the loss rate is more than 1% of your body weight per week.
Sources
- Hall KD (2008), What is the required energy deficit per unit weight loss? Int J Obes 32:573–576.
- Mifflin MD et al. (1990), A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr 51:241–247.
About the calorie goal calculator
How the target is set
One kilogram of body fat stores roughly 7,700 kcal. To lose 0.5 kg a week you need a weekly deficit of about 3,850 kcal, or 550 kcal a day, below your TDEE. To gain, you add a surplus instead. The calculator starts from your TDEE, which in turn comes from your BMR and activity level.
Read more about the Calorie Goal calculator
Choosing a rate
For most people, 0.25–0.5 kg a week is a sustainable pace for fat loss. Faster loss is possible, but a large deficit makes it harder to hold on to muscle, get enough nutrients and stick with the plan. As a rule of thumb, losing more than 1% of your body weight a week is aggressive, and the calculator warns you when you cross that line, when your target drops below your BMR, or when it falls under 1,500 kcal for men or 1,200 kcal for women.
For muscle gain, a small surplus of 0.25–0.5 kg a week, combined with resistance training and enough protein, limits unnecessary fat gain.
Why progress isn't linear
Scale weight swings day to day with water, salt, carbohydrate stores and digestion, so judge progress on weekly averages. Over months, the simple 7,700 kcal rule also overestimates loss: as you get lighter you burn less, and your body adapts. Recalculate every few kilograms, and treat the time-to-goal estimate as a rough guide rather than a deadline.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories should I eat to lose 0.5 kg a week?
About 550 kcal a day below your TDEE. For someone with a TDEE of 2,759 kcal, that's a target of roughly 2,209 kcal a day.
Is it safe to eat 1,200 calories a day?
For many people, especially men and active women, 1,200 kcal is too low to meet nutrient needs. Very low-calorie diets should be supervised by a doctor or registered dietitian.
Why am I not losing weight at my calorie target?
Calorie estimates can be off by 10% or more, intake is easy to under-count, and water retention can hide fat loss for a week or two. Track your weekly average weight for three to four weeks; if it's flat, lower your target by 100–200 kcal.
How fast should I gain weight to build muscle?
Around 0.25–0.5 kg a week is a common target. Gaining faster usually adds more fat than muscle. Pair the surplus with resistance training and enough protein.