Calorie Deficit Calculator
Enter your maintenance calories and a target weekly weight loss rate to find the daily calorie deficit and target calorie intake needed.
Your calculation is performed in your browser.This result is an estimate for informational and educational purposes. It isn’t a diagnosis and isn’t a substitute for advice from a doctor, registered dietitian, or other qualified professional. See our methodology and sources for the formula used and its limitations.
How it works
The calculator converts your target weekly weight loss into an equivalent number of calories using the standard energy value of body fat, then divides that by seven to get the daily calorie deficit needed relative to your maintenance level.
Formula & methodology
Daily deficit = (weekly loss rate × calories per kg or lb of fat) ÷ 7. Target calories = maintenance calories − daily deficit.
Worked example
With maintenance calories of 2,400 and a target loss of 0.5 kg per week, the daily deficit is about 550 calories, giving a target of roughly 1,850 calories per day.
Important notes
- —Don't know your maintenance calories? Use the TDEE Calculator first to estimate them from your BMR and activity level.
- —For safety, the calculator caps the weekly loss rate at 1.5 kg (or about 3 lb) per week.