Calorie Deficit Calculator
Find your daily calorie target for weight loss, based on your maintenance calories and desired weekly rate of weight loss.
- Free to use
- Accurate results
- No registration required
- Works on all devices
Your result
2,112 kcal/day
Daily calorie target
AI explanation
Formula
Daily deficit = weekly weight loss(kg) × 7700 / 7. Target calories = TDEE − daily deficitWorked example
Male, 80kg, 170cm, age 30, moderately active, 0.5 kg/week loss
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | 80 |
| Height | 170 |
| Age | 30 |
| Sex | male |
| Activity level | moderate |
| Target weekly weight loss | 0.5 |
| Daily deficit | 550 |
Assumptions
- Uses the common approximation that 1 kg of body fat holds roughly 7700 kcal.
- A rate of 0.5-1 kg/week is generally considered a sustainable pace; the calculator caps input at 2 kg/week as a safety ceiling, not a recommendation.
- Informational only — not personalized medical or dietary advice. Rapid or large deficits should be supervised by a healthcare professional.
Frequently asked questions
How is the calorie deficit calculated?
Your target weekly weight loss (in kg) is converted to a daily calorie deficit using the approximation that 1 kg of fat is roughly 7700 kcal, then subtracted from your maintenance calories (TDEE).
What's a safe rate of weight loss?
Most guidelines suggest 0.5-1 kg per week as a sustainable pace. Faster rates increase the risk of muscle loss and nutrient deficiencies and should be supervised by a professional.
Why does my target never go below zero?
The calculator floors the target calories at zero for extreme inputs, since a negative calorie target isn't meaningful — but very low targets from a large deficit are not safe in practice and should be reviewed by a dietitian.
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Related articles
Sources
- A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals (Mifflin-St Jeor) — American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Effective 01-02-1990, reviewed 13-09-2026.
This calculator provides a general estimate only and does not constitute personalized medical, nutritional, or fitness advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian before starting a weight-loss plan.
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