How Many Calories Should I Eat to Lose Weight?

"Eat less, move more" sounds simple, but how much less? That's the million-dollar question. The answer depends on your body, your activity level, and how quickly you want to lose weight without destroying your metabolism or sanity.

Let's cut through the noise and get you a real number to work with.

The Basic Math: Calories In vs. Calories Out

Weight loss comes down to one principle: you need to burn more calories than you consume. This is called a calorie deficit.

One pound of body fat contains approximately 3,500 calories. So, in theory:

• A 500 calorie daily deficit = 1 pound lost per week

• A 750 calorie daily deficit = 1.5 pounds lost per week

• A 1,000 calorie daily deficit = 2 pounds lost per week

But your body isn't a math equation. Metabolism adapts, water weight fluctuates, and muscle gain can mask fat loss on the scale. Still, this gives us a framework.

Step 1: Calculate Your TDEE

Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is how many calories you burn in a day. It's made up of:

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): Calories burned just existing — breathing, circulating blood, maintaining body temperature. This is 60-70% of your TDEE.

TEF (Thermic Effect of Food): Calories burned digesting food. About 10% of what you eat.

NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis): Calories burned through daily movement — walking, fidgeting, standing. Highly variable.

EAT (Exercise Activity Thermogenesis): Calories burned through intentional exercise.

Step 2: Set Your Deficit (Not Too Aggressive)

Here's where most people go wrong. They slash calories too drastically, lose muscle, tank their metabolism, feel miserable, and eventually binge.

A sustainable deficit is typically:

Small deficit (10-15% below TDEE): Slow but very sustainable. Good for those who are already lean or have a history of yo-yo dieting.

Moderate deficit (20-25% below TDEE): The sweet spot for most people. Noticeable results without extreme hunger.

Aggressive deficit (25-30% below TDEE): Faster results but harder to maintain. Best used short-term or by those with significant weight to lose.

Extreme deficit (30%+ below TDEE): Not recommended. High risk of muscle loss, metabolic adaptation, nutrient deficiencies, and rebound weight gain.

Minimum Calorie Floors

There's a limit to how low you should go. General guidelines:

Women: Don't go below 1,200 calories without medical supervision

Men: Don't go below 1,500 calories without medical supervision

These floors exist because below them, it becomes very difficult to get adequate nutrition. You risk losing muscle, feeling exhausted, and damaging your relationship with food.

If your calculated deficit puts you below these floors, either reduce the deficit or add more activity instead.

The Role of Protein

When losing weight, you're not just losing fat — you can lose muscle too. The two best ways to preserve muscle are:

1. Eat enough protein: Aim for 0.7-1 gram per pound of body weight. For a 160 lb person, that's 112-160 grams of protein daily.

2. Strength train: Give your muscles a reason to stick around.

Protein also keeps you fuller longer, has a higher thermic effect (you burn more calories digesting it), and helps maintain metabolic rate during weight loss.

Why the Scale Lies (Sometimes)

You can be in a calorie deficit and see the scale go UP. This doesn't mean you're failing:

Water retention: High sodium, carbs, stress, poor sleep, and women's menstrual cycles all cause water fluctuations of 2-5+ pounds.

Muscle gain: If you're new to strength training, you can gain muscle while losing fat. The scale may not move but your body composition improves.

Food volume: If you weigh yourself after eating, the food's physical weight shows up.

Track your weight as a weekly average, not a daily number. And use other metrics: how clothes fit, measurements, progress photos, energy levels.

Adjusting Over Time

Your calorie needs change as you lose weight. A 200 lb person burns more calories than a 170 lb person doing the same activities.

Recalculate your TDEE every 10-15 pounds lost, or if weight loss stalls for 2-3 weeks despite consistent effort.

If you've been dieting for 12+ weeks, consider a "diet break" — eating at maintenance calories for 1-2 weeks. This can help reset hunger hormones and give you a mental break.

The Bottom Line

To lose weight, eat fewer calories than you burn. For most people, that means:

• Calculate your TDEE

• Subtract 20-25% (or 500 calories) for a moderate deficit

• Don't go below 1,200 (women) or 1,500 (men) calories

• Eat adequate protein (0.7-1g per pound of body weight)

• Adjust every 10-15 pounds lost

Remember: the best diet is one you can actually stick to. A smaller deficit you can maintain for 6 months beats an aggressive deficit you abandon after 3 weeks.