Enter details and click on “Calculate” to find how many calories you have to consume daily to achieve your weight loss goals.
This weight loss calculator estimates the daily calorie intake for losing weight, including the mild and extreme weight loss scenarios. It is also useful for calculating essential health metrics (BMR, BMI, IBW) and tracking the progress through the given weight loss graph. Using it lets you determine how many calories your body can burn by performing different exercises (PAL) in various time frames.
The calorie need of a person's body varies depending on various factors like age, height, weight, gender, and activity level. Meanwhile, you need to eat a specific amount of calories daily to maintain your current body weight. These calories provide the necessary energy to your body to perform basic bodily and daily routine tasks.
According to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans:
The men and women should take calories in the following ranges daily:
These are average ranges, and may not suit everyone.
If you want to lose weight, then you should aim for a gradual weight loss of 0.5 to 1 kg per week by creating a calorie deficit of approximately 500-1000 calories per day from your daily intake. To determine the number of calories needed for weight loss, start with our weight loss predictor that shows calorie intake to lose weight or consult with a registered dietitian for better insights.
Note: Dietitians suggest not limiting your daily caloric intake by more than 1000 per day as it can be unhealthy.
Weight loss calorie calculations depend upon total daily energy expenditure and BMR.
BMR contributes to 70% of your daily calorie needs. This is why it provides a baseline for tracking calories per day to lose weight.
Mifflin-St Jeor Equation:
The gender-specific versions of this formula are as follows:
Equation For Men: 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (y) + 5
Equation For Women: 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (y) – 161
Katch-McArdle Equation:
Katch = 370 + (21.6 * LBM)
LBM = lean body mass
Revised Harris-Benedict Equation:
Men: (13.397m + 4.799h – 5.677a) + 88.362
Women: Harris-Benedict = (9.247m + 3.098h – 4.330a) + 447.593
m = Mass (kg), h = Height (cm), a = Age (years)
PAL is an important weight loss factor contributing to determining your daily calorie needs. It quantifies how active you are throughout the day, beyond your basal metabolic rate (BMR). This is a number value that shows your daily activity level.
Physical Activity Level | MET Value |
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) | 1.0 |
No Sports/Exercise | 1.2 |
Light Activity 1-3 Times per Week | 1.375 |
Moderate: Exercise 4-5 Times per Week | 1.465 |
Active: Intense exercise 3-4 times/week | 1.55 |
High Activity: Everyday Exercise | 1.725 |
Extreme Active: Very Intense Exercise | 1.9 |
By using these MET values, our weight loss planner estimates your daily calorie burn. This data is then used to create personalized weight loss and maintenance caloric plans tailored to your specific needs. Our planner goes beyond simple calorie counting, providing customized exercise recommendations to help you reach your target weight.
Let's say John is 26 years old and weighs 75 kilograms. He is 174 centimeters tall and maintains a moderately active lifestyle by exercising regularly 3-5 times a week. Now find the calories to lose weight.
Given that:
Step # 01: BMR Estimation
By putting the values in the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation:
BMR = 10 x 75 + 6.25 x 174 – 5 x 26 + 5 = 1712.5
Step # 02: Estimating Enegy Expenditure With The Activity Level
Moderate Activity (MET) = 1.465
Energy Expenditure = 1712.5 × 1.465 = 2,508.8125
Step # 03: Daily Caloric Intake For Weight Loss
To lose weight healthily, you should cut off 500 calories after counting calories from your daily intake.
Calorie Intake = Energy Expenditure - 500
Calorie Intake = 2,508.8125 - 500
Calorie Intake To Lose Weight ≈ 2,008.8125
Food | Serving Size | Calories | kJ |
Fruits | |||
Apple | 1 (4 oz.) | 59 | 247 |
Banana | 1 (6 oz.) | 151 | 632 |
Grapes | 1 cup | 100 | 419 |
Orange | 1 (4 oz.) | 53 | 222 |
Pear | 1 (5 oz.) | 82 | 343 |
Peach | 1 (6 oz.) | 67 | 281 |
Pineapple | 1 cup | 82 | 343 |
Strawberry | 1 cup | 53 | 222 |
Watermelon | 1 cup | 50 | 209 |
Vegetables | |||
Asparagus | 1 cup | 27 | 113 |
Broccoli | 1 cup | 45 | 188 |
Carrots | 1 cup | 50 | 209 |
Cucumber | 4 oz. | 17 | 71 |
Eggplant | 1 cup | 35 | 147 |
Lettuce | 1 cup | 5 | 21 |
Tomato | 1 cup | 22 | 92 |
Proteins | |||
Beef, regular, cooked | 2 oz. | 142 | 595 |
Chicken, cooked | 2 oz. | 136 | 569 |
Tofu | 4 oz. | 86 | 360 |
Egg | 1 large | 78 | 327 |
Fish, Catfish, cooked | 2 oz. | 136 | 569 |
Pork, cooked | 2 oz. | 137 | 574 |
Shrimp, cooked | 2 oz. | 56 | 234 |
Common Meals/Snacks | |||
Bread, white | 1 slice (1 oz.) | 75 | 314 |
Butter | 1 tablespoon | 102 | 427 |
Caesar salad | 3 cups | 481 | 2014 |
Cheeseburger | 1 sandwich | 285 | 1193 |
Hamburger | 1 sandwich | 250 | 1047 |
Dark Chocolate | 1 oz. | 155 | 649 |
Corn | 1 cup | 132 | 553 |
Pizza | 1 slice (14") | 285 | 1193 |
Potato | 6 oz. | 130 | 544 |
Rice | 1 cup cooked | 206 | 862 |
Beverages/Dairy | |||
Beer | 1 can | 154 | 645 |
Coca-Cola Classic | 1 can | 150 | 628 |
Diet Coke | 1 can | 0 | 0 |
Milk (1%) | 1 cup | 102 | 427 |
Milk (2%) | 1 cup | 122 | 511 |
Milk (Whole) | 1 cup | 146 | 611 |
Orange Juice | 1 cup | 111 | 465 |
Yogurt (low-fat) | 1 cup | 154 | 645 |
Yogurt (non-fat) | 1 cup | 110 | 461 |
To Lose About 1 Pound Per Week: Aim for a calorie deficit of approximately 500 calories per day. (burn about 3,500 cal in a week)
To Lose About 0.5 Pounds Per Week: Create a calorie deficit of approximately 250 calories daily. (burn around 1750 calories in a week)
These numbers are general estimates because there are a lot of factors that impact weight reduction. You can use our weight loss calculator with goal date to estimate your daily calorie needs, get a personalized caloric intake based on your specific weight goals and track progress in a few clicks. However, it is recommended that the daily calorie intake should not fall below 1,200 a day for women or 1,500 a day for men.
Yes, Losing 1 kg per month is considered a safe and sustainable rate of weight loss. Individual factors like age, height weight, and activity level, etc may affect the ideal weight loss rate.
References:
Wikipedia: Dieting, Fasting, Environmentally Sustainable.
Webmd.com: How to Lose Weight Safely.