Free weight loss calculator that estimates your daily calorie target, safe deficit, and realistic timeline based on your age, weight, height, and activity level.
Oatmeal with berries and nuts + Greek yogurt
Grilled chicken salad with mixed greens and vinaigrette
Salmon with roasted vegetables and quinoa
Apple with peanut butter, protein shake, nuts
Daily calorie target = Estimated maintenance calories − Selected calorie deficitThe calculator applies the selected body, age, activity and goal assumptions to a standard planning equation. Actual needs vary with health status, climate, training, medication, food measurement and changes in body weight or activity.
A weight loss calculator is a tool used to determine how many calories you need to consume daily to lose weight at a healthy rate. This calculator considers several factors of your health and body, including your age, sex, height, current weight, and activity level to determine the total number of calories you must consume based on your Basal Metabolic Rate and Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It then applies a calorie deficit based on your goals.
By calculating a daily calorie allowance based on your body's Energy requirements, you will not be left to wonder how much to eat less when dieting.
We found that it is most common for people to use this calculator before starting a diet plan, following a health checkup from their doctor, or prior to an event like a marathon.
This calculator turns vague goals like "I want to lose weight" into a specific, actionable daily calorie number. It's useful for:
Your calorie needs aren't fixed - they shift with your body and lifestyle. A weight loss calculator only gives an accurate estimate if it accounts for the variables below, and understanding them helps you interpret your results instead of treating them as a rigid rule.
This is the energy your body burns at complete rest just to keep organs functioning. It's the foundation of your calorie target - a higher BMR means you can eat more calories and still lose weight.
Someone who sits at a desk all day burns far fewer calories than someone on their feet or exercising regularly. Misjudging your activity level is one of the most common reasons calculator estimates feel off.
Metabolism naturally slows with age as muscle mass declines. A 25-year-old and a 55-year-old with identical height and weight will usually need different calorie targets.
Men typically carry more lean muscle mass than women at the same body weight, which raises their calorie burn. This is why calculators ask for sex before estimating BMR.
Larger bodies require more energy to maintain basic functions and move through daily life, so starting weight directly shapes your calorie baseline.
Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat tissue does. Two people at the same weight can have different calorie needs depending on their body composition.
Poor sleep and chronic stress raise cortisol and disrupt hunger hormones, often leading to higher calorie intake than planned even when the math says otherwise.
As you lose weight, your body burns fewer calories to maintain itself, which is why targets often need recalculating every few weeks during a long-term diet.
Most adults lose weight steadily by eating 500 calories less than their TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) per day, which typically leads to about 1 pound of fat loss per week. The exact number depends on your BMR, activity level, and goals, which is why a personalized calculator gives a more reliable target than generic advice.
It's a strong estimate, not an exact science. Calculators use validated formulas like Mifflin-St Jeor, but real-world results vary based on metabolism, hormones, sleep, and how precisely you track food. Treat the number as a starting point, then adjust every 2–3 weeks based on your actual progress.
Most health guidelines recommend losing 1 to 2 pounds per week through a moderate calorie deficit. Losing faster than that often means muscle loss, nutrient deficiencies, or an unsustainable diet that leads to regaining the weight once normal eating resumes.
A calorie deficit means eating fewer calories than your body burns in a day, forcing it to use stored fat for energy. A deficit of 500 calories per day is a common, sustainable starting point for steady fat loss without excessive hunger or fatigue.
This usually points to inaccurate calorie tracking, underestimated portion sizes, reduced activity outside of exercise, water retention, or a metabolism that has adapted to a lower intake. Recalculating your numbers based on current weight and re-tracking food for a week often reveals the gap.
Generally, no - most calculators already build a general activity level into your TDEE. Eating back workout calories on top of that often erases the deficit you're aiming for, unless you're doing unusually intense or prolonged training sessions.
Use current measurements and a realistic activity level. Follow the estimate consistently, monitor results over time and adjust only after comparing actual progress, hunger, performance and professional guidance.
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the formula most dietitians and researchers consider the gold standard for estimating calorie needs.
For men: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) + 5
For women: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) − 161
Your BMR is multiplied by an activity factor:
To lose 1 pound per week, subtract roughly 500 calories from your TDEE. To lose 2 pounds per week, subtract roughly 1,000 calories - though this is only advisable for people with a higher starting weight.
A 35-year-old woman who weighs 75 kg, is 165 cm tall, and is moderately active:
At this intake, she could expect to lose approximately 1 pound per week.