How fast should I lose weight?
A deficit of about 500 calories a day usually produces roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) a week, which is a common recommendation. Larger deficits can speed early loss but are harder to sustain and may cause muscle loss.
Estimate the calories you burn each day from basal metabolism and activity level, with targets for losing or gaining weight.
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Total daily energy expenditure, or TDEE, is the calories you burn in a day including exercise, work and daily movement. It is your basal metabolic rate multiplied by an activity factor. Eating roughly at TDEE keeps your weight steady; eating below it gradually lowers weight.
Choose the activity level that best matches your typical week. Be honest, because most people overestimate their activity. The targets show a mild deficit, a steady deficit and a lean surplus, so you can start with the rate that suits your goal.
A deficit of about 500 calories a day usually produces roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) a week, which is a common recommendation. Larger deficits can speed early loss but are harder to sustain and may cause muscle loss.
Sedentary means a desk job with little exercise. Light is one to three sessions a week, moderate is three to five, and very active is six to seven hard sessions. Extra active suits physical jobs plus training. When unsure, choose the lower level.
Trackers estimate calories from heart rate and motion, which are imprecise. Use the calculator as a starting point, then adjust based on how your weight changes over two to three weeks.
The activity factor already includes typical exercise. Adding every workout's calories on top often double-counts and leads to overeating. Adjust only if your weight trend shows you need to.
Pregnant people, adolescents, older adults, and anyone with a medical condition or eating disorder history should speak with a clinician or dietitian before cutting calories.
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