Calories to lose 0.5 lb a week
Enter your details and a weekly loss to get a calorie target. The example is a man aged 40 who is 5 ft 10 in tall and weighs 200 lb, aiming to lose 0.5 lb a week.
How it works
Work out maintenance calories first. Then multiply the weekly loss in pounds by 500 for the daily deficit. Subtract the deficit from maintenance to get the target. At 0.5 lb a week the deficit for this 40-year-old man at 200 lb is 250 calories a day.
Worked example
Start with maintenance. For a man aged 40 at 5 ft 10 in and 200 lb that is 1823.45 × 1.55 = 2826.3, or 2826 calories. Now the deficit: 0.5 lb a week × 500 = 250 calories a day. Subtract: 2826.3 − 250 = 2576.3. The target is 2576 calories a day.
Common questions
What if my target is below my resting calories?
Eating below resting calories is hard to sustain and may not be safe without medical advice. Choose a smaller deficit. For this man aged 40 at 200 lb, resting calories are 1823 and the target at 0.5 lb a week is 2576. The target is 753 calories above resting calories.
Does my activity level change the target?
Yes. Maintenance already includes your activity level. Pick the level that matches a typical week. For this man aged 40 at 200 lb, the sedentary level gives 2188 and the extra active level gives 3465 at maintenance, against a target of 2576 for 0.5 lb a week.
How long will it take to lose 10 lb?
Divide the pounds to lose by the weekly rate. For this man aged 40 at 200 lb, 10 lb takes 20 weeks at 0.5 lb a week.
Should I recalculate as I lose weight?
Yes. Maintenance falls as weight falls. Check again every few pounds. For this man aged 40, maintenance is 2826 calories a day at 200 lb and about 2756 at 190 lb, with a target of 2576 at 0.5 lb a week.
How fast is it reasonable to lose weight?
A steady pace of about half a kilogram to one kilogram a week is common. Slower is easier to keep up. Ask your doctor what suits you. For this man aged 40 at 200 lb, 0.5 lb a week is 0.23 kg a week.