Estimate your basal metabolic rate and the daily calories that maintain, lose or gain weight at your activity level.
Weight loss comes down to energy balance: over time, you need to burn more calories than you eat. The hard part isn’t the principle; it’s choosing a deficit you can sustain and adjusting when your body adapts. Here’s a practical, evidence-based approach.
Step 1: Find your maintenance calories
Your maintenance level is your TDEE, the calories that keep your weight stable. Get an estimate from the calorie calculator. (New to the term? Read BMR vs TDEE: What's the Difference and Which Should You Eat?.)
Step 2: Choose a deficit
| Deficit per day | Approx. loss per week | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 250–300 kcal | ~0.25 kg (0.5 lb) | Small amounts to lose; maximum muscle retention |
| 500–550 kcal | ~0.5 kg (1 lb) | Most people; the standard recommendation |
| 750–1,000 kcal | ~0.75–1 kg (1.5–2 lb) | Higher body weights, often under supervision |
These figures use the common estimate that 1 kg of body fat stores about 7,700 kcal (3,500 kcal per lb).
A good general guideline is to aim to lose 0.5–1% of body weight per week. Faster than that, and you’re likely to lose more muscle, feel worse and rebound.
Example
Maintenance of 2,400 kcal → target ≈ 1,900 kcal for about 0.5 kg a week.
Step 3: Set a floor
Avoid going below roughly 1,200 kcal/day (women) or 1,500 kcal/day (men) without medical supervision. Very low intakes make it hard to get enough protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Step 4: Prioritise protein
Protein helps preserve muscle while dieting and keeps you fuller. Many sports-nutrition guidelines suggest about 1.6–2.2 g per kg of body weight per day during weight loss for active people; at least 1.2 g/kg is a sensible minimum for most adults. A 75 kg person would aim for roughly 90–150 g a day.
Step 5: Track the trend, not the day
Daily weight can swing by 1–2 kg from water, salt, carbohydrates and digestion. Instead:
- Weigh yourself every morning, after the bathroom, before eating.
- Look at the 7-day average.
- Compare weekly averages.
Why weight loss slows down
Expect progress to slow after the first few weeks. That’s normal, for three reasons:
- Early water loss. The first 1–2 kg often includes glycogen and water, which makes week one look unusually fast.
- Smaller body, lower TDEE. Losing 5 kg might reduce your maintenance by about 100 kcal.
- Adaptive thermogenesis. Your body subtly reduces energy use, mostly through less unconscious movement (NEAT).
When progress stalls
If your weekly average hasn’t moved for 3 weeks:
- Re-check intake. Portions, oils, sauces and drinks are easy to under-count.
- Recalculate TDEE at your new weight.
- Add movement, especially daily steps, which raise NEAT without increasing hunger much.
- Cut another 100–200 kcal if the first three don’t help.
- Consider a short maintenance break of one to two weeks at TDEE, which many people find helps adherence.
What about exercise?
Exercise is excellent for health, muscle and mood, but it burns fewer calories than most people think. A 30-minute jog is roughly 250–350 kcal. Combine a moderate deficit with resistance training to keep muscle, and choose an activity level honestly (here’s how).
Check in with BMI and waist size
Weight is only one measure. Your BMI and waist-to-height ratio give better context; see BMI calculator and BMI Limitations: When Body Mass Index Misleads, and Better Alternatives.
This guide is general information. If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, under 18, have a medical condition or a history of disordered eating, please get personalised advice from a doctor or registered dietitian.
Estimate your basal metabolic rate and the daily calories that maintain, lose or gain weight at your activity level.