# Calorie deficit calculator How many calories to eat a day to lose weight at the pace you pick, and roughly how long it takes to reach your goal. Enter your details; the result updates as you type. _An interactive calculator sits here on the page: enter age, height, weight, activity and goal to get your own numbers._ ## How it's worked out **First, your maintenance calories** (TDEE): your resting burn from the Mifflin–St Jeor equation, multiplied by your activity level. That’s what keeps your weight where it is — the [TDEE calculator](https://easymacros.fit/calculators/tdee) explains it in more detail. **Then the deficit.** A kilogram of body weight is roughly 7,700 kcal, so losing 0.5 kg (1.1 lb) a week means eating about 550 kcal a day under maintenance; 0.25 kg a week is about 275 kcal, and 0.75 kg about 825 kcal. **Never below the floor.** If the deficit would take you under 1,500 kcal (men) or 1,200 kcal (women) — the minimums most guidance gives for dieting without medical supervision — the target is raised to the floor, and the time to your goal is worked out from the smaller deficit you’d actually be eating. ## Picking a pace Faster isn’t always better. A bigger deficit means more hunger, less energy for training and a greater share of the loss coming from muscle. For most people, 0.25–0.5 kg a week is sustainable; the faster rate suits people with more to lose. Keep protein high while you’re in a deficit — the [protein calculator](https://easymacros.fit/calculators/protein) gives a daily number. ## Why the scale won't follow the line exactly Water, salt, carbs and digestion move your weight by a kilogram or more from one day to the next, so a single weigh-in says little. Look at the trend over two or three weeks: if it’s falling slower than expected, eat a little less or move a little more; if faster, you can eat a little more. The time to your goal is an estimate on the same terms — your body burns slightly less as you get lighter, so the last few kilos usually take a bit longer. _Your days against the target, in easymacros: a deficit only works if you know you're in it._ ## Know your number? Now hit it. easymacros sets your calorie target from the same formula, shows your weight trend as a 7-day average, and makes logging a meal take seconds — search a food, scan its barcode, or just tell the coach what you ate. [Start tracking — it's free](https://easymacros.fit/signin) Free. No ads. Sign in with Google. ## Questions ### How big should my calorie deficit be? Most people do well with 275–550 kcal a day under maintenance, which loses about 0.25–0.5 kg (0.5–1 lb) a week. Larger deficits are harder to keep up and cost more muscle. ### How many calories do I need to burn to lose 1 kg? Roughly 7,700 kcal — about 3,500 kcal per pound. Spread over a week, that's a deficit of around 1,100 kcal a day for 1 kg, or 550 kcal a day for half a kilo. ### Why am I not losing weight in a calorie deficit? Usually because the deficit is smaller than it looks: portions are underestimated, cooking oil and drinks go unlogged, or the activity level was set too high. Water retention can also hide fat loss for a week or two. Log everything for two weeks and compare against your weight trend, not a single weigh-in. ### Is it better to eat less or exercise more? Both create a deficit. Eating less is usually easier to control; exercise helps keep muscle and adds to the deficit. Exercise calories are often overestimated, so count them conservatively.