Find out how long it will take to reach your goal weight — and how many calories to eat per day to get there safely and sustainably.
Enter your stats and goal weight. The calculator finds your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) using the Mifflin-St Jeor formula, then subtracts your selected daily calorie deficit to project how long it will take to reach your goal.
One pound of fat ≈ 3,500 calories. A 500 cal/day deficit = 1 lb/week loss. This is the standard, well-supported estimate for sustainable weight loss.
Most guidelines recommend losing no more than 1–2 pounds per week for sustainable, healthy weight loss. Losing faster is possible but increases the risk of losing muscle mass, nutritional deficiencies, and regaining the weight. A 500–1,000 calorie daily deficit achieves 1–2 lbs/week for most people.
As you lose weight, your TDEE decreases — a smaller body burns fewer calories. This means the same calorie intake that caused weight loss initially will eventually become maintenance. This is normal and expected. Recalculate your targets every 10–15 lbs lost to keep making progress.
Both approaches can work. Calorie counting provides precision and is especially useful for people who aren't seeing results with intuitive approaches. For most people, a combination works best: focus on whole foods (which naturally reduces calories) while being loosely aware of your intake. Tracking for 2–4 weeks builds useful intuition even if you stop counting afterward.