Daily calories for weight loss, finding a target you can actually live with
A gap of about 500 to 600 kcal a day below your needs is a common, sustainable target for weight loss. The NHS uses 2,000 kcal a day for women and 2,500 kcal for men as broad guides. For many people, that puts a starting target somewhere near 1,400 to 1,500 kcal for women and 1,900 kcal for men.
Estimate your daily calories
Everything is worked out on your own device. No data is stored or transmitted. Adults only.
Try the BMI calculator as well, along with the waist measurement calculator and every calculator the club offers.
How this calculation works
The method behind this calculation is the one chosen in 2013 by the European Food Safety Authority. Basal metabolic rate comes from the Henry equations, using weight, age and sex, and is then multiplied by an activity factor ranging from 1.4 for a mostly sitting lifestyle to 2 for someone who is very active.
Example. A woman aged 45 who weighs 70 and sits for most of the day burns roughly 1,950 kcal daily.
A club coach goes through your situation with you and gives you practical advice.
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Why your number is your own
The averages hide big differences. A tall man who walks a warehouse floor on night shifts burns far more than a shorter woman who drives to an office. Age, muscle, height and current weight all shift the figure. The UK figures come from the SACN report on dietary reference values for energy. The NHS BMI and calorie calculator gives a personal starting point.
The 3 parts of what you burn
- Resting needs. Breathing, heartbeat and body temperature use the largest share, even asleep.
- Digesting food. A smaller share goes on processing meals, a bit more for protein.
- Moving. Walking, stairs, work and sport. This is the part that changes the most from person to person.
Our article on how metabolism works goes into each part.
Test your target for 3 weeks
Pick a starting figure, eat to it fairly steadily, and watch your weight and waist for 3 weeks. If you lose about 0.5 to 1kg a week, which is roughly 1 to 2lb, keep going. If nothing moves, take off another 100 to 200 kcal, usually from drinks, snacks or portions of fat. If you lose faster and feel drained, add a little back.
Where the calories hide
A latte with whole milk, a pint of lager and a bag of crisps can add up to about 600 kcal, a full meal. A takeaway curry with rice and naan can pass 1,400 kcal alone. Drinks, sauces and nibbles are the easiest places to find your daily gap without feeling hungry.
Too low backfires
Eating far below your needs makes you tired, hungry and irritable, and it is hard to keep up. It can also cost you muscle. Diets under 800 kcal a day should only be followed with medical supervision. This article does not replace advice from your GP or another health professional, particularly if you have diabetes or take medicines.
Quality inside the number
2 menus with the same calories can feel very different. 1,500 kcal of vegetables, lean protein, wholegrains and fruit fills you up. 1,500 kcal of pastries leaves you hungry by noon. Our article on how to feel fuller for longer explains why.
Counting for a while, not forever
Tracking for a few weeks teaches you what a portion looks like. After that, most people do better with a steady routine than with an app. At the club, members are supported every day by coaches trained in nutrition, which keeps the routine going without endless counting. Book your free assessment to talk about your own target.
Your weight loss curve
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Going at the median rate, losing 8 kg would need roughly 11 weeks. Going at the slowest rate, roughly 4 months.
For weight that stays off, the figure usually quoted is 500 g to 1 kg each week. On the chart, this is the ideal band. Losing more than 1 kg a week, week after week, means the body burns muscle as well as fat. On the chart, this is the shaded band.
This projection is only a guide. Everyone’s path is different and outcomes differ between people. Everything is worked out on your own device, and nothing gets stored or transmitted. If you are over 65, check with your GP before anything else.
How this curve is calculated
The upper line of the band stands for 500 g each week, the slowest rate. The lower line stands for 1 kg each week, where risk begins.
Early weeks move quicker, largely through water loss, and then things settle down. From 40 onwards the median curve eases off bit by bit as metabolism winds down. Putting in equal effort, men tend to lose a touch faster than women.
As in real life, the curve includes short stalls lasting a few days and the odd small gain. It cannot forecast how your own path will go.
These tips are general guidance. A doctor’s opinion still comes first.
Further reading
Day-to-day support is explained in our programme for eating more healthily.