Is 1200 calories per day safe?

1200 cal/day is generally the lowest safe intake for women; 1500 for men. This calculator enforces a 1200 cal floor. Going below this risks nutritional deficiencies and muscle loss.

Why does 1 pound equal 3500 calories?

One pound of body fat stores approximately 3,500 calories of energy. To lose 1 lb, you need a 3,500-calorie deficit over time — hence 500 cal/day × 7 days = 3,500 cal = 1 lb/week.

Will I actually lose exactly this much weight?

Weight loss isn't perfectly linear due to water retention, hormones, and metabolic adaptation. Use the target as a guide and track over 2–4 week averages for accurate progress assessment.

Calories to Lose Weight Calculator

To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than you burn — a calorie deficit. Enter your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) and your weight loss goal, and this calculator tells you exactly how many calories to eat each day. One pound of fat = 3,500 calories, so a deficit of 500 cal/day produces about 1 lb/week of loss.

Your TDEE (calories/day)

Goal Weight Loss per Week

Frequently Asked Questions

Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total calories your body burns in a day, including exercise. It's calculated from your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) multiplied by an activity factor.

Related Calculators

❤️TDEE Calculator ❤️BMR Calculator ❤️Macro Calculator