How Many Calories to Lose 1 Pound a Week

To lose one pound (0.45 kg) per week, eat about 500 calories under your TDEE each day. The math: a pound of body fat stores ~3,500 kcal; spread over 7 days that's 500 kcal/day.

Find your personal number

Calculate your TDEE — the TDEE calculator takes 30 seconds.
Subtract 500.

If your TDEE is…	Eat about…
1,800 kcal	1,300 kcal*
2,200 kcal	1,700 kcal
2,600 kcal	2,100 kcal
3,000 kcal	2,500 kcal

*If subtracting 500 lands you below ~1,200 kcal (women) / ~1,500 kcal (men), use a smaller deficit plus more daily movement instead.

Making the pound actually happen

The formula assumes accurate intake — and food logging studies show people typically under-report by 20–40%. Weigh foods for the first few weeks, count oils and drinks, and judge progress on the weekly average weight, not single mornings. If the average isn't dropping ~1 lb/week after three weeks, your real TDEE is lower than estimated: trim another 150–200 kcal or add a daily walk (~200 kcal/hour).

Frequently asked questions

How many calories should a woman eat to lose 1 lb a week?

Her TDEE minus 500 — commonly 1,300–1,700 kcal depending on size and activity. Run the TDEE calculator for a personal figure rather than using a generic 1,500.

How many calories should a man eat to lose 1 lb a week?

TDEE minus 500 — typically 1,800–2,500 kcal. Larger or more active men sit higher; the calculator personalizes it.

Why am I not losing 1 lb a week at a 500-calorie deficit?

Usually tracking error or water masking fat loss. Tighten logging for two weeks and use weekly averages; if still flat, your estimated TDEE was high — reduce intake slightly or add steps.

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Written by Murugan Vellaichamy, Software Engineer · every formula on this site is cited — see our methodology · corrections welcome