How Many Calories Should I Eat to Lose Weight?

The one rule of weight loss

To lose weight, you must eat fewer calories than you burn. That gap is called a calorie deficit. The size of the deficit determines how fast you lose — and how miserable you feel.

A safe deficit

For most people, a 15–25% deficit below maintenance is sustainable. A 20% deficit is the sweet spot: roughly 1 lb of fat loss per week without extreme hunger.

How to find your maintenance calories

Your maintenance calories depend on age, sex, height, weight, and activity. Use Phoenix''s calorie calculator to estimate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).

Example

If your TDEE is 2,400 calories: - 20% deficit = 1,920 calories/day - Expected fat loss = ~1 lb/week

What to do when weight loss stalls

Recalculate your TDEE every 10–15 lb lost. A smaller body burns fewer calories. If progress stalls for 2–3 weeks, drop another 100 calories or add a daily walk.

Don''t go too low

Eating 1,200 calories or less usually backfires. It increases muscle loss, cravings, and rebound eating. The highest calorie target that still produces progress is usually the best target.