To lose weight, a common recommendation is to reduce your daily calorie intake by about 500 to 600 calories from your maintenance level. The average daily calorie intake to maintain weight is approximately 2,500 kcal for men and 2,000 kcal for women. Therefore, to lose weight, men are often advised to consume around 1,900 kcal per day and women around 1,400 kcal per day. A safe and sustainable weight loss rate is about 1 to 2 pounds per week, which generally requires a calorie deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories per day. For example, if you currently need 2,325 calories to maintain your weight, reducing your intake to between 1,325 and 1,825 calories can help you lose weight effectively. However, it is important not to go below 1,200 calories per day for women and 1,500 calories for men unless supervised by a healthcare professional to avoid nutritional deficiencies. In addition to calorie reduction, incorporating at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days supports weight loss and overall health. If you provide your age, sex, weight, height, and activity level, a more precise daily calorie target for weight loss can be calculated using established formulas like the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation. But in general:
- Women aiming to lose weight might eat around 1,400 kcal/day.
- Men aiming to lose weight might eat around 1,900 kcal/day.
This approach includes balanced meals and healthy foods to ensure nutrient needs are met while creating a calorie deficit.
