Calories to lose weight
About 1,663 calories a day to lose weight (500 under TDEE).
| BMR | 1,395 kcal |
|---|---|
| TDEE | 2,163 kcal |
| Target | 1,663 kcal |
| Protein | 125 g |
| Carbs | 166 g |
| Fat | 55 g |
Planning numbers, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor before a big change. We keep a floor of 1,200 calories for women and 1,500 for men.
Turn these numbers into a week of dinners and a grocery listHow this is calculated
BMR uses Mifflin-St Jeor (1990): 10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age, plus 5 for men or minus 161 for women. TDEE multiplies BMR by the moderate factor (1.55). Lose subtracts 500. Gain adds 300. Floors are 1,200 calories for women and 1,500 for men. Balanced macros are 30% protein, 40% carbs, 30% fat. Gain muscle uses 1.8 g protein per kg when that is higher. Talk to a doctor before a big change.
Worked examples
Smaller body
2,013 TDEE · 1,513 target · 113 g protein · 151 g carbs · 50 g fat
Default on this page
2,163 TDEE · 1,663 target · 125 g protein · 166 g carbs · 55 g fat
Larger body
2,817 TDEE · 2,317 target · 174 g protein · 232 g carbs · 77 g fat
What this looks like as dinners
Omelet Rice Bowl
48 g carbs · 20 g protein · 400 kcal · estimated $1.25 a serving
Lentil Bolognese Pasta
82 g carbs · 22 g protein · 510 kcal · estimated $1.33 a serving
Stovetop Lentil Bolognese
74 g carbs · 20 g protein · 460 kcal · estimated $1.40 a serving
Estimated ingredient cost from Carby’s catalog and store price factors. Not live shelf prices. Package sizes, local prices, tax and food you already have can change your checkout total.
Your questions
How many calories to lose weight?
This page subtracts 500 from your TDEE, a common target for about one pound a week. We stop at 1,200 calories for women and 1,500 for men. Talk to a doctor before a big change. We do not offer crash diets.
Can I lose weight on a grocery budget?
Calorie math and grocery cost are separate. Set a grocery number with the dinner budget calculator, then pick dinners in the budget meal planner. Cheaper dinners can still fit a calorie target.
How do I turn these numbers into cheap dinners?
This page is a free calculator. For a week of dinners and a grocery list, open the budget meal planner. Set a grocery number first with the dinner budget calculator if you want a cost cap.
Does this include grocery cost?
The calorie math is free and local. Estimated dinner cost uses Carby catalog ingredient estimates, not live shelf prices. Open the dinner budget calculator for a grocery number, then the budget meal planner for five dinners that fit.
Sources: Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST et al., Am J Clin Nutr, 1990. Activity factors 1.2–1.9 are the usual desk-to-labor multipliers. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2026. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov Updated October 29, 2026. Reviewed by the owner of Carby. Planning numbers, not medical advice.