Use our calorie deficit calculator (version 2.2) to find how much weight you can lose safely and learn how many calories you needed to achieve your target weight loss.
Your Stats:
| Your Body Perameters | |
|---|---|
| Sex: | Age: |
| Height: | PAL: |
| TDEE: | RMR: |
| Weight: | Goal: |
| Daily intake / Time to goal | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Intake (kcal) |
Required time |
Predicted goal weight date |
Click icon for details |
How Does Calorie Deficit Calculator Work?
The calorie deficit calculator is a tool that helps to determine the number of calories you need on a daily basis to lose weight. This is calculated based on your basal metabolic rate (BMR), level of daily activity, and the rate at which you desire to lose those pounds.
For those who aren’t as familiar, your BMR is another word for the calories your body requires to function at rest and it’s also referred to as the metabolism.
BMR is calculated using a formula that takes into account your weight, height, and age.
How To Use The Calorie Deficit Calculator
While the calculator is rather straightforward, here are step-by-step instructions on how to use it.
- Choose the unit of measurement. The two options are imperial (lbs, ft, and inches) or metric (kg, m, and cm).
- Select your gender (male or female)
- Type in your age
- Enter your weight and height
- Choose your activity level
- Enter your Goal Weight
The calculator will then recommend your daily calorie needs (to maintain your current body weight) and the calorie deficit you should be in to lose weight.
What’s a Caloric Deficit and How Does It Cause Weight or Fat Loss?
Caloric deficit is another term for negative energy balance or insufficient calories to maintain your body weight.
For example, you may need 2,500 calories every day to remain at around 190 lbs. However, let’s say you want to get down to 160 lbs, well, you’ll need to either eat fewer than 2,500 calories, exercise more to burn extra calories, or do a combination of both.
When you’re in a calorie or energy deficit, your body starts tapping into your stored body fat which is an important source of energy. This is how fat loss happens.
Weight loss, on the other hand, while it can include body fat, typically means water, glycogen, and poop.
But if you know your total daily calorie expenditure (TDEE) and maintenance calories, you can create that deficit and begin to see fat loss results.
Here are the Top 20 Simple Weight Loss Tips
Best Ways To Burn More Calories
There are a few ways that you can burn calories to achieve a caloric deficit.
Eat less
If we tell you something, you have to promise not to tell anyone.
You can lose weight by just eating less food, no exercise required. Does that mean you should only eat less and not exercise? Absolutely not.
Physical activity is both important for your physical and mental health and you’ll burn even more calories than if you just ate fewer calories.
Related: Use Calorie Cycling To Achieve New Levels of Fat Loss
Be more active
Physical activity is an amazing way to burn lots of calories. Not to mention, if you’re a hungry person who likes to indulge more than you want to admit, then cardio is your best friend.
This can be in the form of playing sports, exercising on cardio equipment like a treadmill or rower, or even doing high-intensity interval training.
Also read: 20 Simple And Functional Workout Finishers For Muscle Gains, Strength, and Fat Loss
Eat less and be more active
You could also just do both! Eat fewer calories and do more physical activity. It’s certainly not for everyone, especially those who have a big appetite and who are prone to overdoing it. But it’s certainly an effective method for losing body fat.
You should still make sure to hit the desired deficit and not burn too many calories as this can be counterproductive and can be very unhealthy.
Use supplements
Unlike the other three best ways to burn calories, supplements aren’t nearly as effective for burning lots of calories on their own. But they can certainly help.
Check out these fat burner supplements and learn about the many effective ingredients included in them.
Drink more water
You could burn more calories by drinking more water. How so? First off, water fills you up and sends a signal to your brain that you’re full. It’s true. If you fill up on water, it’s hard to eat food.
Well, this can delay your appetite and prevent you from eating additional calories.
Additionally, dehydration is a common problem. You’ve probably heard before that you may think you’re hungry when you actually need water or fluids instead.
It’s so much easier to overeat when you’re not drinking enough water and many of us don’t.
It’s also a good idea to replace sugary and high-calorie beverages with water. Many drink far too many sodas and juices with added sugars and calories and this adds up to a lot of calories that are keeping you from losing weight.
There are also a few interesting studies on drinking water and losing weight. Drinking water before a meal has been shown to cause a few pounds lost over just a few month’s time (1, 2).
This is pretty good considering your diet and exercise play the most important role in your weight loss efforts.
But many struggle to get enough water because they just don’t like it. You can add lemon and Stevia, drink more coconut water, or infuse your water with fruit to make drinking water more enjoyable and tastier!
Also, carry around your favorite bottle and make sure it’s always full. This will become a habit and you’ll avoid dehydration which can happen rather quickly and easily, especially if you’re active.
Tip: Use Water Intake Calculator.
Hang around people with the same goals
Influence is a powerful thing. It’s very common for people to make decisions based on those of their peers.
If you want to lose weight or be healthier, it’s so much easier when you aren’t tempted to eat food at the closest fast food joint.
There’s nothing necessarily wrong with having a cheat meal or food you enjoy… once in a while. But it’s important to have structure and discipline.
You should write out your goals and why you want to achieve them and place them somewhere that you can see them several times per day.
You’re letting yourself down by continually making bad choices whether that’s with your diet or your life, in general.
Weigh yourself
This won’t directly cause you to burn more calories, however, if you don’t see your weight down on the scale after a few weeks then you probably need to tweak your diet or do more activity.
Make sure you’re tracking your calories so that you can identify and correct the issue.
Sometimes though, you might need to see a medical professional. Many suffer from health issues like an underactive thyroid or PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), or you may be taking medications, struggle with mental health problems, or just have a slower metabolism.
The good news is that anyone can lose weight with these issues but it may take treatment or changing up your routine.
FAQs
Should I exercise more to create a deficit?
Exercise can certainly help you create a calorie deficit and support weight loss, but it is not the only factor at play. In order to lose weight, you need to create a deficit between the calories you consume and the calories you burn. This means that both your diet and your exercise routine can play a role in your weight loss efforts.
To create a calorie deficit through exercise, you may want to consider increasing the intensity or duration of your workouts, or adding additional physical activity to your daily routine. However, it is also important to pay attention to your nutrition and make sure you are consuming a balanced, healthy diet. This will help ensure that you are getting the nutrients your body needs to support your weight loss goals and maintain optimal health.
What are some healthy snacks for losing weight?
When it comes to snacking while trying to lose weight, it’s important to focus on nutrient-dense options rather than empty calories. Some healthy choices that can help support weight loss include fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat yogurt, nuts and seeds, and high-protein bars. These snacks are typically low in calories and high in nutrients, making them a great choice for anyone looking to maintain a calorie deficit while still getting the fuel they need to power through their day.
What is the best way to track my food and exercise?
If you’re looking to track your food intake and exercise to support your weight loss goals, there are a number of different tools and techniques you can try. Calorie counting apps, food journals, and fitness trackers are all popular options. However, it’s important to find a method that works for you and fits your lifestyle. If calorie counting isn’t your thing, you might find it more helpful to focus on eating a variety of nutrient-dense, high-quality foods instead.
Is a 1200 calorie deficit too much?
It’s important to be mindful of your calorie intake when trying to create a deficit for weight loss. A 1200 calorie deficit may be too drastic for some people, depending on their individual caloric needs. For example, if you normally require 2000 calories per day to maintain your current weight (also known as your total daily energy expenditure or TDEE), then a 1200 calorie deficit would be far too low. It’s generally recommended to aim for a deficit of 500-750 calories per day in order to lose weight safely and sustainably.
To determine the right calorie deficit for you, it can be also helpful to use a TDEE calculator. It can help you estimate your caloric needs based on your age, gender, weight, height, and activity level. By inputting these variables, you can get a more accurate estimate of your TDEE and determine a safe and appropriate calorie deficit for your weight loss goals.
Related Calculators:
- Weight Loss Calculator
- Weight Loss Target Date Calculator
- TDEE Calculator
- Body Type Quiz
- Body Fat US Navy Calculator
- Body Fat Calculator
- Body Surface Area Calculator
- Calories Burned Calculator
Wrapping Up
The calorie deficit calculator is a fantastic tool that, while useful for anyone looking to lose fat, is very convenient for beginners to use as a starting point.
Keep in mind that adjustments to your lifestyle may be necessary to help you continue progressing and we have lots of great information on Fitness Volt to help you achieve your goals.
Also try our calories per meal calculator that splits your daily calorie intake into manageable servings.
You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and
YouTube for even more content.
I just ran across Fitness Volt while researching motivation on my weight loss journey this morning. I love the calculators. It breaks down everything into realistic numbers and confirms (along with my scale) I’m on the right track.