Calories to lose weight for a 120 kg man
About 2,850 kcal on training days and 2,700 kcal on rest days, with 240 g protein, if you are 26, 172 cm and train 3–5 days a week. Your maintenance is about 3,333 kcal.
2,850kcal a day
240 gprotein
290 gcarbs
80 gfat
How the number is worked out
- Resting energy (Mifflin-St Jeor): 10 × 120 + 6.25 × 172 − 5 × 26 + 5 = 2,150 kcal.
- Times 1.55 for moderate activity = 3,333 kcal to stay the same weight.
- Minus 500 kcal to lose weight, rounded to 50 = 2,850 kcal. Rest days are 150 kcal lower.
- Protein at 2 g per kg = 240 g. Fat at 25% of calories = 80 g. Carbs fill the rest: 290 g.
By how active you are
| Activity | Maintain | Training day | Rest day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desk job, little exercise | 2,580 | 2,100 | 1,950 |
| Light: 1–3 workouts a week | 2,956 | 2,450 | 2,300 |
| Moderate: 3–5 workouts a week | 3,333 | 2,850 | 2,700 |
| Active: 6–7 hard sessions a week | 3,709 | 3,200 | 3,050 |
By age (moderately active)
| Age | Resting | Maintain | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 2,180 | 3,379 | 2,900 |
| 26 | 2,150 | 3,333 | 2,850 |
| 30 | 2,130 | 3,302 | 2,800 |
| 35 | 2,105 | 3,263 | 2,750 |
| 40 | 2,080 | 3,224 | 2,700 |
| 50 | 2,030 | 3,147 | 2,650 |
Height matters too: every 5 cm taller adds about 31 kcal to resting energy, or about 50 kcal a day at moderate activity.
What to expect
A 500 kcal daily gap is about 0.5 kg of fat a week, so losing 5 kg takes roughly 11 weeks. Expect the scale to jump around by 1 kg from water and salt; judge the trend over 2–3 weeks.
A vegetarian Indian day at this target
This day lands at 2,816 kcal and 156 g protein. Most of the protein comes from whey shake (with water) (48 g), paneer bhurji (30 g), roti (17 g).
| Food | Portion | kcal | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 218 | 12 g | |
| Moong dal chilla | 2 chilla | 218 | 12 g |
| Lunch | 803 | 30 g | |
| Chole | 1 katori | 230 | 9 g |
| Roti | 5 roti | 495 | 17 g |
| Cucumber raita | 1 katori | 78 | 4 g |
| Evening snack | 459 | 57 g | |
| Whey shake (with water) | 2 scoops | 240 | 48 g |
| Peanut butter toast | 2 slices | 219 | 9 g |
| Dinner | 1336 | 58 g | |
| Paneer bhurji | 2 katori | 550 | 30 g |
| Bhindi masala | 1 katori | 111 | 3 g |
| Roti | 5 roti | 495 | 17 g |
| Curd | 2 katori | 180 | 9 g |
| Day total | 2,816 | 156 g | |