Calories to lose weight for a 72 kg man

PeakX · Calorie targets · Updated 2026-11-11

About 2,100 kcal on training days and 1,950 kcal on rest days, with 145 g protein, if you are 26, 172 cm and train 3–5 days a week. Your maintenance is about 2,589 kcal.

How the number is worked out

1. Resting energy (Mifflin-St Jeor): 10 × 72 + 6.25 × 172 − 5 × 26 + 5 = 1,670 kcal.
2. Times 1.55 for moderate activity = 2,589 kcal to stay the same weight.
3. Minus 500 kcal to lose weight, rounded to 50 = 2,100 kcal. Rest days are 150 kcal lower.
4. Protein at 2 g per kg = 145 g. Fat at 25% of calories = 60 g. Carbs fill the rest: 250 g.

By how active you are

By age (moderately active)

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 2,101 kcal and 131 g protein. Most of the protein comes from whey shake (with water) (48 g), paneer bhurji (30 g), moong dal chilla (12 g).