Calorie Deficit for Men
Most men lose about 1 lb a week at first eating around 500 calories below maintenance. For a 35-year-old, 5 ft 10 in, 210-lb, low-active man that's about 2,601 calories a day; your number depends on height, weight, age and activity — and never below 1,500 a day without supervision (Harvard Health).
There's no special "men's formula" for weight loss — the arithmetic of a calorie deficit diet is the same for everyone: eat below the calories your body burns. The 2023 National Academies equations use a man's own height, weight, age and activity to estimate that number, which lands higher than a same-sized woman's — the calorie deficit for women guide is the companion to this one.
How many calories should a man eat to lose weight?
Start from maintenance and subtract a moderate deficit. Here are maintenance and the target at a 500-calorie deficit for a range of men (age 35, low active):
| Height | 180 lb | 210 lb | 240 lb |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 7 in | 2,835 → 2,335 | 3,038 → 2,538 | 3,241 → 2,741 |
| 5 ft 10 in | 2,898 → 2,398 | 3,101 → 2,601 | 3,305 → 2,805 |
| 6 ft 1 in | 2,961 → 2,461 | 3,165 → 2,665 | 3,368 → 2,868 |
For your own number, enter your details in the calorie deficit calculator.
Age and activity change the number
Two things shift maintenance at the same size. First, age: the 5 ft 10 in, 210-lb man's maintenance is about 3,210 at 25, 3,101 at 35, 2,993 at 45, 2,885 at 55 and 2,776 at 65 — roughly 108 calories a day less per decade, by the equation. Second, activity: at 35 he is about 2,873 if inactive, 3,101 low active, 3,301 active and 3,699 very active. Pin yours down with the TDEE calculator.
The 1,500-calorie floor
Don't eat below 1,500 calories a day without a health professional's supervision (Harvard Health Publishing). At moderate deficits most men stay comfortably above it — but an "eat 1,500 a day" plan is a very large deficit for most men, far past the 500-to-1,000 range, and the kind of aggressive cut covered in is a 1,000-calorie deficit safe. More on where the floors come from in the minimum calories per day.
What to expect
At a steady deficit the pace fades as you lose, because a lighter body burns less. Here is the 5 ft 10 in, 210-lb man eating about 2,601 — the NIH model against the old 3,500-calorie rule (Hall et al. 2011):
| Week | NIH model | 3,500 rule |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 206.0 lb (93.4 kg) | 206.0 lb (93.4 kg) |
| 13 | 199.8 lb (90.6 kg) | 197.0 lb (89.4 kg) |
| 26 | 192.4 lb (87.3 kg) | 184.0 lb (83.5 kg) |
| 52 | 181.6 lb (82.4 kg) | 158.0 lb (71.7 kg) |
The model's line bends while the rule keeps falling straight — the gap is why the rule overshoots by year's end.
Why your number is a range
Every maintenance figure is an estimate. The men's equations carry a standard error of about 339 calories a day — about two in three men fall within that of their estimate — so start from the number and adjust from real weigh-ins over a few weeks. If the scale won't move, our guide to being in a deficit but not losing weight covers why.
Who should check with a doctor first
These tools and figures aren't designed for everyone. If you're under 19, or have a history of disordered eating, talk to a doctor or a registered dietitian before cutting calories, rather than using these numbers.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories should a man eat to lose weight?
About 500 below his maintenance; for the 5 ft 10 in, 210-lb example, about 2,601 calories a day.
Is 1,500 calories a day enough for a man?
It's the floor without supervision; for most men it's a much bigger deficit than 500 to 1,000.
How many calories should a man eat to lose 2 lb a week?
Maintenance minus 1,000 — about 2,101 for the 5 ft 10 in, 210-lb example.
Do men lose weight faster than women?
At the same 500-a-day deficit, the NIH model gives about 28 to 29 lb in a year for men and women alike across the six examples on our 500-calorie-deficit page.
What is a calorie deficit diet for men?
Eating below maintenance with a moderate deficit — the same approach as for anyone, built on your own maintenance number. See the calorie deficit diet guide.
Sources
- National Academies (2023), Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Table S-1
- National Academies (2023), chapter 7, activity levels
- Hall KD et al., The Lancet 2011 (NIH author manuscript)
- Harvard Health Publishing, Calorie counting made easy
- CDC, Adult BMI categories