Calorie Deficit for Women
Most women lose about 1 lb a week at first eating around 500 calories below maintenance. For a 35-year-old, 5 ft 5 in, 170-lb, low-active woman that's about 1,856 calories a day; your number depends on height, weight, age and activity — and never below 1,200 a day without supervision (Harvard Health).
There's no separate "women'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 simply use a woman's own height, weight, age and activity to estimate that number, which lands lower than a same-sized man's.
How many calories should a woman 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 women (age 35, low active):
| Height | 140 lb | 170 lb | 200 lb |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 2 in | 2,141 → 1,641 | 2,306 → 1,806 | 2,471 → 1,971 |
| 5 ft 5 in | 2,191 → 1,691 | 2,356 → 1,856 | 2,521 → 2,021 |
| 5 ft 8 in | 2,241 → 1,741 | 2,406 → 1,906 | 2,572 → 2,072 |
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 5 in, 170-lb woman's maintenance is about 2,426 at 25, 2,356 at 35, 2,286 at 45, 2,216 at 55 and 2,146 at 65 — roughly 70 calories a day less per decade, by the equation. Second, activity: at 35 she is about 2,187 if inactive, 2,356 low active, 2,496 active and 2,732 very active. Pin yours down with the TDEE calculator.
The 1,200-calorie floor
Don't eat below 1,200 calories a day without a health professional's supervision (Harvard Health Publishing). Smaller, less active women reach that floor sooner: a 35-year-old, 5 ft 2 in, 140-lb, inactive woman has a maintenance of about 1,984, so a 750-calorie deficit takes her to 1,234 — fine — but a 1,000-calorie deficit would put her at 984, below the floor. When a planned deficit dips under 1,200, choose a smaller one. More on 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 5 in, 170-lb woman eating about 1,856 — the NIH model against the old 3,500-calorie rule (Hall et al. 2011):
| Week | NIH model | 3,500 rule |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 165.8 lb (75.2 kg) | 166.0 lb (75.3 kg) |
| 13 | 159.6 lb (72.4 kg) | 157.0 lb (71.2 kg) |
| 26 | 152.1 lb (69.0 kg) | 144.0 lb (65.3 kg) |
| 52 | 140.9 lb (63.9 kg) | 118.0 lb (53.5 kg) |
The model's line bends while the rule keeps falling straight — the gap is why the rule overshoots by year's end. For a gentler sense of the same pace, see what a 500-calorie deficit does week by week.
Why your number is a range
Every maintenance figure is an estimate. The women's equations carry a standard error of about 246 calories a day — about two in three women fall within that of their estimate — so treat the number as a starting point 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 pregnant or breastfeeding, 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 woman eat to lose weight?
About 500 below her maintenance; for the 5 ft 5 in, 170-lb example, about 1,856 calories a day.
Is 1,200 calories a day enough for a woman?
It's the floor without supervision, not a target; most women's moderate-deficit target sits well above it.
How many calories should a woman eat to lose 2 lb a week?
Maintenance minus 1,000, only if that stays at or above 1,200 — about 1,356 for the 5 ft 5 in, 170-lb example.
Do women need fewer calories than men?
At the same size, yes by the 2023 equations: at 35, 5 ft 7 in and 180 lb, low active, about 2,445 for a woman versus 2,835 for a man.
What is a calorie deficit diet for women?
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