Free tool
Calorie Deficit Calculator for Women Over 40
How many calories to eat to lose fat, worked out from your maintenance: a gentle deficit you can keep, never a crash diet that costs muscle.
Your calorie deficit
1,575 calories a day
A gentle 15% below your maintenance of 1,850: about 0.6 lb a week
| Deficit | Calories | Per week |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | 1,665 | 0.4 lb |
| 15% (recommended) | 1,575 | 0.6 lb |
| 20% | 1,480 | 0.7 lb |
| 25% (aggressive) | 1,390 | 0.9 lb |
Never below what you burn at rest (1,347). Bigger cuts cost muscle and energy, and after 40 they usually stall.
Get a coach to adjust these with youNumbers are a starting point. A coach changes them as your body answers.
How your numbers are worked out
- 1Your maintenance first: what you burn at rest (Mifflin-St Jeor) times your activity. Why
- 2A gentle 15% below maintenance is the starting point; 25% is the most aggressive we'd show. Why
- 3Never below your BMR. 1,200-calorie diets usually stall after 40. Why
- 4Expect about 0.5 to 1 pound a week, judged over months, not days. Why
For education, not medical advice. On a GLP-1 medication, pregnant, or managing a medical condition? Set your numbers with your doctor.
Questions women ask
What is a good calorie deficit for a woman over 40?
A gentle one: about 15% below your maintenance calories, which for most women means 0.5 to 1 pound a week. It protects muscle and energy, which matter more after 40.
Why am I not losing weight in a calorie deficit?
Often because the deficit isn't what you think (tracking gaps), because water and hormones are masking fat loss, or because you've been in a deficit so long your body has adapted. Judge the trend over several weeks, and consider a maintenance break.
Is 1,200 calories a day enough?
For most women over 40 it's too few. It usually sits below what your body burns at rest, which costs muscle and stalls fat loss. Start from your maintenance and take a gentle deficit instead.
How long should I stay in a calorie deficit?
Months, not years, with breaks. When energy, workouts, sleep or mood drop, or you plateau for weeks, it's time for maintenance before your next fat-loss phase.
Go deeper
Metabolism, Eating More & Reverse Dieting
When should I stop dieting and eat at maintenance?
Nikkiey says it's time to move to maintenance when you've reached your goal, hit a plateau that won't budge for weeks, or your body starts pushing back. That means energy and gym performance drop, hunger is constant, mood or sleep suffer, or you're mentally burned out from dieting, often after months in a deficit.
Read the answer →
Building Muscle After 40
Can I build muscle in a calorie deficit?
Yes, you can build some muscle in a calorie deficit, especially if you're newer to strength training or have more fat to lose, but not as much as at maintenance or in a surplus. Nikkiey explains that a modest deficit, enough protein and a real lifting program work. Crash-level calories like 1,200 don't.
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Diets, Fasting & Diet Culture
Why am I not losing weight on 1,200 calories?
Eating 1,200 calories is often too little, not too much. Dr. Stacy Sims explains it sits around an average resting metabolic rate, so your body treats it as a threat, conserves energy and breaks down lean mass. Long-term dieting also adapts your metabolism down. Before cutting further, check your tracking is accurate.
Read the answer →