Estimate your daily calorie needs for weight maintenance, loss or gain based on Mifflin-St Jeor Equation.
As you keep a low-calorie diet, your body will likely adapt to the new, lower energy environment, which can lead to a plateau in your progress. Zigzag calorie cycling, also known as a "zigzag diet," is a method of calorie consumption that can potentially help you overcome this plateau and get you back on track to meeting your goals.
The following are two sample 7-day Zigzag calorie cycling schedules based on your calculated maintenance calories.
| Mild weight loss | Weight loss | Extreme weight loss |
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| Mild weight loss | Weight loss | Extreme weight loss |
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Another effective way to lose weight, aside from reducing calorie intake, is increasing your activity level. The following is a general list of estimated weight lost based on varying activity levels and your maintenance calorie intake.
| Activity level | Weight lost per week |
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This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation, which is widely regarded as the most accurate formula for estimating BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) — the number of calories your body burns at rest.
Your maintenance calories (TDEE) are calculated by multiplying your BMR by an activity factor that accounts for your daily physical activity level.
| Activity Level | Multiplier | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | 1.2 | Little to no exercise, desk job |
| Lightly Active | 1.375 | Light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week |
| Moderately Active | 1.55 | Moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week |
| Very Active | 1.725 | Hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week |
| Extra Active | 1.9 | Very hard exercise & physical job or 2x training |
One pound of body weight is approximately equal to 3,500 calories. To lose 1 pound per week, you need a daily deficit of 500 calories. To lose 1 kilogram per week, you need a daily deficit of approximately 7,700 calories, or 1,100 calories per day.