Your Calorie & Macro Targets: Slow, Steady Fat Loss
Summary: Based on your stats and activity, your estimated maintenance is about 1,900–2,150 kcal/day. For gentle fat loss that shouldn't leave you feeling starved, a target of about 1,650–1,800 kcal/day fits your goal. Aim for roughly 125–170 g protein, 40–70 g fat, and 130–230 g carbs daily. This could mean losing around 0.4–0.75 lb (0.2–0.35 kg) per week, though everyone's body responds a little differently.
Quick check: You're an adult, and your estimated BMI is about 27.8. Your goal of 10–15 lb over several months is a gradual pace. Nothing in your inputs points to a special situation, so standard estimates apply.
Your Numbers at a Glance
| Item | Estimate |
|---|---|
| BMR (calories at complete rest) | ~1,475 kcal/day |
| Activity level chosen | Lightly active (×1.375) |
| Maintenance range (TDEE) | ~1,900–2,150 kcal/day |
| Goal target range | ~1,650–1,800 kcal/day (about 10–20% below maintenance) |
| Protein | ~125–170 g/day (~28–40% of calories) |
| Fat | ~40–70 g/day (~20–35% of calories) |
| Carbs | ~130–230 g/day (the remainder, ~30–55% of calories) |
| Expected rate of change | ~0.4–0.75 lb (0.2–0.35 kg) per week, or about 0.25–0.45% of body weight. 10–15 lb might take roughly 3–8 months. |
How We Got These Numbers
1. Unit conversions
- Height: 5'6" = 66 in × 2.54 = 167.6 cm
- Weight: 172 lb × 0.4536 = 78.0 kg
2. BMI (a quick screening check only)
- 78.0 kg ÷ (1.676 m)² = 78.0 ÷ 2.81 ≈ 27.8
- This is under 30, so protein is based on your actual weight. It is also well above 18.5, so a gentle deficit is reasonable.
3. BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor, female formula)
- 10 × 78.0 = 780
- 6.25 × 167.6 = 1,048
- 5 × 38 = 190
- BMR = 780 + 1,048 − 190 − 161 ≈ 1,477 → ~1,475 kcal/day
4. Activity multiplier
- Chosen: Lightly active (1.375). Your desk job sets a fairly low baseline. Your daily 30-minute dog walk and two spin classes a week add meaningful activity, which fits "lightly active" well.
- Borderline note: You're near the edge of "moderately active." If you add 2–3 weight sessions per week, your true maintenance may sit closer to 1,477 × 1.55 ≈ 2,300 kcal. Rather than guessing high, we started at the lower level. The 2–4 week check-in below will show which estimate fits you.
5. Maintenance (TDEE)
- 1,477 × 1.375 ≈ 2,031 kcal/day
- With a ±125 kcal range, that gives ~1,900–2,150 kcal/day.
- Formulas like this can be off by about 10% or more for any individual, so treat this as a starting point.
6. Goal target (gentle fat loss)
- 10% below maintenance: 2,031 × 0.90 ≈ 1,828
- 15% below: 2,031 × 0.85 ≈ 1,726
- 20% below: 2,031 × 0.80 ≈ 1,625
- Target: ~1,650–1,800 kcal/day. Because you want "slowly, without feeling starved," the middle-to-upper part of this range (about 1,750) is a comfortable place to start.
- This range stays well above the 1,200 kcal floor.
- Rate check: A deficit of about 230–380 kcal/day works out to roughly 0.4–0.75 lb/week. That is about 0.25–0.45% of your body weight, within the gentle 0.25–1% range.
7. Macros
- Protein: 1.6–2.2 g/kg × 78 kg ≈ 125–170 g/day. We used the "active with a goal" range because you exercise and plan to start weights, and protein helps with fullness. The lower end (about 125–140 g) is a very workable target, especially on a mostly vegetarian diet.
- Fat: 20–35% of 1,650–1,800 kcal ≈ 37–70 g. The minimum is 0.5 g/kg × 78 = 39 g. Rounded, that gives ~40–70 g/day.
- Carbs: These are the calories left after protein and fat, about 130–230 g/day. Carbs help fuel spin classes and lifting, so days on the higher end may feel better when you train.
Assumptions
- You selected the female formula.
- Activity is "lightly active," with a possible shift toward "moderately active" once you add weights.
- You're a generally healthy adult who isn't pregnant or breastfeeding, with no medical conditions or medications affecting weight. If any of that changes, your targets should come from a doctor or registered dietitian.
Sample Day of Eating (~1,750 kcal, vegetarian with eggs & dairy)
This day follows your usual pattern: lunch, an afternoon snack, and dinner. It adds optional extras for the morning and evening. All values are approximate, based on typical nutrition info for common foods.
| Meal | Foods & approximate portions | ~kcal | ~P (g) | ~F (g) | ~C (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning coffee (optional, not a "breakfast") | Latte or coffee with 1 cup (240 ml) skim milk | 85 | 8 | 0 | 12 |
| Lunch: Lentil & egg power salad | 1 cup cooked lentils, 2 hard-boiled eggs, 2 cups greens + cucumber/tomato/peppers, 30 g (1 oz) feta, 2 tsp olive oil + vinegar/lemon | 565 | 36 | 26 | 50 |
| Afternoon snack | 1 cup (~225 g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt, 1 cup berries, 1 tbsp chopped almonds | 260 | 26 | 5 | 28 |
| Dinner: Tofu veggie stir-fry | 200 g (~7 oz) firm tofu, 1 tsp oil, 2 cups stir-fry veggies, 1 cup cooked brown rice, soy sauce + garlic + ginger | 645 | 44 | 25 | 70 |
| Evening snack (optional, or fold into dinner) | ¾ cup 2% cottage cheese + 1 small orange or peach | 195 | 19 | 4 | 22 |
| Totals | ~1,750 | ~133 | ~60 | ~182 |
This lands near the middle of your targets. Protein is at the lower-middle of its range, and fat is about 31% of calories. If you skip the optional items, you'll land closer to 1,450–1,500 kcal. That's fine occasionally, but adding a bit more to your main meals will help keep you from feeling overly hungry.
Easy swaps
- Tofu → tempeh, seitan, or edamame. All are high in protein. Paneer works too, but it's higher in fat, so use a smaller portion.
- Lentils → chickpeas or black beans. These have similar protein and fiber. Or turn lunch into an egg salad wrap on a whole-grain tortilla.
- **Greek yogurt → skyr or c