How much weight will you lose with a 500-calorie deficit?

Reviewed 2 November 2026 · How these numbers are calculated

A deficit of 500 calories a day loses about 0.45 kg (1 lb) a week, or roughly 2.0 kg (4.4 lb) a month, using the standard 7,700 calories per kg of fat. Expect a bit more in the first week or two (water) and a bit less later, because your maintenance drops as you lose weight. Whether 500 is right depends on your size: it's a gentle deficit for a bigger person and a steep one for a small one.

What different deficits do

Weight lost by daily deficit, at a steady rate
Deficit	Per week	Per month	3 months
250 kcal	0.23 kg0.5 lb	1.0 kg2.2 lb	3.0 kg7 lb
500 kcal	0.45 kg1.0 lb	2.0 kg4.4 lb	5.9 kg13 lb
750 kcal	0.68 kg1.5 lb	3.0 kg6.5 lb	8.9 kg20 lb
1,000 kcal	0.91 kg2.0 lb	4.0 kg8.7 lb	11.8 kg26 lb

Is 500 a day right for you?

A 500-calorie deficit for different people (age 40, 8,000 steps)
Person	Burn	Eat	Pace
Woman, 60 kg 132 lb	1,730	1,230	0.76%/wk
Woman, 70 kg 154 lb	1,890	1,390	0.65%/wk
Woman, 85 kg 187 lb	2,120	1,620	0.53%/wk
Man, 75 kg 165 lb	2,280	1,780	0.61%/wk
Man, 90 kg 198 lb	2,520	2,020	0.51%/wk
Man, 110 kg 243 lb	2,830	2,330	0.41%/wk

Pace = percent of body weight lost per week. Deficitly suggests 0.5% and never plans below 1,200 (women) or 1,500 (men) calories.

For a 60 kg woman, 500 a day is already 0.76% of her weight a week and close to the minimum intake; for a 110 kg man it's a gentle 0.41%. Sizing the deficit to your weight works better: the calorie deficit calculator shows gentle to fast paces side by side.

Why the scale won't follow the math exactly

Eating a fixed 500 below your starting maintenance: 80 kg (176 lb) woman, 165 cm, 8,000 steps
After	Simple math	With falling burn
4 weeks	1.8 kg	1.8 kg
8 weeks	3.6 kg	3.5 kg
12 weeks	5.5 kg	5.1 kg
26 weeks	11.8 kg	10.0 kg

Right column: weight and maintenance recalculated every week with the Deficitly engine.

As you get lighter, your maintenance falls, so the same intake becomes a smaller deficit: after half a year the difference is noticeable (see is the 3,500-calorie rule accurate?). That's why it pays to recalculate every few kilos (more in why weight loss slows down). The scale also swings with water from day to day; see why you might not be losing in a deficit.

How to make a 500-calorie deficit

Mostly through food: 500 calories is roughly a large latte and a pastry, or a portion of fries and a soft drink. Walking alone would take about 19,000 extra steps a day at 75 kg (165 lb), so a mix works well: eat about 300 less and walk a few thousand more steps. Keep protein high so most of the loss is fat; see the macro calculator and how many steps a day to lose weight.

What about a 1,000-calorie deficit?

A 1,000-calorie deficit loses about 0.91 kg (2 lb) a week. That can be reasonable for people with a lot to lose and a high burn, but for most it means eating near or below the minimum, losing more muscle, and a diet that's hard to keep. Keep the pace at or under 1% of your body weight a week. If you're already eating a set amount, see what eating 1,500 calories does or whether 1,200 is safe.