Calories to lose weight for a 42 kg woman

PeakX · Calorie targets · Updated 2026-11-11

About 1,250 kcal on training days and 1,100 kcal on rest days, with 85 g protein, if you are 26, 158 cm and train 3–5 days a week. Your maintenance is about 1,731 kcal.

How the number is worked out

1. Resting energy (Mifflin-St Jeor): 10 × 42 + 6.25 × 158 − 5 × 26 − 161 = 1,117 kcal.
2. Times 1.55 for moderate activity = 1,731 kcal to stay the same weight.
3. Minus 500 kcal to lose weight, rounded to 50 = 1,250 kcal. Rest days are 150 kcal lower.
4. Protein at 2 g per kg = 85 g. Fat at 25% of calories = 35 g. Carbs fill the rest: 150 g.

By how active you are

By age (moderately active)

Height matters too: every 5 cm taller adds about 31 kcal to resting energy, or about 50 kcal a day at moderate activity.

What to expect

A 500 kcal daily gap is about 0.5 kg of fat a week, so losing 5 kg takes roughly 11 weeks. Expect the scale to jump around by 1 kg from water and salt; judge the trend over 2–3 weeks.

A vegetarian Indian day at this target

This day lands at 1,271 kcal and 93 g protein. Most of the protein comes from whey shake (with water) (48 g), paneer bhurji (15 g), moong dal chilla (12 g).