How many calories need to be burned to lose weight
May 15, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yu Yongchao
Introduction
If you aim to lose 0.5-1 kilogram per week, this is considered a healthy and sustainable rate of weight loss. Since 1 kilogram of fat is roughly equivalent to 7700 calories, creating a daily calorie deficit of 500-1000 calories will result in a weekly fat loss of 0.5-1 kilogram. A calorie deficit can be achieved by reducing calorie intake and/or increasing calorie expenditure.
Generally speaking, to achieve the goal of weight loss, a daily calorie deficit of 500-1000 calories is required.
If aiming to lose 0.5-1 kilogram of body weight per week, this is considered a healthy and sustainable rate of weight loss. Since 1 kilogram of fat equates to approximately 7700 calories, creating a daily calorie deficit of 500-1000 calories can result in a weekly fat loss of 0.5-1 kilogram. A calorie deficit can be achieved by reducing calorie intake, increasing calorie expenditure, or a combination of both.
Appropriately controlling diet by reducing intake of high-calorie, high-fat, and high-sugar foods while simultaneously increasing physical activity, such as engaging in aerobic exercises and strength training, can help achieve this goal. However, specific calorie expenditure values vary from person to person and are influenced by multiple factors including age, gender, basal metabolic rate (BMR), exercise intensity, and duration. Individuals with a higher basal metabolic rate will burn more calories under the same level of physical activity; similarly, greater exercise intensity and longer duration result in increased calorie expenditure.
However, it is not recommended to create an excessively large calorie deficit through extreme dieting or excessive exercise, as this may lead to adverse effects on the body, such as malnutrition, weakened immune function, and exercise-related injuries.
