How Many Calories Should I Eat a Day to Lose 5 Lbs a Week?

Losing weight at about 1 to 2 pounds per week is considered safe, and anything more than that may not only be dangerous to your health, but will likely lead to long-term weight-loss failure. If you have a significant amount of weight to lose, however, you may find yourself losing up to 5 pounds the first week, primarily due to water loss. After the first week or two, losing weight more gradually is the best and safest approach. Furthermore, restricting your diet too much will leave you feeling starved and deprived, and more likely to binge.