How the calculator works
- Resting energy. The Mifflin-St Jeor formula estimates what your body burns at rest from your sex, age, height and weight.
- Maintenance. That is multiplied by an activity factor, from 1.2 (mostly sitting) to 1.725 (hard exercise most days).
- Fat-loss target. It takes off 15%, 20% or 25%, depending on the pace you choose, but never goes below 1,200 calories for women or 1,500 for men.
- Protein. 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg of bodyweight. With a BMI of 30 or more, it uses the weight at a BMI of 25 instead, which tracks muscle more closely.
Example: a 35-year-old woman, 160 cm and 70 kg, exercising 1–3 days a week, maintains on about 1,880 calories. At the standard pace her target is about 1,500 calories and 110–155 g of protein a day, for roughly 0.3 kg a week.
Easy swaps for Malaysian food
You don't have to give up the food you like. These swaps keep the meal and cut the calories. Figures are lab-measured typical servings from Singapore's hawker food database, which shares most of these dishes. Portions at Malaysian stalls vary a lot, so treat them as a guide.
| Instead of | Try | Saves about |
|---|---|---|
| Teh tarik, 250 ml: 120 kcal | Teh O kosong, 250 ml: 5 kcal | 115 kcal |
| Kopi (with condensed milk), 250 ml: 193 kcal | Kopi O kosong, 250 ml: 33 kcal | 160 kcal |
| Milo dinosaur, 550 ml: 501 kcal | Milo ais, 400 ml: 288 kcal | 213 kcal |
| Nasi lemak with fried chicken wing and egg, 1 plate: 815 kcal | Nasi lemak with egg, ikan bilis and peanuts, 1 plate: 632 kcal | 183 kcal |
| Roasted chicken rice, 1 plate: 643 kcal | Steamed chicken rice, 1 plate: 475 kcal | 168 kcal |
| Char kuey teow, 1 plate: 974 kcal | Yong tau foo in clear soup (7 pieces, mixed), 1 bowl: 578 kcal | 396 kcal |
| Mee goreng, 1 plate: 828 kcal | Economy rice with 1 vegetable and 1 fish, 1 plate: 599 kcal | 229 kcal |
| Economy rice with 2 meats, 1 fried, 1 plate: 869 kcal | Economy rice with 1 vegetable and 1 meat, 1 plate: 680 kcal | 189 kcal |
| Chicken satay with peanut sauce, 10 sticks: 550 kcal | Chicken satay, no sauce, 10 sticks: 220 kcal | 330 kcal |
Making the numbers work
- Fix the drinks first. Two kopi with condensed milk a day is close to 400 calories, about a quarter of a 1,500-calorie target. Kosong or kurang manis is the easiest win.
- Build meals around protein. Eggs, chicken, fish, tofu, tempeh and lean meat keep you fuller for longer.
- Watch the fried extras. Fried chicken, keropok and extra gravy add more than the rice does.
- Check weekly, not daily. Compare your weekly average weight and adjust by 100 to 200 calories if it hasn't moved in three weeks.
- Train for strength. It keeps your muscle while you eat less. See how long fat loss takes and how I coach weight loss.
Sources
- Resting energy: Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST et al. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990;51(2):241–247.
- Protein: Morton RW et al. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(6):376–384.
- Food energy values: Singapore Health Promotion Board, SG FoodID food composition database (pphtpc.hpb.gov.sg), records D09020075, D09020072, D09010035, D09010040, D04020021, D04020015, F05100087, F05100088, F05100112, F05100133, F05060020, F08010063, F05060080, F05100030, F05100036, F05100032, F11020021, F11020020, read 18 October 2026.