Updated
Reverse Diet Calculator: Week-by-Week Calorie Plan
Build an arithmetic schedule from current to target calories. You choose the increase and macro split. This tool does not establish whether increasing calories is appropriate or claim a metabolic benefit.
Estimates for planning, not medical advice.
Use the calculator
Estimates for planning, not medical advice. Inputs stay in this browser and are not saved or sent to an AI service.
Method and assumptions
Week n calories = the smaller of the target and current calories + n × weekly increase. The last increase is clipped to reach the target exactly. Week 0 is the starting point.
Added carbohydrate = additional calories × carbohydrate share ÷ 4. Added fat = additional calories × remaining share ÷ 9. These are cumulative changes from week 0, not full daily macro targets; retain your existing baseline split and check the full plan separately.
The default 100 kcal increase is only an example. If the target is at or below current intake, the calculator returns week 0 and no increase plan. Zero increase is invalid. Plans are limited to 520 weeks to keep the output manageable.
Worked example with default inputs
- Current calories (kcal/day)
- 1800
- Target calories (kcal/day)
- 2200
- Weekly increase (example, not a recommendation)
- 100
- Protein held constant (g/day)
- 130
- Share of added calories from carbohydrate (%)
- 60
4 weeks of increases. Added carbohydrate and fat are cumulative changes from week 0, not full daily macro totals.
| Week | kcal/day | Protein g | Added carbs g/day | Added fat g/day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1800 | 130 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | 1900 | 130 | 15 | 4.44 |
| 2 | 2000 | 130 | 30 | 8.89 |
| 3 | 2100 | 130 | 45 | 13.33 |
| 4 | 2200 | 130 | 60 | 17.78 |
Related resources
Frequently asked questions
Does reverse dieting restore metabolism?
This calculator makes no claim about metabolic effects. It creates an arithmetic schedule from your inputs. Whether and how to change intake needs individual review.
What weekly increase should I use?
Choose it with an appropriately qualified professional. The example is not a recommendation.
Why are only added carbs and fat shown?
The tool does not know your starting carbohydrate and fat intake. It shows cumulative additions while holding the protein input constant, rather than inventing a starting macro split.