Pounds to Calories Converter
Enter the weight in pounds below to convert it to calories.
Result in Calories:
Do you want to convert calories to pounds?
How to Convert Pounds to Calories
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To convert a measurement in pounds to a measurement in calories, multiply the weight by the following conversion ratio: 3,500 calories/pound.
Since one pound of body fat is equal to 3,500 calories, you can use this simple formula to convert:
calories = pounds × 3,500
The weight in calories is equal to the weight in pounds multiplied by 3,500.
How Many Calories Are in a Pound of Body Fat?
There are 3,500 calories in a pound of body fat,[1] which is why we use this value in the formula above.
1 lb = 3,500 kcal
Some experts suggest that to lose 1 pound per week, you'd need to create a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories, or 500 kcal per day.[2] Learn more about weight loss and how to calculate a calorie deficit.
Pounds are a unit of weight, and calories are a unit of energy. Keep reading to learn more about each unit of measure.
What Is a Pound?
Pounds are a widely used unit of weight in the United States. The National Bureau of Standards approved the international definition of the pound for use in the United States in 1959 after an agreement between six nations referred to as the International Yard and Pound Agreement.[3]
One pound is equal to 16 ounces, or 0.45359237 kilograms. In the avoirdupois or apothecaries' systems, one pound is equal to 7,000 grains.[4]
The pound is a US customary and imperial unit of weight. A pound is sometimes also referred to as a common ounce. Pounds can be abbreviated as lb (plural lbs), and are also sometimes abbreviated as lbm or #. For example, 1 pound can be written as 1 lb, 1 lbm, or 1 #, and 2 pounds can be written as 2 lbs.
Learn more about pounds.
What Is a Calorie?
Converting calories is actually a conversion of energy burned by the body performing work rather than actual weight. When measuring the energy content in foods, the large calorie, or kilocalorie, is used, but it's often still just called a "calorie."
One calorie (large calorie) is equal to the heat needed to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by 1 degree Celsius.[5] You'll need to burn 3,500 calories more than you eat to lose one pound of weight.[1]
Calories can be abbreviated as kcal; for example, 1 calorie can be written as 1 kcal.
Learn more about calories.
Pound to Calorie Conversion Table
| Pounds | Calories |
|---|---|
| 0.001 lb | 3.5 kcal |
| 0.002 lb | 7 kcal |
| 0.003 lb | 10.5 kcal |
| 0.004 lb | 14 kcal |
| 0.005 lb | 17.5 kcal |
| 0.006 lb | 21 kcal |
| 0.007 lb | 24.5 kcal |
| 0.008 lb | 28 kcal |
| 0.009 lb | 31.5 kcal |
| 0.01 lb | 35 kcal |
| 0.02 lb | 70 kcal |
| 0.03 lb | 105 kcal |
| 0.04 lb | 140 kcal |
| 0.05 lb | 175 kcal |
| 0.06 lb | 210 kcal |
| 0.07 lb | 245 kcal |
| 0.08 lb | 280 kcal |
| 0.09 lb | 315 kcal |
| 0.1 lb | 350 kcal |
| 0.2 lb | 700 kcal |
| 0.3 lb | 1,050 kcal |
| 0.4 lb | 1,400 kcal |
| 0.5 lb | 1,750 kcal |
| 0.6 lb | 2,100 kcal |
| 0.7 lb | 2,450 kcal |
| 0.8 lb | 2,800 kcal |
| 0.9 lb | 3,150 kcal |
| 1 lb | 3,500 kcal |
References
- Guth, E. MD, Healthy Weight Loss, JAMA, 2014, 312(9), 974. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1900513
- Mayo Clinic, Weight Loss, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/calories/art-20048065
- National Bureau of Standards, Refinement of Values for the Yard and Pound, U.S. Department of Commerce, July 1, 1959, https://www.nist.gov/system/files/documents/2017/05/09/frn-59-5442-1959.pdf
- Encyclopædia Britannica, Avoirdupois weight, https://www.britannica.com/science/avoirdupois-weight
- Brazier, Yvette, How many calories do you need?, Medical News Today, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/263028