How Many Calories Should I Eat Per Day?

Q: How many calories should I eat to lose weight?

To lose weight gradually, eat 300–500 calories fewer than your TDEE per day. This creates a weekly deficit of 2,100–3,500 calories, which corresponds to approximately 0.3–0.5 kg of fat loss per week.

Q: How many calories should an average woman eat per day?

Most moderately active women need between 1,800–2,200 calories per day to maintain weight. This varies significantly based on age, height, weight, and activity level.

Q: Is 1200 calories a day enough?

1,200 calories is the general minimum recommended for women. Going below this level risks nutrient deficiencies, muscle loss, and metabolic adaptation. Most people need more than 1,200 calories even for active weight loss.

Get a personalised answer based on your age, gender, weight, height, activity level, and goal.

"How many calories should I eat per day?" is one of the most searched nutrition questions on the internet — and the answer is genuinely different for every person. Generic advice like "eat 2,000 calories" ignores the factors that actually determine your needs: body size, age, sex, activity level, and your goal. This guide walks you through how to find your personal number.

General calorie guidelines by age and gender

The following ranges come from dietary guidelines and apply to moderately active individuals at average heights and weights. They are starting points, not personal prescriptions.

Men aged 19–30: 2,600–2,800 calories/day
Men aged 31–50: 2,400–2,600 calories/day
Men aged 51+: 2,200–2,400 calories/day
Women aged 19–30: 2,000–2,200 calories/day
Women aged 31–50: 1,800–2,000 calories/day
Women aged 51+: 1,600–1,800 calories/day

These figures decrease as we age primarily because muscle mass naturally decreases, lowering the basal metabolic rate.

How to find your personal calorie target in 3 steps

Step 1: Calculate your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation:

Men: BMR = (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) – (5 × age) + 5
Women: BMR = (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) – (5 × age) – 161

Step 2: Multiply by your activity level to get your TDEE (maintenance calories):

Sedentary (desk job, no exercise): × 1.2
Lightly active (1–3 workouts/week): × 1.375
Moderately active (3–5 workouts/week): × 1.55
Very active (6–7 workouts/week): × 1.725

Step 3: Adjust for your goal:

Weight loss: TDEE – 300 to 500 calories
Maintenance: TDEE
Muscle gain: TDEE + 200 to 300 calories

Worked example – 35-year-old man, 80 kg, 178 cm, lightly active

BMR = (10 × 80) + (6.25 × 178) – (5 × 35) + 5 = 800 + 1,112.5 – 175 + 5 = 1,742.5 calories

TDEE = 1,742.5 × 1.375 = 2,396 calories/day to maintain weight

For gradual weight loss: 2,396 – 400 = 1,996 calories/day

Why 1,200 calories is too low for most people

Many popular diet plans default to 1,200 calories for women and 1,500 for men. For most adults, these levels are below what's needed to meet daily protein, vitamin, and mineral requirements without supplementation. Eating at these levels long-term leads to muscle loss, fatigue, hair thinning, hormonal disruption, and metabolic slowdown. A 300–500 calorie deficit from your TDEE is almost always preferable to an arbitrary low ceiling.

Calories are not equal – food quality matters

Two people can eat the same calorie amount with dramatically different health outcomes depending on what those calories come from. 1,800 calories from whole foods (vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, healthy fats) supports energy, gut health, and satiety. 1,800 calories from ultra-processed foods (chips, biscuits, sugary drinks) may meet the calorie target but causes hunger, blood sugar swings, and nutritional gaps.

How hunger, weight loss speed, and adherence interact

The best calorie target is one you can actually maintain for months. Extreme deficits (800–1,000 calories below TDEE) produce fast initial results but are almost universally abandoned due to hunger, fatigue, and social friction. A moderate 300–500 calorie deficit creates progress you can sustain for 12–24 weeks — which produces better long-term outcomes even if the weekly loss looks slower.

Calorie cycling – a flexible approach

Rather than eating the same number of calories every day, some people prefer calorie cycling — eating more on workout days and less on rest days, while the weekly average still hits the target deficit. This approach can improve workout performance and reduce the monotony of rigid daily targets.

Frequently asked questions about daily calorie intake

How many calories should I eat to lose weight? Eat 300–500 fewer calories than your TDEE per day. This creates approximately 0.3–0.5 kg of fat loss per week — sustainable and realistic.

How many calories should an average woman eat per day? Most moderately active women need 1,800–2,200 calories per day to maintain weight. This varies significantly with size and activity level.

Is 1,200 calories a day enough? For most adults, 1,200 calories is below the minimum to meet nutritional needs. It is not recommended as a long-term approach unless supervised by a doctor or dietitian.

Practical checklist for setting your calorie target

Calculate your personal TDEE — do not use generic charts
Choose a deficit of 300–500 calories rather than the most extreme option
Track calories for at least 2–3 weeks before drawing conclusions
Prioritise protein intake (1.6–2 g per kg bodyweight) within your calorie target
Recalculate your target every 4–6 weeks as your weight changes

Final takeaway

There is no single answer to "how many calories should I eat?" — the right number is personal, based on your body and goals. The three-step process above (BMR → TDEE → goal adjustment) gives you a data-driven starting point far more accurate than any generic recommendation. Use the calorie calculator below to get your personalised target in seconds.