If you’re asking yourself that question, “how many calories should I eat a day?”, then it can actually depend on a variety of factors like age, sex, height, weight, activity levels, metabolism, as well as health objectives. The ideal calorie intake varies from person to person. Generally, 2,000 calories a day are considered a reference value for nutrition labels. But the amount of calories needed by a person can be significantly different. Your body requires energy for its basic processes including breathing, circulation, digestion, body temperature and activity. Knowing about your calorie consumption each day can help you make better nutritional choices – whether you’re looking to lose weight, maintain your weight, or gain weight.
What Are Calories?
Calories are units of energy that your body obtains from food and beverages. Calories are the energy provided by carbohydrates, proteins, fats and alcohol.
Calories are being burned all day every day, even when you’re sleeping. This energy is required to maintain your organs and processes. Walking, exercising, working, digestion and other daily activities also help you to burn extra calories.
Some factors that affect the number of calories you need are age, sex, body size, muscle mass and activity level.
That’s why it’s important that two people of the same age may have different calorie needs.
How Many Calories Should I Eat a Day?
For the majority of adults, the amount of calories they need ranges widely. The amount of calories needed for adults is determined by the sex, age and activity level. The estimated calorie needs for adult females are about 1,600 to 2,400 calories a day and for adult males are about 2,000 to 3,000 calories a day.
| Group | Approximate Daily Calorie Range |
| Adult women | 1,600–2,400 calories |
| Adult men | 2,000–3,000 calories |
| Less active adults | Usually toward the lower end |
| Active adults | Usually toward the higher end |
The calorie requirements of a small, sedentary individual may be different from those of a tall, muscular or active person.
So, if you are asking yourselves, How many calories should I eat a day? it is better to take into account your personal characteristics instead of using a single calorie number.
Daily Calorie Intake by Age
Age is one of the factors that can affect calorie requirements. Children and youth have energy needs for growth and development as well as for daily activities. As adults age, the amount of calories needed decreases, although activity level and body size are still a factor.
There may be significant difference in approximate calorie requirements:
| Age Group | General Calorie Requirement |
| Young children | About 1,000–2,000 calories |
| Older children | About 1,400–2,500 calories |
| Teenagers | About 1,800–3,200 calories |
| Adult women | About 1,600–2,400 calories |
| Adult men | About 2,000–3,000 calories |
| Older adults | Generally lower than younger adults |
They are general rules of thumb and shouldn’t be considered a specific calorie plan.
Children and teens should not use weight loss calorie recommendations for adults as a guideline for their own nutrition needs, as it is especially crucial for children to have sufficient nutrition during times of growth and development.
How calculate your daily calorie needs
- Estimate your BMR: Use age, sex, height and weight to figure out the number of calories burned while at rest.
- Set your activity level: If you are sedentary multiply your BMR by 1.2 or if you’re moderately active multiply your BMR by 1.55.
- To determine maintenance calories: BMR × activity factor = maintenance calories.
- Get your goal: If losing weight, eat fewer calories; if maintaining weight, eat about your maintenance calories; if gaining weight, eat more calories.
- Track progress: Keep in mind how your body is progressing over the next few weeks, and then tweak your calorie count accordingly.
What Determines How Many Calories You Need?
Many factors influence the number of calories you need each day.
1. Age
Calorie requirements may vary from one person to another depending on age. Children and teens may require a lot of energy, as well as adults who are not as active, and have a lower metabolism.
2. Sex
On average, men need more calories than women since they have more lean muscle mass and larger body size. But, there are individual needs which may differ considerably.
3. Height
The taller the person the more energy they are likely to need to keep their body alive, as they have more body mass.
4. Weight
Body weight also affects the body’s need for energy. It takes more energy to keep the body larger than it does to keep the body smaller.
5. Physical Activity
Physical activity significantly affects the amount of calories needed.
If someone sits for most of the day, they need less calories than somebody who walks or exercises a lot daily or in physically demanding jobs.
6. Muscle Mass
The muscle tissue needs energy to maintain. Individuals with greater lean body mass thus may require greater energy needs.
7. Weight Goals
Your calorie goal also varies depending on your weight loss, weight maintenance, or weight gain goals.
What Are Maintenance Calories?
Maintenance calories are the calories that your body needs to maintain your weight over time.
If you are eating about as much energy as your body requires, your weight might be fairly steady.
In simple terms:
Calories at maintenance level: weight is likely to stay at the same level
Calories below maintenance: weight tends to decrease over time
Calories in excess of maintenance: weight tends to gain over time
But, with each passing day, the human body changes in weight. Your weight fluctuates day to day due to changes in water retention, glycogen, digestion, hormones and food intake.
Instead, it’s better to consider your weight trend over a few weeks, rather than any single measurement.
How many calories is the right amount for a weight loss diet?
Usually, you have to reduce your calorie count to lose weight.
Over time, this will lead to a deficit that will make your body uses more energy than it gets from the food you consume.
But it’s certainly not a healthy and sustainable diet to eat as few calories as possible. Enough protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, essential fats, and other nutrients are still needed in your diet.
For instance, a person who needs approximately 2,400 calories a day to maintain their weight might lose weight by eating fewer calories. The right deficit, however, is different for each person.
Nutritional needs will differ between individuals who require 3,000 calories a day and those who require 1,800 calories a day.
In most cases, it’s more effective to make small dietary adjustments in order to maintain a healthy weight as opposed to having very restrictive diets.
What Should You Eat While Losing Weight?
Food quality is important alongside a calorie deficit for weight loss.
Select foods that are high in nutrient density, which means they have high amounts of nutrients for the number of calories, including:
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Whole grains
- Beans and lentils
- Eggs
- Fish
- Lean meat
- Poultry
- Nuts and seeds
- Low-fat or suitable milk and dairy products
- Helpful resources for good fats that should be consumed.
- Fiber and protein will also help you feel full after eating.
Rather than pay attention to calorie counts, think about the quality and nutritious value of your food.
How Many Calories Does I Require To Maintain My Weight?
The total calorie level should be approximately the same as the total amount of energy you expend in a day if you are trying to maintain your current weight.
A good approximation to your maintenance calories can be made by figuring out your BMR and then adding the calories from activity.
Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of calories your body needs to maintain your basic functions when you are not doing anything.
The amount of energy expended in a day is your BMR plus energy used for your daily activities, digestion and exercise.
A simplified calculation is:
BMR × activity factor = estimated daily calorie needs
This is an approximation and not an actual measurement.
Other estimates of calorie and activity needs for the body can be used with personal data and weight goals, such as the NIH Body Weight Planner.
Calories Per Day Based on Activity Level
Exercise can create a huge difference in the number of calories you need.
Sedentary
A sedentary person undertakes very little physical activity in addition to usual daily activities. These tend to require fewer calories of food.
Lightly Active
This can be daily walking, daily home duties and some exercise from time to time. Calories are typically greater than a sedentary woman’s.
Moderately Active
If you’re active, or have a busy lifestyle, then you’ll typically need more calories.
Very Active
Sports persons and individuals who have physically demanding jobs may require significantly more energy.
Some people, for instance, who work out five or six days a week might require a lot more calories than someone who spends most of the day sitting.
Is 2000 Calories a Day enough?
The answer to this question is unique and depends on the person.
This is a guideline of 2,000 calories/day; not every person needs that amount.
There are people who can consume around 2,000 calories per day and not gain any weight. To some it may be a calorie deficit or excess.
The value of 2,000 calories is used as a reference value in FDA nutrition labeling because it gives a convenient standard of comparison for foods. The number of calories may vary for each person.
So it’s not a rule that you must eat 2000 calories daily.
How to Track Your Calorie Intake
If you would like to know about your calorie intake per day, it can be beneficial to keep a log of your food intake for a brief period.
First, read nutrition labels and be mindful of portion sizes. Multiple servings can be in a package; for example, the calories in a single serving may not be representative of the calories in the entire package.
Food can be tracked with:
- A food diary
- A calorie-tracking application
- Nutrition labels
- A food scale to weigh food in the kitchen.
- Restaurant nutrition information
Tracking does not always have to be for a lifetime. A few weeks of food record keeping can help you learn what portions are and how much calories you get from certain foods.
Final Thoughts
So, what’s the safe amount of calories per day? There’s no one correct answer for everyone. One general guideline is 2000 calories a day but each person’s calorie requirement varies.
Women generally require 1,600 – 2,400 calories a day, and men may require 2,000 – 3,000 calories a day, depending on age and activity level. These are not individual calorie-recommendations.
If you’re looking to lose weight, prioritize nutrient-dense foods and aim to maintain a healthy calorie deficit. Calorie intake for a maintenance goal should over time be equal to the amount of calories burned. To increase weight, a calorie surplus might be necessary along with a proper diet and strength training program.
The recommended amount of calories you should consume varies from person to person and person to person based on your body and lifestyle. Don’t aim for a specific amount; rather, reference calorie estimates and pay attention to how you are feeling, your weight, your activity level, your hunger, your energy and your nutritional intake.
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