Reach Your Ideal Weight
How Many Calories Should You Eat Per Day to Lose Weight?
This is a simple but highly accurate scientific calorie calculator, along with 5 evidence-based tips on how to sustainably reduce calorie intake.
Enter your details in the calculator below to figure out how many calories you should be eating per day to either maintain or lose weight.
How Many Calories Should You Eat on Average?
An average woman needs to eat about 2000 calories per day to maintain, and 1500 calories to lose one pound of weight per week. An average man needs 2500 calories to maintain, and 2000 to lose one pound of weight per week.
However, this depends on numerous factors. These include age, height, current weight, activity levels, metabolic health and several others.
What Are Calories?
A calorie is a unit that measures energy of food and beverages. Calories are usually used to measure the energy content of foods and beverages. To lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than your body burns each day.
The Best Online Calorie Counters
Here is a list of free sites where you can insert foods you’re eating to keep track of your calorie intake:
All of them are available online and include apps for iPhone/iPad and Android devices.
It’s highly recommended to use a calorie counter for at least a few days, to see how many calories, carbs, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins and minerals you’re truly eating. Seeing the numbers like this can often be an eye opener.
Reduce Calorie Intake Without Starving Yourself
Calories are simply a measure of energy.
It’s a known fact that in order to gain weight, more calories need to be entering your body than leaving it.
Conversely, you lose weight if more calories leave your body than enter it.
That being said, cutting calories without taking the foods you eat into account is usually not a sustainable way to lose weight.
Though it works for some people, the most end up hungry and eventually give up on their diet.
For this reason, it’s highly recommended to make a few other permanent changes to help you maintain a calorie deficit in the long term, without feeling starved.
The Bottom Line
How many calories you need per day, depends on whether you want to maintain, lose or gain weight; as well as, various factors such as your gender, age, height, current weight, activity levels and metabolic health.
Reducing calories does not have to mean starving yourself. A few simple diet and lifestyle changes like exercise, proper hydration and increased protein and reduced carb intake can help you lose weight and feel satisfied.