How many calories you should eat depends on many things, like your age and how active you are?
Most women need between 1,600 and 2,400 calories daily to maintain the same weight.
Most men need 2,000–3,000 calories a day.
Cutting down on the number of calories you eat each day can help you lose weight.
But it can be hard to figure out how many calories you should eat because it depends on many things, like your age, sex, size, and level of activity.
Here is a simple scientific calorie calculator and 5 tips backed up by evidence on how to reduce your calorie intake healthily.
Enter your information into the calculator below to determine how many calories you should eat daily to stay the same weight or lose weight.
Based on the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation, the calculator can give you an estimate of how many calories you need.
It uses information about the population and other factors affecting your calorie needs, such as your genes, medications, and lean body mass.
Look Estimation of energy expenditure
Look Validity of predictive equations
On average, how many calories should a person consume daily?
People have different calorie needs based on age, gender, level of physical activity, and size.
How many calories you should eat each day depends on many things, like your age, gender, height, current weight, level of exercise, and metabolic health, among other things.
While attempting to lose weight, generating a calorie deficit is critical by eating fewer calories than usual or exercising more.
Some individuals mix the two, eating less while becoming more physically active.
Even if you’re trying to lose weight, you must still eat enough calories to give your body the necessary nutrients.
The most important aspect of any weight loss program is maintaining the weight loss.
Because of this, many experts recommend cutting calories slowly to help people lose weight healthily.
Several fad diets, for instance, say that you should only eat 1,000 to 1,200 calories per day, which is not enough for most healthy people.
Excessive calorie restriction has several negative consequences, including an increased risk of nutritional deficiencies.
It also causes metabolic alterations that make long-term weight maintenance challenging.
Here’s a deeper look at how many calories you should consume, according to the USDA’s 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
| Woman | |
| Age (Years) | Daily Requirements (Calories) |
| 19–30 | 2,000–2,400 |
| 31–59 | 1,800–2,200 |
| 60+ | 1,600–2,6000 |
Women’s calorie requirements vary depending on their age, size, and amount of exercise.
Most women between 19 and 30 need 2,000 to 2,400 calories daily to maintain weight.
Women between the ages of 31 and 59 have reduced energy requirements.
Women in this age range should eat 1,800–2,200 calories daily to maintain their body weight.
Women over 60 need fewer calories to stay the same weight, so they usually eat between 1,600 and 2,000 calories daily.
Remember that the precise amount of calories you need may fall on the high or low end of this range—or possibly exceed it—depending on how active you are and your height, weight, and health condition.
Also, these estimates don’t work for pregnant or nursing women because they need a lot more calories.
| Man | |
| Age (Years) | Daily Requirements (Calories) |
| 19–30 | 2,400–3,000 |
| 31–59 | 2,200–3,000 |
| 60+ | 2,000–2,600 |
Men’s calorie requirements, like women’s, might vary depending on circumstances.
The most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans say that men between 19 and 30 should eat between 2,400 and 3,000 calories daily to keep their weight stable.
As you age, your energy requirements drop.
In reality, males between 31 and 59 need around 2,200–3,000 calories daily to maintain weight, whereas men over 60 require 2,000–2,600 calories.
Men who are very active or have specific medical issues may need extra calories.
The quantity you need within these ranges varies depending on height and weight.
| Children | ||
| Age (Years) | Daily requirements (Calories) | |
| Male | Female | |
| 2–4 | 1,000–1,600 | 1,000–1,400 |
| 5–8 | 1,200–2,000 | 1,200–1,800 |
| 9–13 | 1,600–2,600 | 1,400–2,200 |
| 14–18 | 2,000–3,200 | 1,800–2,400 |
Children’s calorie requirements vary greatly depending on their age, size, and degree of activity.
Children’s and teenagers’ energy requirements differ by gender and age.
A 3-year-old toddler may only need 1,200 calories, whereas a teenager may require closer to 3,000 calories.
Nevertheless, remember that calorie counting is usually unnecessary for growing children and teenagers.
Limiting a child’s calorie intake can make them more likely to have nutritional deficiencies, slow their growth, and create a bad relationship with food or an eating disorder.
Instead of keeping track of calories, tell kids and teens to eat healthier foods, make more meals and snacks at home, and exercise regularly.
Calories: What are they?
Calories are units of measurement for the energy content of foods and drinks.
Even though many things can affect weight loss, the only way to lose weight is to eat less than you burn.
Losing weight requires consuming fewer calories than the body burns off each day.
Consuming more calories than you burn off is the key to weight gain.
Remember that the “calories in, calories out” theory of weight loss may seem simple.
Still, many things can affect weight loss or the inability to lose weight, such as medical diagnoses, hormonal changes, genetics, and age.
Developing a balanced diet and lifestyle plan that may help you lose weight and keep it off in the long term requires much more than measuring your current calorie needs and eating fewer calories.
How do you cut calories?
To cut down on calories, eat more protein, move around more, drink more water, and stay away from processed and sugary foods.
Even though cutting calories without changing your diet might help you lose weight, it’s not a good way to lose weight in the long run.
For example, eating more nutrient-dense foods like whole grains, nuts, veggies, and fruits is better for your health than nutrient-deficient items like soda, doughnuts, and sweets.
Because of this, you should make a few more changes to your food and lifestyle to help you maintain a calorie deficit over time without feeling hungry or restricted.
These are five basic weight-loss solutions.
Increase your protein intake
Protein is crucial for weight loss.
According to research, boosting your protein consumption will help you feel full and reduce hunger.
Protein may also assist with cravings. Several studies have shown that snacks with a lot of protein make you feel fuller and less hungry.
Look Snack Food, Satiety, and Weight
Some studies have shown that a high-protein diet may help maintain muscle mass and prevent or reduce weight gain.
If you want to lose weight in a healthy way that lasts, you should eat more eggs, meat, chicken, tofu, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
Avoid Sugary beverages
Limit your consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, such as sodas, fruit juices, chocolate milk, and other drinks with added sugar.
Since your brain doesn’t register liquid calories the same way it does solid calories, they don’t have as much of an effect on how hungry or full you feel.
Moreover, studies link sugary drinks to an increased risk of obesity.
Look Weight Gain in Children and Adults
Sugar’s negative consequences extend far beyond weight gain. In reality, added sugar may cause health problems like heart disease, liver problems, and type 2 diabetes.
Look Health and economic benefits
Increase your water consumption
Adding extra water to your diet is a simple method to boost your health.
Getting enough water can help your brain work better, keep your weight in check, and lower your risk of kidney stones.
Also, drinking water before meals might make you less hungry and help you eat less.
Look Pre-meal Water Consumption
Drinking more water, especially before meals, can help you lose weight if you eat a balanced diet. If you want to stay hydrated, try coffee, tea, or sparkling water without added sugar.
Exercise
When you cut calories, especially if you do it in a big way, your metabolism might slow down, and your hunger might get worse. Also, limit calories too drastically. In that case, you may lose muscle, which may harm your health and slow your metabolism.
Evidence shows that strength exercises, such as weightlifting, may prevent muscle wasting. It helps maintain a constant metabolism and prevent any drastic shifts. You also go on a diet for a long time.
Look Preserving Healthy Muscle
If you cannot attend a gym session, consider practicing pushups, squats, and sit-ups at home.
Walking, swimming, and running are other good cardio activities. They assist you in losing weight and maintaining your overall health.
Apart from helping you lose weight, exercise offers several additional advantages. It can help you live longer, have more energy, improve your mental health, and lower your risk of getting chronic diseases, among other things.
Look Cardiovascular Dysfunction
Limit your consumption of refined carbohydrates and ultra-processed meals
White bread, spaghetti, crackers, and white rice are refined carbohydrates. Sugar, in addition to a variety of other sweeteners, is present.
Fiber, which helps people lose weight by reducing hunger and making them feel full, is often missing from refined grains.
Changing the hormone levels that make you feel less hungry, like peptide YY, and eating fewer carbs, especially refined carbs, may help you lose weight.
Even though a low-carb or ketogenic diet isn’t for everyone, replacing refined carbs with nutrient-dense, fiber-rich carb sources like whole grains, root vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes may help.
Avoiding ultra-processed meals like fast food, packaged snacks, candy, and sugary drinks is also a good idea. These products have refined carbs, preservatives, sugar, bad fats, salt, and other things you should not eat.
Some fundamental pointers on slimming down
In addition to helping you lose weight by limiting calories every day, the tips below may also help you over time:
Eat with awareness
Mindful eating means paying close attention to the texture, taste, and smell of your food and trying not to be distracted while eating. Moreover, this method may help with long-term weight reduction by reducing food cravings.
Increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber yet low in calories. Adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet may help you lose weight and get vital nutrients.
Look Comprehensive Critical Assessment
Purchase nutritious foods
When your kitchen is full of processed foods high in sugar and calories, eating healthier is harder. Instead, stock up on nutritional foods and healthy snacks.
Look for assistance
According to research, social support may help people lose weight. Set yourself up for success by finding a friend or family member with similar objectives, joining an online weight reduction forum, or looking for support groups in your region.
Attempt dinner preparation
Meal prep is a popular way for people to eat well and save time at the same time. Choose one or two days to prepare your meals ahead of time so that you may enjoy great food throughout the week.
Consequences of calorie counting
Extreme calorie restriction may be harmful and make losing and maintaining weight difficult. Rather than counting calories, focus on a well-balanced diet rich in nutritious whole foods.
While counting calories may be an effective weight reduction method, it’s vital to remember that there are many other things to consider when deciding what and how to eat.
Instead of just focusing on calories, it’s essential to eat a variety of healthy, whole foods in a well-balanced way. It may ensure you get the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients your body needs to help you control your weight and stay healthy.
Only do it a little if you decide to cut back on calories. You could have significant side effects like increased hunger, dizziness, exhaustion, headaches, and nausea.
Too few calories can also slow your metabolism, making long-term weight loss more difficult.
Consistent weight loss also necessitates some time. Extreme ways to lose weight should take a back seat to more moderate methods and focus on getting better over time.
Lastly, calorie counting is an approximate science. Some days, your body needs more calories than others. Concentrating only on statistics and weight may also contribute to disordered eating.
The most effective online calorie trackers
Keeping track of what you eat could help determine how many calories you consume daily and see if you’re missing any essential nutrients.
You may use a calorie counter or tracker for at least a few days to monitor how many calories, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals you consume.
It may be a simple and effective way to find out where your diet lacks nutrients and make changes to ensure you get all the nutrients your body needs.
Working with a registered dietitian (RD) can help you gain, keep, or lose weight while ensuring your nutritional needs are met.
Numerous websites and applications may assist you in tracking your calorie consumption.
Here’s a quick rundown of the top calorie counter apps:
- Best overall: MyFitnessPal
- Best free features: Lose It!
- Best fully free: FatSecret
- Best for specific diets: Cronometer
- Best for weight loss: Noom
- Best for building healthy habits: Lifesum
- Best for diet quality: MyNetDiary
- Best for simplicity: Calory
The Calorie Calculator
The calorie calculator uses several formulas, and the results are based on an average.
The Harris-Benedict Equation was one of the first equations to compute basal metabolic rate (BMR), the energy spent per day at rest.
To be more precise, it was improved in 1984 and was used until 1990, when the Mifflin-St. Jeor Equation was released.
The Mifflin-St equation, which is more accurate than the improved Harris-Benedict equation, can also be used to estimate the BMR-Jeor equation.
The Katch-McArdle Formula is different in that it calculates resting daily energy expenditure (RDEE), which considers lean body mass, something neither the Mifflin-St. Jeor nor the Harris-Benedict Equations do—the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation is the most reliable for determining BMR, except that the Katch-McArdle formula may be more accurate for slimmer individuals who know their body fat %.
The calculator’s three equations are as follows:
| Mifflin-St. Jeor Equation: | ||||
| Men | Women | |||
| BMR = 10W + 6.25H – 5A + 5 | BMR = 10W + 6.25H – 5A – 161 | |||
| Revised Harris-Benedict Equation: | ||||
| Men | Women | |||
| BMR = 13.397W + 4.799H – 5.677A + 88.362 | BMR = 9.247W + 3.098H – 4.330A + 447.593 | |||
| Katch-McArdle Formula: | ||||
| BMR = 370 + 21.6(1 – F)W | ||||
| Where: | W (body weight in kg) | H (body height in cm) | A (age) | F (body fat in percentage) |
The answer to these equations is an estimate of how many calories a person at rest can eat in a day to keep their weight the same.
This number is then multiplied by a person’s average activity level, usually between 1.21 and 1.95, to get a more realistic estimate for maintaining body weight since most people don’t sleep through the night.
1 pound, or about 0.45 kg, equals approximately 3,500 calories.
So, if you want to lose one pound per week, you should cut 500 calories from the calories you need to maintain your weight daily.
For example, if a person needs 2,500 calories per day to maintain body weight, ingesting 2,000 calories daily for one week would result in losing 3,500 calories (or 1 pound).
It’s important to remember that most people agree that eating and exercising are the best ways to lose weight.
It is not recommended to cut calories by more than 1,000 per day because losing more than 2 pounds per week could be dangerous and have the opposite effect in the short term by slowing metabolism.
Dropping more than 2 pounds per week will almost certainly result in muscle loss, which decreases BMR since larger muscular mass leads to a higher BMR.
Extreme weight loss may also be caused by dehydration, which is harmful.
Also, a healthy diet is essential, especially when working out and dieting simultaneously, because the body needs to keep its metabolic processes going and heal itself.
As part of a bad diet, not giving the body enough nutrients could have serious adverse effects.
Weight loss using this method has been found in some studies to be unsustainable since the weight is often recovered in the form of fat (putting the participant in a worse state than when they began the diet).
So, in addition to watching how many calories you eat, you must ensure you’re getting enough fiber and other nutrients to meet your body’s needs.
Calorie Counting as a Weight Loss Tool
Calorie counting to lose weight may be broken down into a few simple steps:
Calculate your BMR using one of the offered formulas
If you know your body fat %, the Katch-McArdle formula may be a more accurate estimate of your BMR. Note that the figures obtained from these formulae are estimates.
Deducting 500 calories from your BMR will not result in exactly one pound of weight loss every week; it might be less or more!
Establish your weight-loss objectives
Recall that 1 pound (0.45 kg) represents around 3500 calories.
So, if you cut your daily caloric intake by 500 calories per day compared to your estimated BMR, you would lose 1 pound per week.
Losing less than 2 pounds per week is a good idea, as this could have serious health effects.
Instead, cut your calories by no more than 1000 per day.
If you desire to lose more than 2 pounds each week, you should see your doctor or a licensed dietitian nutritionist (RDN).
Select a strategy for tracking your calories and progress toward your objectives
If you have a smartphone, you can use it to monitor calories, activity, and progress, among other things.
Many, if not all, of these have estimates for the calories in many brand-name meals or plates at restaurants.
If not, they can calculate calories based on the quantity of the items’ constituent components.
It can be challenging to grasp food proportions and their calories, so counting calories (or any other approach) is only for some.
But suppose you meticulously measure and track the calories in some of your typical meals.
In that case, it quickly becomes easier to accurately estimate calorie content without measuring or weighing your food each time.
Other services may assist you in doing the same, but manually keeping an Excel spreadsheet or even a pen-and-paper diary are feasible options.
Monitor your progress and modify it to meet your objectives if necessary
Note that weight reduction is not the only predictor of health and fitness; you should also consider fat vs. muscle loss and gain.
It is also advised that measurements be obtained over more extended periods, such as a week rather than daily since large fluctuations in weight might occur merely due to water consumption or time of day.
It’s also better to take measurements in the same place and time every time.
For example, it’s better to weigh yourself first thing in the morning before breakfast than at different times of the day.
And Continue your efforts!
The above methods attempt basic calorie counting.
Calorie counting is a complex science.
The previous ignores macronutrient intake.
Even though no one knows the ideal macronutrient balance (fats, proteins, and carbohydrates), some credit is desirable.
Health, hunger, and calorie burn vary by diet.
Healthy weight reduction and maintenance usually require consuming less-processed plant and animal meals.
There are several diets and fitness plans since not every method works for everyone.
Several weight loss methods work for different people.
Specific approaches are healthier, according to research.
Calorie counting is a popular weight loss method.
Simply put, the difference between the calories you consume and the calories you expend will determine whether you gain or lose weight.
Yet, this is just a portion.
Several variables impact healthy, long-term weight reduction.
For example, more research is needed to determine whether calories, foods, or consumption methods affect weight loss.
Food’s thermic effect, or calorie burn, increases with prolonged chewing and digestion.
Even though vegetables are more complex to digest than many processed foods, they are better for you and have more nutrients for fewer calories.
The Twinkie diet, in which a person dropped 27 pounds in two months by tracking calories and eating cake snacks, follows the idea that only net calories matter for weight loss.
Despite its benefits, it should be encouraged.
Even if the person seemed healthy, there are other, less obvious things to think about, like the long-term effects of this diet on the risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
Even without efficiency and health, a long-term, large-calorie cut or higher physical exercise should cause weight loss.
Monitoring calories may help achieve this.
Monitoring your calories helps you lose weight.
It also aids nutrition education.
Many need to watch their calorie intake. Learning this might help them.
Tracking calories may teach you about the calories in the foods you consume and how they affect your fullness.
When people realize how many calories are in that bag of chips they can eat in minutes, how much of their daily caloric intake it takes, and how little the chips fulfill their hunger, portion control and avoiding empty calories become more accessible.
Actual caloric measurements help you lose weight by setting calorie targets instead of eating less.
People prefer to load their plates and consume everything on them, so eating from a smaller dish may help them eat less.
Many people eat too much at restaurants because the portions are often three times the size of a normal meal.
Tracking calories helps people understand how much exercise they need to burn off a 220-calorie bag of M&Ms.
Many people would rather skip that bag of chips than work out the same amount, which could lead to better eating habits.
Finding a strategy that works for you matters.
Calorie counting is only one weight-loss method.
This approach has various alternatives.
Choose a method that matches your lifestyle and is easy to follow for long-term results.
Calorie Cycling in a Zigzag Pattern
Zigzag calorie cycling aims to go against the body’s natural tendency to adapt.
As explained above, counting and limiting calories is a valid strategy for losing weight.
Nonetheless, the body may adapt to the reduced calorie intake over time.
When this occurs, it may lead to a weight loss plateau that is difficult to overcome.
It is where zigzag calorie cycling can help because it keeps the body from getting used to a low-calorie environment.
“Zigzag calorie cycling” is changing the calories you eat daily.
To reach the same weekly calorie objective, a person on a zigzag diet needs to alternate between high-calorie and low-calorie days.
Assume your weekly calorie goal is 14,000 calories.
In that case, you could eat 2,300 calories three days a week and 1,775 calories the other four days, or 2,000 calories daily.
In both cases, a person would eat 14,000 calories over a week, but the body would not adjust to a 2,000-calorie diet or make up for it.
It also gives a person greater flexibility in their diet, enabling them to plan around events like work or family gatherings when they may consume more calories.
Eating fewer calories on other days allows people to enjoy these events or even have a “cheat day” when they eat anything they want without feeling guilty since the extra calories can be made up for on their low-calorie days.
No research or hard-and-fast rule says the best way to alternate or spread out the calories you eat.
It is entirely up to the individual to adjust calorie intake.
People are often told that the difference between the high-calorie and low-calorie days is about 200–300 calories and that the high-calorie day is usually the number of calories a person needs to eat to maintain their current weight.
The calorie differential should be more significant for someone more active.
The calculator generates two zigzagging diet plans.
The first plan has two days when you eat more calories and five days when you eat fewer calories.
The second plan progressively raises and reduces calorie intake.
The overall weekly calorie intake is the same in both cases.
Ultimately, whichever method you choose to tackle weight reduction, the most important thing is to find a plan that works for you.
Calorie counting and zigzag calorie cycling are only two strategies (that are somewhat associated) for losing weight, and even within these methods, there are several options a person might follow.
Choosing a way that matches your lifestyle and that you believe you will be able to stick to will produce the most lasting and desired results.
What are your calorie requirements?
Many want to lose weight, and cutting calories is typically the most straightforward method. But how many calories does the body genuinely need to function correctly? It is determined by how much physical activity a person does each day and is unique to each individual. There are several components at work, but not all are well recognized or known.
Age, weight, height, sex, levels of physical activity, and overall general health are all variables that determine the number of calories a person requires to be healthy. For instance, a 25-year-old 6-foot guy burns more calories than a 70-year-old 5-foot lady. The US Department of Health says that adult men need 2,000–3,000 calories per day to stay the same weight, while adult women need about 1,600–2,400.
The body doesn’t need a lot of calories to stay alive. On the other hand, if you eat too few calories, your body won’t work well because it will only use the calories it needs for survival and ignore the calories it needs for general health and well-being. Harvard Health Publications says that unless you are under a doctor’s care, women should eat at least 1,200 calories and men should eat at least 1,500 calories daily. Because of this, people who want to lose weight should look at their body’s calorie needs and adjust them to meet their body’s nutritional needs.
Calories: Definition and Effect
Alcohol is a major calorie source for many people, along with carbohydrates, proteins, and fats (though ideally, this should be limited since alcohol contains many empty calories). According to studies, nutrition labels may not reflect the calories taken and retained. It shows the complexity of calories and nutrition, which is why there are so many ideas on the “best” approach to losing weight. Chewing food burns more calories, which may help reduce weight. Chewing longer allows more time to feel full; therefore, chewers eat less. Still, how food is chewed and digested can change this information, so it should be taken with a grain of salt (in moderation if weight loss is the goal).
Fruit, vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, and other hard-to-chew foods take extra calories to digest. It also prolongs fullness. Coffee, tea, chilies, cinnamon, and ginger can increase calorie burn.
Calorie “quality” is also important. Calorie classifications vary. It includes high-, low-, and empty-calorie foods. Low-calorie meals have fewer calories per serving than high-calorie dishes. Fats, oils, fried foods, and sweets are high in calories. Avocados, quinoa, almonds, and whole grains are healthy, high-calorie foods. Vegetables and certain fruits are low-calorie foods, but added sweets and solid fats are empty calories. Studies show that consuming 500 calories of popcorn vs. vegetables is quite different. As mentioned, this may be due to meal processing modifications. Carrots need more chewing, so digesting them may burn more calories. Again, the reason for these changes is unknown, but the overall formula of calories in minus calories out causing weight gain or loss remains true for weight reduction. Still, the number of calories on a food label only sometimes shows how many calories the body retains. There is no perfect macronutrient ratio, but a diet high in vegetables, fruits, and lean meats is linked to better health and long-term weight loss.
Furthermore, drinks make up 21% of the average person’s diet. These calories are meaningless. The moderate use of juices and milk is recommended to preserve their nutritional content. Water, tea, and coffee without sugar do not add calories.
Always consume in balance, especially “healthy foods.” Distinctions can be misleading because even natural foods like fruits can contain high levels of sugar, and “healthy foods” like low-calorie, reduced-fat, and so on can potentially replace one unhealthy component with another. Many low-fat meals include a lot of sugar to compensate for taste loss. To decide whether a food should be in your diet, you must study its numerous components.
Common Food Calories
| Food | Serving Size | Calories | kJ |
| Fruit | |||
| Apple | 1 (4 oz.) | 59 | 247 |
| Banana | 1 (6 oz.) | 151 | 632 |
| Grapes | 1 cup | 100 | 419 |
| Orange | 1 (4 oz.) | 53 | 222 |
| Pear | 1 (5 oz.) | 82 | 343 |
| Peach | 1 (6 oz.) | 67 | 281 |
| Pineapple | 1 cup | 82 | 343 |
| Strawberry | 1 cup | 53 | 222 |
| Watermelon | 1 cup | 50 | 209 |
| Vegetables | |||
| Asparagus | 1 cup | 27 | 113 |
| Broccoli | 1 cup | 45 | 188 |
| Carrots | 1 cup | 50 | 209 |
| Cucumber | 4 oz. | 17 | 71 |
| Eggplant | 1 cup | 35 | 147 |
| Lettuce | 1 cup | 5 | 21 |
| Tomato | 1 cup | 22 | 92 |
| Proteins | |||
| Beef, regular, cooked | 2 oz. | 142 | 595 |
| Chicken, cooked | 2 oz. | 136 | 569 |
| Tofu | 4 oz. | 86 | 360 |
| Egg | 1 large | 78 | 327 |
| Fish, Catfish, cooked | 2 oz. | 136 | 569 |
| Pork, cooked | 2 oz. | 137 | 574 |
| Shrimp, cooked | 2 oz. | 56 | 234 |
| Common Meals/Snacks | |||
| Bread, white | 1 slice (1 oz.) | 75 | 314 |
| Butter | 1 tablespoon | 102 | 427 |
| Caesar salad | 3 cups | 481 | 2014 |
| Cheeseburger | 1 sandwich | 285 | 1193 |
| Hamburger | 1 sandwich | 250 | 1047 |
| Dark Chocolate | 1 oz. | 155 | 649 |
| Corn | 1 cup | 132 | 553 |
| Pizza | 1 slice (14″) | 285 | 1193 |
| Potato | 6 oz. | 130 | 544 |
| Rice | 1 cup cooked | 206 | 862 |
| Sandwich | 1 (6″ Subway Turkey Sandwich) | 200 | 837 |
| Beverages/Dairy | |||
| Beer | 1 can | 154 | 645 |
| Coca-Cola Classic | 1 can | 150 | 628 |
| Diet Coke | 1 can | 0 | 0 |
| Milk (1%) | 1 cup | 102 | 427 |
| Milk (2%) | 1 cup | 122 | 511 |
| Milk (Whole) | 1 cup | 146 | 611 |
| Orange Juice | 1 cup | 111 | 465 |
| Apple cider | 1 cup | 117 | 490 |
| Yogurt (low-fat) | 1 cup | 154 | 645 |
| Yogurt (non-fat) | 1 cup | 110 | 461 |
| * 1 cup = ~250 milliliters, 1 table spoon = 14.2 gram | |||
| Example Meal Plans with Calories of 2000, 1500, and 1200 | |||
| Meal | 1200 Cal Plan | 1500 Cal Plan | 2000 Cal Plan |
| Breakfast | All-bran cereal (125) Milk (50) Banana (90) |
Granola (120) Greek yogurt (120) Blueberries (40) |
Buttered toast (150) Egg (80) Banana (90) Almonds (170) |
| Snack | Cucumber (30) Avocado dip (50) |
Orange (70) | Greek yogurt (120) Blueberries (40) |
| Total | 345 Calories | 350 Calories | 650 Calories |
| Lunch | Grilled cheese with tomato (300) Salad (50) |
Chicken and vegetable soup (300) Bread (100) |
Grilled chicken (225) Grilled vegetables (125) Pasta (185) |
| Snack | Walnuts (100) | Apple (75) Peanut butter (75) |
Hummus (50) Baby carrots (35) Crackers (65) |
| Total | 450 Calories | 550 Calories | 685 Calories |
| Dinner | Grilled Chicken (200) Brussel sprouts (100) Quinoa (105) |
Steak (375) Mashed potatoes (150) Asparagus (75) |
Grilled salmon (225) Brown rice (175) Green beans (100) Walnuts (165) |
| Total | 405 Calories | 600 Calories | 665 Calories |
Common Workout Calories Burned
| Activity (1 hour) | 125 lb person | 155 lb person | 185 lb person |
| Golf (using cart) | 198 | 246 | 294 |
| Walking (3.5 mph) | 215 | 267 | 319 |
| Kayaking | 283 | 352 | 420 |
| Softball/Baseball | 289 | 359 | 428 |
| Swimming (free-style, moderate) | 397 | 492 | 587 |
| Tennis (general) | 397 | 492 | 587 |
| Running (9-minute mile) | 624 | 773 | 923 |
| Bicycling (12-14 mph, moderate) | 454 | 562 | 671 |
| Football (general) | 399 | 494 | 588 |
| Basketball (general) | 340 | 422 | 503 |
| Soccer (general) | 397 | 492 | 587 |
Energy derived from Common Food Ingredients
| Food Components | kJ per gram | Calorie (kcal) per gram | kJ per ounce | Calorie (kcal) per ounce |
| Fat | 37 | 8.8 | 1,049 | 249 |
| Proteins | 17 | 4.1 | 482 | 116 |
| Carbohydrates | 17 | 4.1 | 482 | 116 |
| Fiber | 8 | 1.9 | 227 | 54 |
| Ethanol (drinking alcohol) | 29 | 6.9 | 822 | 196 |
| Organic acids | 13 | 3.1 | 369 | 88 |
| Polyols (sugar alcohols, sweeteners) | 10 | 2.4 | 283 | 68 |
FAQ
The number of calories you should eat at each meal or to reach a particular weight goal could differ. As a result, it’s advisable to experiment to see what works best for you.
What should you eat for breakfast?
How many calories you should eat for breakfast depends on several factors, such as your daily needs, personal preferences, health goals, and diet.
Although many individuals find that one-third to one-fourth of their daily calorie consumption works for them, others may need to change this amount depending on their unique requirements.
What number of calories should you consume for lunch or dinner?
How many calories you should eat for lunch or dinner depends on several factors, including your tastes.
For example, some people like to eat a big lunch and then a smaller dinner, but others may prefer to spread out the calories they eat more.
Since everyone’s requirements and tastes vary, it’s better to figure out what works for you and adhere to it when meal planning.
To lose weight, how many calories should you enjoy every day?
It depends on how many calories you need to burn to lose weight.
Reduce using ultra-processed foods such as sugary drinks, ice cream, fast food, and high-calorie snack foods to help with long-term weight reduction. Furthermore, trying to do more physical things would be best.
A nutritionist can help you determine how many calories you need and how many calories you should aim for to lose weight.
How many calories do you need to consume to gain weight?
It’s common knowledge that you need to take in more calories than you burn to put on weight.
Eat more foods like nut butter, full-fat yogurt, and fatty salmon high in calories and nutrients.
How many calories should you consume to bulk up?
Most of the time, you must eat more calories than you burn during the day to build muscle.
You should raise your daily calorie requirements by a few hundred calories. A sports nutritionist may assist you in developing an effective strategy.
Last but not least
The number of calories you need each day depends on many factors, such as age, height, current weight, level of physical activity, and metabolic health.
Even though counting calories might help you keep your weight in check, it’s also essential to eat healthily by considering the nutritional value of your foods.
Losing weight and improving your health may be as easy as adjusting your diet and routine, such as exercising, drinking more water, and eating more protein.
