A woman aiming to lose weight generally needs to create a calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories than her body requires to maintain its current weight. A common and effective guideline is to reduce daily calorie intake by about 500 calories, which typically leads to losing about 1 pound per week
. Typical calorie intake ranges for women:
- To maintain weight, women usually need between 1,600 and 2,400 calories per day, depending on age and activity level
- For weight loss, a common recommendation is to consume around 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day, which is about 500 calories less than maintenance for many women
- For example, a moderately active woman aged 26-50 might maintain weight at about 2,000 calories daily and lose weight at about 1,500 calories daily
- Women over 50 typically need fewer calories, with weight loss targets around 1,300 to 1,600 calories per day depending on activity level
Important considerations:
- Calorie needs vary based on age, size, activity level, and metabolic health, so personalized calculation (e.g., using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation) or consulting a healthcare professional is advised
- Consuming fewer than 1,200 calories per day is generally not recommended without medical supervision as it may lead to nutritional deficiencies
- Combining calorie reduction with increased physical activity improves weight loss and overall health
In summary, a typical woman should aim to eat about 1,200 to 1,500 calories daily to lose weight safely, creating a deficit of roughly 500 calories from her maintenance level. This approach supports losing about 1 pound per week while maintaining adequate nutrition
