Your ideal daily calorie intake depends on several factors including your age, sex, weight, height, and activity level. Generally:
- For adult women, daily calorie needs to maintain weight range from about 1,600 to 2,400 calories, depending on age and activity level.
- For adult men, the range is approximately 2,000 to 3,000 calories per day, also depending on age and activity level
A practical method to estimate your maintenance calories is to multiply your current weight (in pounds) by 15 if you are moderately active. For example, a moderately active person weighing 155 pounds would need about 2,325 calories per day to maintain their weight
. If your goal is weight loss, a common recommendation is to reduce your calorie intake by 500 to 1,000 calories per day below your maintenance level to lose about 1 to 2 pounds per week safely. However, calorie intake should not fall below 1,200 calories per day for women and 1,500 calories per day for men unless supervised by a healthcare professional
. For a more personalized and accurate estimate, you can use online calorie calculators that take into account your specific details such as age, sex, weight, height, and activity level
. In summary:
- Estimate maintenance calories based on your weight and activity.
- Adjust intake based on your goals (weight maintenance, loss, or gain).
- Do not go below minimum safe calorie levels without medical supervision.
- Consult a healthcare provider or dietitian for personalized advice.
This approach ensures you meet your nutritional needs while aligning calorie intake with your health and fitness goals.
