Maximum Calorie Intake For Weight Loss

Last Updated on November 7, 2022 by

Have you ever wondered how many calories you are supposed to eat in a day? Mine is the typical 2,000. But that’s to keep my weight at a healthy number. I’m no nutritionist, but I know there are some general guidelines to how many calories you should be eating per day to lose weight .

The amount of calories you should consume each day depends on your age, weight, height and level of physical activity. Ultimately the rule is to burn more calories than you consume. However for many people, achieving this simple task can be difficult and require intense dedication. There are many different drugs for weight loss, but there is only one drug that can work for everyone — Topamax. Although Max Dose Of Topamax For Weight Loss are some different types of weight loss drugs, every single one of them works in a similar way. After all, if you want to take control of your weight, then this is the way to go. Here is why: I’m going to talk about Maximum Calorie Intake For Weight Loss and food calorie calculator, make sure you read this article.

Maximum Calorie Intake For Weight Loss

Reducing the number of calories you eat per day can be an effective weight loss method (1Trusted Source).

However, figuring out exactly how many calories you should eat can be tricky, as it depends on a variety of factors, including your age, sex, size, and activity level.

Below is a simple scientific calorie calculator, along with 5 evidence-based tips on how to sustainably reduce your 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.

The calculator is based on the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and can provide an estimate of your calorie needs. It utilizes population data, as well as other factors, including genetics, medications, and lean body mass, that affect your calorie needs (2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).

woman eating cheese and smiling

Calorie calculator

This calculator is for informational purposes only, and you should consult a healthcare provider before making any health decisions. The framework is based on the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation, which used population-level data. This means using the equation to assess individuals should be used with caution. There are many additional factors that contribute to a person’s resting metabolic rate, including medications, lean body mass, and genetics.

How to use this calculator

This calculator uses your age, size, sex, and activity level to estimate the number of calories you should eat per day to maintain your weight.

You can adjust this number based on your goals if you’re trying to gain or lose weight.

Keep in mind that this tool only provides general guidance, as activity levels and many other factors influence your daily calorie needs. Thus, this calculator will likely provide a number that’s close to your calorie needs, but it’s not a perfect tool.

Your doctor or dietitian can offer more individualized advice on your ideal calorie intake depending on your health status and goals.

How many calories should you eat on average?

The number of calories you should eat per day depends on numerous factors, including your age, sex, height, current weight, activity level, and metabolic health, among several others.

When trying to lose weight, it’s important to create a calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories than you normally do or by exercising more. Some people choose to combine the two, eating a little less while being more physically active (4Trusted Source).

Still, it’s important to ensure that you’re eating enough calories to provide your body with the nutrients it needs, even if you’re trying to lose weight.

The most important part of any weight loss plan is sustainability. This is why many experts recommend small calorie reductions to promote sustainable weight loss.

For example, many fad diets recommend restricting your calorie intake to around 1,000–1,200 calories per day, which is not enough for most healthy adults.

Cutting your calorie intake too drastically not only causes several serious side effects but also increases your risk of nutritional deficiencies. It likewise results in metabolic changes that make long-term weight maintenance difficult (5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source).

Here’s a closer look at how many calories you should eat, based on recommendations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (7Trusted Source).

Women

AgeDaily calorie requirements
19–30 years2,000–2,400 calories
31–59 years1,800–2,200 calories
60+ years1,600–2,000 calories

Calorie needs for women can depend on their age, size, and activity level.

Most women between the ages of 19–30 require 2,000–2,400 calories per day to maintain their weight.

Women between the ages of 31–59 have slightly lower energy needs. Generally, women in this age group should consume 1,800–2,200 calories per day to maintain their body weight.

Women over age 60 generally require fewer calories and typically need to take in around 1,600–2,000 calories per day to maintain their weight (7Trusted Source).

Keep in mind that the exact number of calories that you need may fall on the high or low end of this range — or even exceed it — depending on how active you are, plus your height, weight, and health status.

Additionally, these estimates don’t apply to those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, as they’ll need significantly more calories.

Men

AgeDaily calorie requirements
19–30 years2,400–3,000 calories
31–59 years2,200–3,000 calories
60+ years2,000–2,600 calories

As is the case for women, calorie needs for men may range based on several factors.

The most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans estimates that men between the ages of 19–30 should consume 2,400–3,000 calories per day to maintain their weight.

Energy needs decrease as you get older. In fact, men between the ages of 31–59 need about 2,200–3,000 calories per day to maintain their weight, while men over 60 generally require 2,000–2,600 calories.

Men who are very active or have certain health conditions may require more calories. The number you need within these ranges also varies based on your height and weight.

Children

AgeDaily calorie requirements
2–4 yearsMale: 1,000–1,600 calories
Female: 1,000–1,400 calories
5–8 yearsMale: 1,200–2,000 calories
Female: 1,200–1,800 calories
9–13 yearsMale: 1,600–2,600 calories
Female: 1,400–2,200 calories
14–18 yearsMale: 2,000–3,200 calories
Female: 1,800–2,400 calories

Children have widely varying calorie needs based on their age, size, and activity level.

Energy needs for children and teens vary based on their sex and age. A 3-year-old child might need only 1,200 calories, but a teenager can require closer to 3,000 calories (7Trusted Source).

However, keep in mind that there’s typically no need to count calories for growing children and teens.

In fact, cutting a child’s calorie intake may increase their risk of nutritional deficiencies, slow growth, and foster an unhealthy relationship with food or an eating disorder (8Trusted Source).

Instead of counting calories, it’s best to encourage healthy, nutrient-dense foods, cook more meals and snacks at home, and promote regular physical activity for kids and teens.

SUMMARY

The amount of calories that your body needs can vary depending on your age, sex, activity level, and body size.

What are calories?

Simply put, a calorie is a unit that measures energy. 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. Conversely, to gain weight, you need to consume more calories than you expend (1Trusted Source).

Keep in mind that while the “calories in, calories out” concept of weight loss may seem simple, many factors contribute to weight loss or the inability to lose weight, including medical diagnoses, hormonal changes, genetics, and age (9Trusted Source).

Developing a healthy diet and lifestyle plan that will help you lose weight and keep it off in the long term requires much more than determining your current calorie needs and eating fewer calories in response (9Trusted Source).

SUMMARY

Calories are units that measure the energy content of foods and beverages. While many factors can influence weight loss, you generally need to eat fewer calories than you burn to lose weight.

How to reduce calorie intake

Although decreasing the number of calories you consume can be effective for weight loss, cutting calories without considering which foods you eat isn’t a sustainable way to lose weight.

For example, choosing more nutrient-dense foods — think whole grains, nuts, vegetables, and fruits — benefits your health more than opting for nutrient-poor ones like soda, donuts, and candy.

For this reason, it’s highly recommended to make a few other changes to your diet and lifestyle that can help you maintain a calorie deficit in the long run without feeling hungry or deprived.

Here are 5 simple strategies that may help you lose weight.

1. Eat more protein

When it comes to losing weight, protein is incredibly important.

Studies show that increasing your intake of protein may help keep you full and curb your appetite (10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source).

Protein may also help fight cravings. According to some research, high protein snacks help enhance feelings of fullness while decreasing hunger and appetite (12Trusted Source).

In addition to promoting weight loss, some research suggests that maintaining a high protein diet may prevent or reduce weight regain and help maintain muscle mass (13Trusted Source, 14Trusted Source)

Therefore, if you want to achieve long-lasting, sustainable weight loss, consider increasing your protein intake by eating more eggs, meat, poultry, tofu, nuts, seeds, or legumes.

2. Limit sugary drinks

Another relatively easy change you can make is to limit your intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, including sodas, fruit juices, chocolate milk, and other drinks with added sugar.

Your brain doesn’t register liquid calories the same way it does solid calories, so they affect your feelings of hunger and fullness less significantly (15Trusted Source).

Additionally, studies associate drinking sugary beverages with an increased risk of obesity (16Trusted Source, 17Trusted Source).

The harmful effects of sugar also go far beyond weight gain. In fact, added sugar may contribute to other health issues, including heart disease, liver problems, and type 2 diabetes (17Trusted Source).

3. Drink more water

  • One simple thing you can do for your health is to drink more water.
  • Adequate hydration is associated with improved brain health and weight management, as well as a reduced kidney stone risk (18Trusted Source).
  • What’s more, drinking water immediately before meals may reduce hunger and help you eat fewer calories (19Trusted Source, 20Trusted Source).

When combined with a healthy diet, drinking more water — especially before meals — appears to be helpful if you need to lose weight. Try other unsweetened beverages like coffee, tea, and sparkling water to meet your hydration needs.

4. Exercise

Calorie restriction, especially significant calorie restriction, may slow your metabolic rate and increase appetite. Plus, cutting calories too severely may lead to muscle loss, which can harm your overall health and lower your metabolic rate.

Resistance-training activities like weightlifting have been shown to limit muscle loss, which may help minimize metabolic changes during long-term calorie restriction (21Trusted Source).

If you can’t get to a gym, consider doing bodyweight exercises, such as pushups, squats, and situps, at home.

Cardio exercises, such as walking, swimming, or jogging, are also important — both for increasing weight loss and supporting overall health (22Trusted Source).

Additionally, exercise has a variety of other benefits that go beyond weight loss, such as increased longevity, enhanced energy levels, improved mental health, and a decreased risk of chronic disease (23Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source, 25Trusted Source, 26Trusted Source).

5. Reduce your intake of refined carbs and ultra-processed foods

The term “refined carbs” refers to grains that have lost their bran and germ, including white bread, pasta, crackers, and white rice. It also includes sugar and other sweeteners.

Refined grains typically lack fiber, which supports weight loss by decreasing your appetite and increasing feelings of fullness (27Trusted Source).

Eating fewer carbs, including fewer refined carbs, may also promote weight loss by altering levels of specific hormones that regulate your appetite, such as peptide YY (28Trusted Source).

While a low carb or ketogenic diet definitely isn’t right for everyone, replacing refined carbs with a variety of nutrient-dense, fiber-rich carb sources — such as whole grains, root vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes — may be beneficial.

It’s also best to avoid ultra-processed foods, which include fast food, packaged snacks, candies, and sugary beverages. These items not only pack refined carbs but also preservatives, sugars, unhealthy fats, salt, and other ingredients you should limit in your diet.

SUMMARY

Eating more protein, exercising, staying hydrated, and limiting your intake of refined carbs and sugary beverages are a few simple ways to decrease your daily calorie intake.

A few basic weight loss tips

In addition to cutting calories, there are several steps you can take to lose weight in a sustainable, long-lasting manner:

  • Practice mindful eating. Mindful eating involves limiting mealtime distractions and paying close attention to your dish’s texture, taste, and smell. Plus, this practice may reduce food cravings and promote long-term weight loss (29Trusted Source).
  • Eat more fruits and vegetables. Fruits and veggies are low in calories but high in fiber. In addition to boosting your intake of many important nutrients, increasing your intake of fruits and veggies may be linked to weight loss (30Trusted Source, 31Trusted Source).
  • Stock up on healthy foods. Following a healthy diet is much more challenging when you have a kitchen full of processed foods that are high in sugar and calories. Instead, stock your fridge with plenty of nutritious ingredients and healthy snacks.
  • Find support. Studies show that social support may aid weight loss. Find a friend or family member with similar goals, join an online weight loss forum, or check for support groups in your area to set yourself up for success (32).
  • Try meal prepping. Many people find that meal prepping is a convenient way to eat well and save time. Pick one or two days to prepare your meals ahead of time so that you can enjoy delicious dishes all week long.

SUMMARY

In addition to decreasing your daily calorie intake, the tips outlined above may support long-term weight loss.

Potential downsides of counting calories

Although counting calories can be an effective strategy for weight loss, it’s important to remember that there are many other factors to consider when choosing what and how to eat.

Instead of focusing solely on calories, it’s best to follow a balanced diet that’s rich in a variety of nutritious, whole foods. This can ensure that you’re getting the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that your body needs to support weight management and overall health.

  • If you do decide to cut calories, be careful not to decrease your intake too much, as doing so may cause several serious side effects, including increased hunger, dizziness, fatigue, headaches, and nausea (4Trusted Source).
  • Eating too few calories may also slow your metabolism, making it harder to maintain weight loss in the long term (5Trusted Source).
  • Losing weight sustainably also takes time. You should focus on small, gradual changes rather than rapid weight loss strategies.
  • Finally, calorie counting isn’t an exact science. Some days your body needs more calories, while on other days it needs fewer. Focusing exclusively on numbers and weight may also lead to disordered eating (33).

SUMMARY

Cutting calories too much may harm your health and make it harder to maintain weight loss. Instead of focusing only on calories, concentrate on a well-rounded diet that’s rich in nutritious, whole foods.

Food Calorie Calculator

You can edit your recipe at any point.

  • Editing ingredients: Hit the pencil icon next to the ingredient name if you’d like to edit or delete individual ingredients. To add new ingredients, hit “+Add Ingredient.”
  • Servings: Choose the number you’d like from the “Number of Servings” dropdown.
  • Starting over: Choose “Analyze New Recipe” or “Start Over.” Note that these options will delete the current information, so if you want to save your current analysis make sure to grab the embed code!

Saving and Embedding the Nutrition Label

You can easily save the nutrition label by saving the provided embed code. Once you’ve finalized your ingredients and servings click or tap “embed this label,” located under the nutrition label, to generate a code that you can insert into your blog or save to reference later.

Making the Most of the Recipe Nutrition Analyzer

The nutrition facts label is useful if you’re tracking calories or just want to be more informed about your diet, but this recipe calculator is also helpful for making smarter food decisions.

Here are a few tips for how to make the most of it.

  • Ingredient swaps: Take a look at the calorie breakdown for individual ingredients if you’d like to adjust the calorie content of your recipe. Knowing where the calories are coming from can help you pinpoint specific ingredients to swap out or adjust quantities for.
  • Ingredient comparisons: How much of a difference will using whole milk versus low-fat milk make? Analyze a recipe with one ingredient, then edit it to use the second and compare the nutrition facts.
  • Recipe comparisons: Analyze multiple recipes and compare the nutrition labels to help you decide which is better for your diet and specific nutritional needs.

Troubleshooting Errors With the Recipe Analyzer

You might see an error message pop up once you analyze your recipe. Here are a few common ones and how to fix them:

  • Ingredient not recognized, please try editing: click or tap the ingredient for a dropdown of options to choose from. When you choose the correct one, hit “update.”
  • Measurement not recognized, please try editing: click or tap the pencil icon next to the ingredient name. Choose a measurement from the dropdown, then hit “update.” You can also easily convert the measurement with a unit converter if needed, to match the listings available.

Please make sure that you are using the most up-to-date version of your web browser in order to avoid potential errors. This recipe analyzer is not compatible with Internet Explorer.

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