Calorie calculator: how many calories should you eat a day?
Most adults need about 1,800 to 2,200 calories a day (women) or 2,200 to 2,800 (men) to keep their weight, depending on age, size and activity. To lose about ½ kg a week, eat about 500 calories less than your maintenance number, but not below 1,200 (women) or 1,500 (men) without supervision. Enter your details below for your own estimate.
Calculate your daily calories
For adults 18 to 70. Not for pregnancy, breastfeeding, children or people with kidney or liver disease.
| Goal | Calories a day |
|---|---|
| Keep your weight (maintenance) | |
| Lose about ½ kg a week | |
| Gain weight slowly |
An estimate within about 10 percent for most people. Your real need shows in how your weight changes over 3 to 4 weeks.
Get a diet chart for these caloriesHow the calculator works
It uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which reviews found to be the most accurate simple formula for resting energy use in adults, including people with obesity:
- Men: 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age + 5
- Women: 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age − 161
That resting number (BMR) is multiplied by an activity factor from 1.2 (mostly sitting) to 1.9 (heavy physical work) to give your maintenance calories.
Example
A 35-year-old woman, 5 ft 3 in (160 cm), 72 kg, who walks a few times a week: BMR = 720 + 1,000 − 175 − 161 = 1,384. Maintenance = 1,384 × 1.375 = about 1,900 calories. To lose about ½ kg a week she would eat about 1,400 calories a day.
Turning your number into Pakistani meals
| Daily target | Roughly looks like |
|---|---|
| About 1,200 to 1,400 | 3 to 4 chapatis a day in total, daal or chicken twice, sabzi and salad freely, 2 fruits, 1 to 2 cups of chai with little sugar, about 3 teaspoons of oil |
| About 1,500 to 1,800 | 4 to 5 chapatis or 3 chapatis and ½ plate rice, 2 to 3 protein portions, dahi, 2 fruits, a handful of nuts, 4 teaspoons of oil |
| About 2,000 to 2,500 | Add a chapati at each main meal, an extra protein portion, milk and a snack such as roasted chanay or a banana with peanut butter |
Ready-made charts: 1200 and 1500 calorie Pakistani diet plans. Calories of everyday foods: calories in roti, rice and common foods.
See a doctor first if
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding (calorie needs are different)
- You have diabetes on insulin or sugar tablets, kidney or liver disease
- You are under 18, over 70, or have an eating disorder
- You are losing weight without trying
Common questions
How many calories should I eat a day?
It depends on your sex, age, height, weight and activity. As a rough guide, many moderately active adult women need about 1,800 to 2,200 calories a day and men about 2,200 to 2,800 to keep their weight. Use the calculator above for your own estimate.
What is maintenance calories?
The number of calories that keeps your weight the same. It is your resting energy use (BMR) multiplied by an activity factor. Eat less than this and you lose weight; eat more and you gain.
How big should my calorie deficit be?
About 500 calories a day below maintenance leads to roughly ½ kg of weight loss a week for most people, which is a safe pace. Bigger deficits cause hunger, muscle loss and rebound weight gain. Women should not usually go below 1,200 calories and men below 1,500 without supervision.
Do I need to count calories to lose weight?
Not always. Many people lose weight with portion rules instead: half the plate sabzi, one chapati or half a plate of rice, protein at each meal and no sugary drinks. Knowing your number helps you understand portions, but counting every gram is not needed.
How many calories are in a roti or a plate of biryani?
A medium chakki-atta chapati has about 100 to 120 calories, a paratha 250 to 300 and a full plate of biryani often 600 to 800. See our calories in roti page for common Pakistani foods.
Why am I not losing weight on my calorie target?
Common reasons are portions and cooking oil being larger than estimated, weekend meals and drinks, water retention, or the formula overestimating your needs. Track your weight weekly for 3 to 4 weeks before changing anything. Thyroid problems, PCOS and some medicines also affect weight; ask your doctor if you suspect these.
Keep reading
Talk to a qualified dietitian
Tell us your goal on WhatsApp. We reply with the next step, the fee and a time that suits you.
Sources
- Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST et al. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr, 1990
- Frankenfield D et al. Comparison of predictive equations for resting metabolic rate in healthy nonobese and obese adults: a systematic review. J Am Diet Assoc, 2005
- NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Aim for a Healthy Weight
- NHS. Understanding calories