How Many Calories Should I Eat Per Day?
Key Points
- Estimating Current Calorie Consumption: Multiply current body weight by 12 (sedentary) to 15 (active) to estimate current calorie intake.
- Estimating Calories Needed for Weight Loss: Use goal weight and multiply by 12 (faster loss) or 15 (sustainable). Compare with current intake and reduce calorie consumption.
- Estimating Calories for Weight Gain: Calculate calories similar to weight loss formula above. Calculate needed calories to achieve goal weight by subtracting current intake from goal intake, focusing on adding high-protein foods.
- Calories In vs. Calories Out: It’s valid, but measuring accurately is crucial. Small inaccuracies can add up and stall progress.
- Final Tip: Avoid drastic calorie cuts to maintain motivation and long-term success.
Getting the right amount of calories is like Goldilocks finding the perfect porridge: too few, and you’re starving; too many, and you start to question if you accidentally shrunk your clothes in the laundry again. Striking that balance can help you feel great, look your best, and hit those health goals—whether you’re aiming to lose, gain, or maintain weight. In this post, we’ll dive into figuring out how many calories you’re currently consuming, how many you need to lose weight, and how many to gain weight.
Part 1: Estimating Your Current Calorie Intake
To know where you’re going, you need to know where you are. The first step is to assess whether your body weight is relatively stable. If it is, that means you’re eating roughly the same number of calories that you’re burning. You also need to consider your activity level. Are you sitting at a desk all day, or are you lifting heavy things and sweating through your gym clothes regularly?
Once you’ve got a handle on that, you can use your body weight to estimate your daily calorie intake. Multiply your current weight by 12 if you’re mostly sedentary. For those who are gym regulars or have a physically demanding job, you can multiply by 15. Most of us will fall somewhere in between.
(Sedentary) Current Body Weight x 12 = Calories Consumed = Calories Burned
(Highly Active) Current Body Weight x 15 = Calories Consumed = Calories Burned
If your body weight has been creeping up over time, it’s likely that you’re eating more than this calculated number. The faster you’ve been gaining weight, the more you’re probably overshooting your calorie needs.
Part 2: Calculating Calories for Weight Loss
If you’re looking to lose weight, the calculation is similar to the one above, but you’ll use your goal weight instead of your current weight. To lose weight faster, you can multiply by 12, but for a more sustainable approach, go with 15.
(Aggressive Weight Loss) Goal Body Weight x 12 = Calories Consumed < Calories Burned
(Sustainable Weight Loss) Goal Body Weight x 15 = Calories Consumed < Calories Burned
After you get your target number, you’ll know how many calories to eat per day to reach your goal weight. A good strategy is to compare this target with your current calorie burn that you calculated in Part 1 and see how much you need to cut out. Let’s say you need to trim 500 calories a day—maybe swap that regular soda for water or a diet version.
Sustainability is key. If your calculation tells you to cut more than 1,000 calories a day, pump the brakes! Such a drastic cut can make you feel deprived and lead to burnout. When motivation dips, it’s all too easy to slip back into old habits.
Part 3: Calculating Calories for Weight Gain
For those looking to bulk up—yes, there are people who want to gain weight—the process is much the same as the weight loss calculation. This time, subtract your current calorie intake from your goal intake to find out how many extra calories you need to consume.
Aim to get those extra calories from high-protein foods to support muscle growth. Adding calories through fats and carbs will increase your weight too, but it might not be the kind of weight you’re aiming for.
Part 4: The “Calories In, Calories Out” Debate
You might have heard people on the internet saying, “Calories in doesn’t equal calories out.” Let’s clear that up: in controlled studies where every morsel is accounted for, people in a calorie deficit inevitably lose weight, and those in a surplus inevitably gain. In the real world, though, things get tricky because many people are not accurate with their portion sizes. It’s amazing how much food can sneak in without us noticing—ever measured a tablespoon of oil? It’s a lot smaller than you think!
Conclusion
Figuring out how many calories you need can be a game-changer for achieving your health and fitness goals. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, gain muscle, or simply maintain your current physique, knowing your numbers can make the process a whole lot easier—and more successful. And remember, sustainable changes beat drastic ones every time. It’s all about progress, not perfection!
