Apart from exercise, your dietary habits form a large part of any fitness-oriented lifestyle. The daily calorie intake is a key metric that you need to track if you want to lose, maintain, or even gain your body weight or muscle mass.
So, how many calories should I eat a day to realize my fitness goals? You can find that out by using this precise calorie calculator.
According to research, the number of calories you consume per day is a key driver of your fitness and health levels [1]. With our precise daily calorie intake calculator, you can get the exact number that you need to realize your fitness goals.
Whether you want to gain weight, lose weight, or even maintain your body weight, it’s important to keep track of your calories. Doing so will enable you to plan your meals efficiently.
The recommended calorie intake can vary from person to person. The actual number depends on multiple variables like physical activity, height, gender, and so on [2].
So, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to this. You will need to use our calorie maintenance calculator to find out the specific daily requirements for your own body.
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How Many Calories Do I Burn Per Day?
The total number of calories that you burn per day will depend on multiple factors. The result will be the sum total of your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT), thermic effect of food (TEF), and calories burnt while exercising [3].
The number of calories that you burn per day, therefore, will vary based on these factors.
On average, your BMR will account for around 60% to 75% of the total number of calories that you burn daily. Moreover, all kinds of physical activity (exercise and non-exercise) burn around 15% to 20% of your calories.
You can use our calorie calculator to find out your maintenance calories. The calculator takes into account your age, gender, height, and activity levels to determine your maintenance calories.
The derived BMR is multiplied by a certain activity factor based on your lifestyle.
For example, if you lead a sedentary lifestyle, the BMR will be multiplied by 1.2 to give the daily calorie requirement. Similarly, BMR will be multiplied by 1.4 if you lead a slightly active lifestyle, 1.6 for moderately active, 1.75 for active, 2 for very active, and 2.3 for professional athletes with an extra active lifestyle.
In each case, after the multiplication is carried out, you will get your daily intake of maintenance calories.
If you consume more than the number of calories needed to maintain weight, you will gain weight and vice-versa.
The Mifflin St. Jeor Equation
Our maintenance calorie calculator uses the concept of the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation. It is a precise formula for determining the basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the number of calories that you burn when your body is in a state of complete rest.
The Mifflin-St Jeor Equation was developed based on a study published in 1990 and has been considered more accurate than some earlier BMR estimation equations, such as the Harris-Benedict Equation.
However, no formula can provide a perfectly accurate estimate of an individual’s calorie needs because various factors can influence metabolism, including genetics, muscle mass, age, and hormonal fluctuations.
That said, the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation tends to be more accurate than previous equations, and it is a good starting point for estimating calorie needs.
Keep in mind that it estimates BMR, and you need to multiply the BMR by an activity factor
The Mifflin-St. Jeor formula can be defined as follows:
- For men: 10 * Weight (kg) + 6.25 * Height (cm) – 5 * age (years) + 5
- For women: 10 * Weight (kg) + 6.25 * height (cm) – 5 * age (years) – 161
The Mifflin-St Jeor Equation provides an estimate of an individual’s Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). BMR is the number of calories your body needs to maintain basic functions at rest, such as breathing, circulation, and cell production.
It’s an essential starting point for determining an individual’s daily calorie needs because it represents the energy required for fundamental bodily processes before accounting for physical activity and other factors.
How Many Calories Do I Need?
Using our calorie calculator can help you figure out how much you should eat per day to maintain your weight. Whether you are aiming for weight loss, weight maintenance, or bulking, adjusting your daily calorie intake should be the priority.
Here’s how many calories you would need in each scenario:
Weight Loss
When you are on a weight loss journey, you need to consume fewer calories than what you are burning. Losing around 0.5 to 1 pound of body weight per week requires a calorie deficit of around 250-500 calories per day [4].
However, the number may vary based on multiple lifestyle factors. Depending on your activity level, the time you dedicate to exercising, age, gender, and so on, your calorie expenditure will differ.
You can use the calorie calculator to get an accurate daily calorie requirement tailored according to your needs. Based on that, you can cut down on calories as per your weight loss goals.
At the same time, it’s also important not to drastically cut down on calories, as it might lead to negative complications for your body. Weight loss should be followed in a healthy, sustained manner.
Maintenance
To maintain your current body weight, you need to consume the same amount of calories that you burn each day.
Basically, you need to find your own maintenance calorie intake limit and stick to that number. The principle is to constantly use up the energy that you gain from eating food and leaving nothing in excess to promote weight gain or muscle gain processes.
Consuming fewer or more than your maintenance calories will result in weight loss and weight gain respectively. Sticking to that limit, on the other hand, will keep your body weight as it is without causing any change.
Bulking
For bulking, you need to consume more calories than what you are burning. A calorie surplus of around 250 to 500 calories can help you achieve this. This will generally help you increase your weight by 0.5 to 1 pound on a weekly basis.
Bodybuilders often consume more calories than their normal range during the bulking phase, which can last for up to 6 months at a time. These extra calories will help your muscles get the necessary boost to improve in size and strength.
Basically, the excess calories will provide your body with some extra energy that is required for muscle growth.
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How to Count Calories for Achieving Your Fitness Goals
There are many unhealthy habits and conditions associated with improper techniques of counting calories [5].
As such, it’s important to be mindful of how you are tracking the number of calories that you are consuming per day without obsessing too much over it.
Here are some tips that you can implement in your daily lifestyle habits to make counting calories easier and more convenient:
- Make sure that you log the calorie count associated with each food item, beverage, and condiment that you consume on a daily basis.
- Include cooking oils, sauces, and dressings while tracking the calorie intake.
- Cook homemade food more often to have better control over the number of calories served with the dish.
- Read the nutrition labels of different food items, beverages, and snacks, and be mindful of what you are eating.
- Use common units of measurement while cooking, like cups, tablespoons, and spoons. This will help you get more accurate readings when counting the calories of a particular meal.
- Focus on whole foods like fruits and vegetables, as their calories are easier to track than cooked meals filled with elusive ingredients.
- Plan small but frequent meals if you are on a weight loss journey. Distribute fewer calories over a longer period to keep yourself satiated and avoid hunger pangs.
Sources of Calories and Their Effects
Different sources of calories have varying effects on the body, based primarily on their individual nutritional compositions.
Here is an overview of the major sources of calories and the effect they have on our bodies:
- Carbohydrates (4 calories per gram on average): Carbs come from bread, pasta, rice, fruits, vegetables, and so on. They act as the body’s primary source of energy and are essential for sustenance.
- Proteins (4 calories per gram on average): Protein is derived from meat, poultry, fish, eggs, legumes, and so on. They are essential for building and repairing tissues, including muscles.
- Fats (9 calories per gram on average): Fats come from oils, butter, nuts, avocados, fatty fish, seeds, and so on. They serve as a concentrated source of energy and are essential for absorbing certain vitamins.
- Alcohol (7 calories per gram on average): Comes from beer, wine, spirits, and mixed drinks. Alcohol consumption increases calorie intake but offers nothing in terms of essential nutrients.
- Fiber (0 calories per gram on average): Fiber comes from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and so on. It is important for improving digestion and satiety in our bodies.
Winding Up
Knowing exactly how many calories we need to consume per day is crucial for achieving our fitness goals efficiently.
With the help of our precise calorie calculator, you can do exactly that. By listing specific information about your lifestyle, it can give you an accurate reading of how many calories you should take in each day to maintain your body weight.
References
- Osilla, E. V. (2022, September 12). Calories. StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499909/
- National Academies Press (US). (1989). Calories: total macronutrient intake, energy expenditure, and net energy stores. Diet and Health – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK218769/
- Westerterp, K. R. (2016). Control of energy expenditure in humans. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 71(3), 340–344. https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2016.237
- Osilla, E. V. (2022b, September 12). Calories. StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499909/
- Simpson, C. C., & Mazzeo, S. E. (2017). Calorie counting and fitness tracking technology: Associations with eating disorder symptomatology. Eating Behaviors, 26, 89–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2017.02.002