How many calories should I eat?

How many calories you should eat depends on whether you goal is to lose weight, gain weight, or maintain your current weight. 

The first step is to determine how many calories you currently burn over the course of a day, using the Daily Needs Calculator.  Enter your age, sex, height, weight, and lifestyle (sedentary, some what active, etc.). You'll find some tips to help you select the appropriate activity level. There's also a place to enter in any additional exercise you might do.

When you click "calculate," you'll see how many calories you burn over the course of a typical day.

This is your "maintenance' number. That means that if you eat this number of calories each day you will likely maintain your current weight.  Note that increasing your activity and exercise level will increase your "maintenance" number.

If you need to lose weight

In order to lose weight, you'll need to eat fewer calories. To lose roughly one pound a week, subtract 500 calories (kcal) from your maintenance number.  In this example, that would mean eating about 1800 kcal per day.

To lose about two pounds a week, subtract 1000 kcal from your maintenance number. In this example, that would mean eating about 1300 kcal per day. Note: Eating fewer than 1200 kcal a day for more than a day or two is not recommended without medical supervision.

For more information about weight loss, visit our Diet and Weight Loss Resource Center

If you need to gain weight

In order to gain weight, you'll need to eat more calories. To gain roughly one pound a week, add 500 calories (kcal) to your maintenance number.  In this example, that would mean eating about 2800 kcal per day.

See this related post on Healthy Weight Gain.