How many calories a day do you need?
“2,000 calories” is the number on food labels, not your personal one. How many calories you need a day depends on your sex, age, height, weight and how much you move. Here's how it's worked out, where the limits are, and how much to eat to lose weight.
By the Dumpli team · Information checked on 2026-10-11. General information, not medical advice. Who writes this and how we check · How we calculate
🧮 Try it: TDEE and BMR calculator – How many calories your body uses at rest and over a whole day.
What your daily calorie need is made of
- Basal metabolic rate (BMR) – the energy your body uses at rest: for breathing, your heart, your brain, body temperature. It's the biggest part.
- Movement – not just exercise, but walking, stairs, housework and being on your feet at work.
- Digesting food – a small but real part.
Dumpli works out your BMR with the Mifflin–St Jeor equation, widely used for adults, and multiplies it by an activity factor (from 1.2 if you barely move to 1.9 for hard physical work).
How many calories a day women need
An example for a woman who is 165 cm tall and weighs 70 kg. The first number is what she needs to maintain her weight, the second is our calculator's steady pace target for losing weight:
| Age | Barely moving | A bit active | Moderately active |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 1,700 / 1,420 | 1,950 / 1,560 | 2,200 / 1,760 |
| 50 | 1,580 / 1,320 | 1,820 / 1,450 | 2,050 / 1,640 |
| 70 | 1,460 / 1,220 | 1,680 / 1,340 | 1,890 / 1,510 |
How many calories a day men need
An example for a man who is 180 cm tall and weighs 85 kg (maintain / lose at a steady pace):
| Age | Barely moving | A bit active | Moderately active |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 2,200 / 1,830 | 2,520 / 2,010 | 2,840 / 2,290 |
| 50 | 2,080 / 1,730 | 2,380 / 1,900 | 2,680 / 2,150 |
| 70 | 1,960 / 1,630 | 2,240 / 1,790 | 2,530 / 2,020 |
The numbers are rounded to 10 kcal and show an average: two people of the same height and weight can differ by a few hundred calories. So the formula is a starting point, and the real answer is how your weight changes over 3–4 weeks.
How many calories to eat to lose weight
You lose weight when you eat a bit less than you use. Our calculator offers two paces: gentle (about 300 kcal less) and steady (up to 20% and no more than 550 kcal less). Why a bigger deficit isn't better is in the calorie deficit guide, and what that adds up to in a month is in the guide to weight loss pace.
Why you need a little less as you get older
In the formula, every 10 years lowers your basal need by about 50 kcal. In real life it often matters more that people move less and lose muscle more easily as they get older. So after 50 it's worth not only eating less but also protecting your muscles: enough protein and strength exercises.
How to check the number works for you
- Work out your target in the calculator.
- Eat roughly that for 3–4 weeks and weigh yourself under the same conditions (here's how).
- Weight staying put even though you want to lose? Cut 100–200 kcal or add movement. Losing faster than 1 kg a week, or hungry all the time? Eat more.
You don't need to count calories to the gram – roughly is enough. How to do it without obsessing is in the calorie counting guide.
Before you change how you eat to lose weight, talk to your doctor first if:
- you are pregnant or breastfeeding;
- you have diabetes or take medicines that affect your blood sugar;
- you have kidney disease, heart disease or another long-term condition;
- you are under 18;
- you have or have had an eating disorder;
- you are losing weight without trying.
If your relationship with food worries you, you can talk to a doctor or a psychologist. If you're struggling right now, call your local emergency number or find a free helpline at findahelpline.com.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories a day does a woman need?
By our formula, a woman who is 165 cm and 70 kg needs roughly 1,460–2,200 kcal a day, depending on age and activity. That's just an example: your number depends on your height and weight, so the most accurate way is to work it out in the calculator.
How many calories a day does a man need?
By our formula, a man who is 180 cm and 85 kg needs roughly 1,960–2,840 kcal a day, depending on age and activity. People who move more or have a bigger frame need more.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
Usually 300–550 kcal less than you use – but never less than your basal metabolic rate and never less than 1,200 kcal for women or 1,500 kcal for men. The Dumpli calorie calculator works out a safe target like that.
Is 1,200 calories a day enough?
For most adults it's too little. In our calculator 1,200 kcal is the minimum for women, not a recommendation. More in our guide to the 1,200 calorie diet.
How many calories does a teenager or child need?
We don't give calorie targets for children or teenagers: they're growing and their needs vary a lot. If you have questions about a child's weight or eating, it's best to talk to your family doctor or paediatrician.
Read next
- Calorie deficit: what it is and how much you need – How to work out a safe calorie deficit, why bigger isn't always better and when to review it.
- How much weight can you lose in a month (or a week)? – How much really comes off in a week, in 2 weeks and in a month, why week one is mostly water and how long losing 10 kg takes.
- 1200 calorie diet: who it's for and who it isn't – The honest truth about a 1,200 kcal meal plan: when it's too little, the risks and how to find your own number.
- How to count calories (and when you don't need to) – Weighing, labels, hand-sized portions and the most common mistakes – simply, without obsessing.