How many calories per day?

The answer depends on your weight, height, age, gender, physical activity, and goal. Fill out the form and get your personalized number in 10 seconds.

Recipes calibrated for you

FoodCraft adapts every recipe to your target calories. Automatic planning and grocery list included.

Try for free

Why is it important to know your calorie needs?

Without this data, you're flying blind. Eating "healthy" isn't enough if you don't know how much you need. Too little → fatigue, muscle loss, frustration. Too much → fat storage, even with healthy foods.

Knowing your exact calorie needs allows you to adjust your portions without guessing. It's the basis of every nutritional strategy that works.

How to use your results?

If your goal is fat loss, eat 300 to 500 kcal below your TDEE. If you want to gain muscle, add 200 to 400 kcal above. For maintenance, stay within a range of ±100 kcal.

Tip: don't change drastically overnight. If you're currently eating 3,000 kcal and your goal is 2,200 kcal, drop in stages of 200-300 kcal per week.

The limits of calorie counting

Calories don't tell the whole story. Food quality matters a lot: 500 kcal of veggies + chicken and 500 kcal of chips won't have the same impact on your health, satiety, or performance.

Use calories as a framework, not a prison. The goal is a sustainable diet, not a restrictive 3-week regime.

Questions fréquentes

Is 1,200 calories a day enough?
1,200 kcal is the absolute minimum for short, sedentary women. For most people, it's too low and leads to fatigue, muscle loss, and a metabolic slowdown.
Should I eat more on workout days?
Your TDEE already takes your average training frequency into account. If you want to be more precise, you can add 200-400 kcal on intense training days and remove the same amount on rest days.
Why is my weight stalling despite being in a deficit?
Several possible causes: you're overestimating your activity, underestimating your portions, or you're retaining water (stress, salt, menstrual cycle). Wait 2-3 weeks before drawing conclusions.
Are the calories on labels accurate?
No, they have a legal margin of error of ±20%. That's why we talk about estimates and not exact science. What matters is the consistency of your tracking, not absolute precision.

Additional tools