How many calories should a woman eat a day?

Reviewed 2 November 2026 · How these numbers are calculated

Calories for women by weight and steps

Calories for women by age

Calories to lose weight

A pace of about 0.5% of your weight a week is steady enough to keep up and gentle on muscle. Lighter or less active women may find the 1,200-calorie minimum limits the pace: more daily steps make room. See how many calories to eat to lose weight and whether 1,200 calories a day is safe.

Why women burn less than men

At the same height, weight and age, the Mifflin-St Jeor equation gives women about 170 calories a day less resting burn than men, because women on average carry more body fat and less muscle. That's why calculators ask for your sex, and why the TDEE formula has a separate version for women: 10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age − 161. If you know your body-fat percentage, the full calculator can use your lean mass instead. (Men: see how many calories a man should eat.)

Protein and fat

When you eat less, protein matters more: it keeps you full and protects muscle. Aim for about 1.6–2.2 g per kg of a healthy weight; most women need 110–135 g a day. Keep fat at 0.8 g per kg or more: very low-fat diets can upset hormones and your cycle. Details on how much protein you need to lose weight, and all three macros in the macro calculator.

Your cycle and the scale

Resting burn can be a little higher in the second half of the menstrual cycle, after ovulation, but the difference is small. The bigger effect is water: many women hold a kilo or more for a few days before their period, which can hide fat loss on the scale. Compare your weight at the same point in each cycle, or look at the trend over a few weeks (more in why your weight fluctuates).

Menopause

Burn tends to fall around menopause, mostly through muscle loss and lower activity (a large 2021 study found no sudden drop: see does metabolism slow with age?). The formula already accounts for age, not for hormones, so the trend on your scale is the best guide. Strength training, enough protein and daily steps help keep your TDEE up. More in menopause weight gain.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

This calculator isn't designed for pregnancy or breastfeeding, when energy needs change week to week. For breastfeeding, see how many calories you need while breastfeeding; for anything else, ask your midwife or doctor.

Common questions

Is 1,200 calories starvation?

No, but it's the floor. 1,200 is the lowest intake usually suggested for women without medical support; for most women it's a large deficit, and it's hard to get enough protein and nutrients. See is 1,200 calories a day safe?

What is a dangerously low amount of calories?

Below about 1,200 a day for women (1,500 for men) is where diets are normally run with a doctor's support. Very-low-calorie diets of around 800 a day exist, but only under medical supervision. Constant hunger, dizziness, feeling cold, hair loss or a missed period are signs you're eating too little.

Is it healthy to lose 1 kg a week?

For most women it's on the fast side. 1 kg a week is 1.4% of body weight for a 70 kg woman; Deficitly suggests 0.5% a week and plans at most 1%. Heavier women can lose 1 kg a week safely for a while; for lighter women it usually means eating under the minimum. Compare paces in the calorie deficit calculator.

Can I lose 5 kg in a week?

Not as fat. 5 kg of fat in a week would need a deficit of about 5,500 calories a day, more than most women burn in total. A quick drop on a crash diet is mostly water and food in the gut, and comes back; see why your weight fluctuates.

How can I speed up weight loss?

Within safe limits: a deficit of up to 1% of your weight a week, more daily steps, protein at every meal, and enough sleep. Recalculate every few kilos, because your burn falls as you lose; see weight-loss plateau.

At what age is it hardest to lose weight?

There's no single age. A large 2021 study found metabolism fairly stable from 20 to 60 once body size is accounted for; what changes is usually muscle, activity, sleep and, around menopause, where fat is stored. See does metabolism slow with age? and menopause weight gain.

Which body part loses fat first?

You can't choose: fat comes off the whole body, in an order mostly set by your genes. Many women notice it first in the face and upper body and last around the hips and thighs. Exercising one area doesn't burn the fat on it.

What are signs your body is burning fat?

A downward trend in your weekly average weight, a smaller waist and looser clothes over a few weeks. Hunger and sweating aren't reliable signs. If the trend is flat after 3–4 weeks, see calorie deficit but not losing weight.

How do you trigger your body to burn fat?

There's no trick or switch: your body uses stored fat whenever you eat less than you burn. Daily movement and strength training raise the burn side and help keep muscle; see maintenance calories and NEAT.