How Many Calories Should I Eat a Day?

When thinking about eating a healthy diet, many people naturally look towards limiting their salt, sugar, and fat intake and getting their five portions of fruit and veg. Along with all that, there is the added consideration of how many calories per day you should eat to lead a healthy lifestyle.  

The answer to this question is not as simple as you might otherwise expect.

While the NHS defers to the recommended calorie intake of 2,000 calories for a woman and 2,500 calories for a man, this is a simplified figure that only displays the average number of calories the typical man or women should consume. It is by no means cut and dry, and calorie requirements naturally vary widely from person to person.

So, how many calories should you be eating a day? Take a look at our guidance below to see how broad the calorie intake recommendations really are.

Which factors determine how many calories you should eat per day?

As the NHS website says, “Generally, the recommended daily calorie intake is 2,000 calories a day for women and 2,500 for men”. This is a general figure that assists many people in understanding whether they are consuming too many or too few calories.

That isn’t to say that you should consume 2,000 calories exactly, every single day, to be a healthy man or woman. Instead, this figure is an average across many days and weeks, as some days you might eat more and others less.

However, there are a number of other factors that could determine a different daily calorie count for different individuals. Some of these include:

• Age – Younger people are likely to need more calories as they will be burning more calories or more likely to be doing physical activity.

• Metabolism - Height and weight can affect how quickly you use energy along with your internal metabolism, which determines how much food is turned into energy.

• Activity levels – Exercise burns calories and increases your appetite; the more exercise you do, the more likely you are to need to replenish calories.

How many calories per day by age?

Generally, the older you are, the fewer calories you will need. This is because your metabolism may be slowing down, and your activity levels may drop. Your appetite might also dip to accommodate the body’s reduced need for calories as you age.

As the NHS recommends, we should aim to do at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week to lead a healthy and active lifestyle. If you are doing more or less than this, your daily calorie intake will also change.

As such, it might be easier to view daily calorie intake as a recommended range or a sliding scale, rather than an absolute figure for all body types and all ages.

For instance, the recommended calorie intake for women is more likely between 1,600-2,400 calories depending on age and exercise levels. Men’s recommended calories intake is also more in the range of 2,000-3,000 calories, with physical activity and age two key drivers of individual calorie requirements.

For more about the different recommended calorie intakes, see the lists below and skip to the explainer that best suits your age and physical activity levels for all the details you need.

How many calories should women aged 20-60 eat per day?

• Women with lower activity levels: A woman aged 20-60 who does less than 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week – whether from a brisk walk to work or going dancing – should aim to consume around 1,800 calories per day.

• Women with average or higher activity levels: A woman aged 20-60 who does more than 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week should aim to consume up to 2,400 average calories per day. Athletes and anybody far exceeding the recommended level of physical activity may need considerably more calories.

How many calories should men aged 20-60 eat per day?

• Men with lower activity levels: A man aged 20-60, who does less than 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, should look to eat around 2,400 calories per day.

• Men with average or higher activity levels: A more active man aged 20-60, exercising for more than 150 minutes per week, should aim to consume up to 3,000 calories per day. Dedicated gym goers or athletes might need to eat even more than 3,000 calories per day to keep up with their increased rate of exercise.

How many calories should women aged over 60 years eat per day?

• Women with lower activity levels: A woman aged 60+, who might struggle with mobility or not be as active as she once was, should aim to eat around 1,600 calories per day.

• Women with average or higher activity levels: A woman aged 60+ able to do more than 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week should aim to consume up to 2,000 average calories per day. Anybody over 60 who far exceeds the recommended level of physical activity may need considerably more calories.

How many calories should men aged over 60 years eat per day?

• Men with lower activity levels: A man over 60 years old unable to do more than 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week should aim to consume around 2,000 calories per day.

• Men with average or higher activity levels: An active man aged 60+, who practises more than 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, should aim to eat up to 2,600 calories per day. Anybody over 60 who far exceeds the recommended level of physical activity may need considerably more calories.

Top tips for eating a balanced diet

Of course, it’s not just calories that contribute to a healthy, balanced diet. If you want to know how many calories to eat to lose weight, you might also want to keep an eye on your total daily intake of the following food groups, along with exercising regularly.

You can help yourself nourished with high-protein foods, such as beans and pulses, plenty of fruits and vegetables, lots of fibre, and a good amount of wholegrains. These food groups are usually lower in calories than processed alternatives and will keep you feeling full for longer.

For more information on eating a balanced diet, take a look at our top foods for a healthy heart article.

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Medically reviewed in July 2023.