Why do we have so much difficulty maintaining our weight? While some struggle with diets trying to shed excess pounds, others find it a task keeping weight on. So how many calories do we need to maintain our weight.

This question presents a different answer for everyone as we all have our unique daily calorie requirements. Although the average daily calorie allowances given for men and women is 2,500 and 2,000 respectively, your own calorie needs may be significantly higher or lower than this figure.



Suppose you’re a woman who only needs 1,750 calories a day, but you’re happily eating 2,000. This means each day you’re overeating by 250 calories. It may not sound like much, but over time, it all adds up. This is why we’re often surprised when we gain weight because it seems to creep up on us unawares.

So the key to maintaining your weight is learning your personal calorie requirements. The number of calories you need each day is made up from two figures: your BMR (basal metabolic rate) and your calorie expenditure from exercise.

Finding your BMR

First, you need to find your basal metabolic rate - the amount of calories needed to maintain your body weight just resting. You can find this out using a body fat monitor scale or use one of the many helpful online websites.  Alternatively, your doctor should be able to provide you with your BMR. If you’d rather calculate your BMR manually, you can use this formula which is given in both imperial and metric measurements.

Imperial BMR Formula

Women: BMR = 655 + ( 4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) - ( 4.7 x age in years )
Men: BMR = 66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) - ( 6.8 x age in year )

Metric BMR Formula

Women: BMR = 655 + ( 9.6 x weight in kilos ) + ( 1.8 x height in cm ) - ( 4.7 x age in years )
Men: BMR = 66 + ( 13.7 x weight in kilos ) + ( 5 x height in cm ) - ( 6.8 x age in years )

Don’t feel too disheartened if the number you arrive at is quite low. Remember, your BMR figure is only the amount of calories you use up just resting. On top of this we now need to add on how much exercise you take. Rather than painstakingly trying to work out the calories you use with each activity, there is a handy formula that categorizes you according to your lifestyle. So all you have to do is decide which category you generally fit into. The formula is given below.

The Harris Benedict Formula

The ‘Harris Benedict Formula’ helps determine your daily calorie needs.

1.  Sedentary (little or no exercise) :  BMR x 1.2
2. Lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : BMR x 1.375
3. Moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) :  BMR x 1.55
4. Very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) :  BMR x 1.725
5. Extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) :  BMR x 1.9

So for example, a sedentary person with a BMR of 1,600 would multiple this by 1.2 and arrive at the figure of 1,920. This is the amount of daily calories required for this person to remain at their current weight. 

Of course, this isn’t an exact science and the calories needed to maintain your weight will still vary marginally from day to day. But armed with this figure, you’ll now be in a far stronger position when it comes to controlling your weight and hopefully, you'll be able to make wiser choices in terms of how much you eat.