There is no single right number of calories for everyone. A 50 kg office worker and an 85 kg construction worker can differ by more than 1,500 kcal a day. Your number depends on your size, age, sex and, above all, how active you are. Here is how to find yours and what to do with it.
Average daily calorie needs for Indian adults
ICMR-NIN's 2020 requirements for a reference Indian adult (man 65 kg, woman 55 kg):
| Activity level | Man (65 kg) | Woman (55 kg) |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | ≈ 2,110 kcal | ≈ 1,660 kcal |
| Moderately active | ≈ 2,710 kcal | ≈ 2,130 kcal |
| Heavy activity | ≈ 3,470 kcal | ≈ 2,720 kcal |
“Sedentary” means mostly sitting — desk work and little planned exercise. “Moderately active” fits people who walk a lot, stand at work or exercise most days. Most urban office workers are sedentary, even if they go to the gym three times a week.
Calories per day by age and activity
Calculated with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the most accurate of the common formulas, for an average-height man (170 cm, 70 kg) and woman (158 cm, 58 kg):
| Age | Man, sedentary | Man, moderately active | Woman, sedentary | Woman, moderately active |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | ≈ 1,970 kcal | ≈ 2,550 kcal | ≈ 1,540 kcal | ≈ 1,990 kcal |
| 45 | ≈ 1,850 kcal | ≈ 2,390 kcal | ≈ 1,420 kcal | ≈ 1,830 kcal |
| 60 | ≈ 1,760 kcal | ≈ 2,270 kcal | ≈ 1,330 kcal | ≈ 1,720 kcal |
Taller, heavier and more muscular people need more; smaller and less active people need less.
How to work out your own number
Step 1: BMR (calories at complete rest)
- Men: 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age + 5
- Women: 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age − 161
Step 2: multiply by your activity level
| Activity | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Sedentary (desk job, little exercise) | 1.2 |
| Lightly active (exercise 1–3 days a week or 6,000–8,000 steps) | 1.375 |
| Moderately active (exercise 3–5 days or 8,000–12,000 steps) | 1.55 |
| Very active (hard exercise 6–7 days or a physical job) | 1.725 |
Worked example
Priya is 32, 160 cm and 62 kg, works at a desk and walks about 6,000 steps a day.
BMR = 10 × 62 + 6.25 × 160 − 5 × 32 − 161 = 620 + 1,000 − 160 − 161 = 1,299 kcal.
Lightly active: 1,299 × 1.375 ≈ 1,790 kcal a day. That is her estimated maintenance.
The difference between BMR and this total is explained in BMR vs TDEE. Or skip the maths: the calorie calculator does it for you.
Calories per day by goal
| Goal | Daily calories | Priya's target |
|---|---|---|
| Lose fat | Maintenance − 10–20% | ≈ 1,430–1,610 kcal |
| Maintain | Maintenance | ≈ 1,790 kcal |
| Build muscle | Maintenance + 5–10% | ≈ 1,880–1,970 kcal |
For weight loss, see how many calories to eat to lose weight and what a calorie deficit is. Avoid going below about 1,200 kcal (women) or 1,500 kcal (men) without medical supervision.
Check the estimate against reality
- Eat your estimated maintenance consistently for 2–3 weeks.
- Weigh yourself 3–4 mornings a week, after the toilet, before food.
- Compare weekly averages. Stable means you found maintenance; rising or falling means adjust by 100–200 kcal.
This is the most reliable way to find your number — explained in detail in what maintenance calories are.
What those calories look like in Indian food
A 1,800 kcal day might be: poha with peanuts and curd for breakfast, three rotis with dal, sabzi and salad at lunch, fruit and chai in the evening, and rice with dal and a paneer or chicken dish at dinner. See it laid out with gram weights in the 2,000 calorie Indian diet plan and the 1,500 calorie Indian diet plan, or check what a restaurant meal costs you in calories in an Indian thali.
Next step: Get your personal number in under a minute with the calorie calculator.
Explore the guide: Targets by goal, calories in everyday Indian foods and every related article are in the calories guide; the weight loss guide covers training and habits.
Key takeaways
- Most Indian women need about 1,500–2,000 kcal a day; most men about 1,800–2,600.
- Your number is BMR × activity level; Mifflin-St Jeor is the best everyday formula.
- Lose fat at 10–20% below maintenance; build muscle at 5–10% above.
- Check any estimate against 2–3 weeks of average weigh-ins.
This is educational information, not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional for personal health decisions.
