In order to properly fuel our bodies, we need a certain amount of calories per day. There are many factors contributing to the number we each require including our age, weight, height, and gender. Typically, men need more calories than women. Young people need more than older people. Tall people need more than shorter people, and so on. Extra calories are then added or subtracted to your daily calorie intake number depending on your activity level. For example, a construction worker will require more calories an office worker with the same physical characteristics. Similarly, a person that exercises regularly will require more calories than someone who does not workout.

We each have a number of calories per day to lose weight. When beginning a weight loss program, you must first know your body’s specific needs. Use our free online calorie calculator to estimate how many calories you should consume per day to maintain weight. To lose weight, you must then follow a diet plan with fewer calories and increase your activity level. The calorie calculator, in addition to displaying your maintenance calorie number, offers a guideline for how many calories you should consume per day to achieve weight loss at a rate of approximately one pound per week.

A recognized rate for healthy weight loss is about 1 to 2 pounds per week. To meet that goal, many popular diet plans recommend that you subtract between 500 and 700 calories from your daily intake number. The formula is based on the estimation that one pound of fat equals 3500 calories. Thus, a daily calorie deficit of 500 calories per day should result in a 1 pound per week loss. If you add more physical activity and exercise to your day, your overall rate of weekly weight loss will increase.

Generally, nutritionists and health authorities recommend that dieters do not go below 1200 calories per day. Our bodies need nutrient-rich calories to maintain healthy function. If you lower your calorie intake too much, or start missing meals, you’re likely to trigger a starvation reaction, slowing your metabolism. With the help of FitClick’s online tools, there's no guessing or math. You will know exactly what it takes for you to lose weight. Start by using our free calorie calculator to develop a balanced plan to meet your goals and then track what you eat with our calorie counter and food journal. You can monitor your intake precisely with the diet score card and know where your daily net calories stand at any point with our net calories graph.