How many calories do you need to eat a day?

Question

How many calories do you need to consume each day to survive?

Answer 1

Despite what some are saying this is a very good question. First and foremost you have to understand the RDA scales ARE for survival. So the answer is roughly 2000. However, there’s more to it than just that…. You have to consider where your calories are coming from. The 2,000 scales is based only If you are going to follow the nutritional percentage guidelines as well. You could very easily get 2,000 calories from cake and ice cream. You would get the calories, but overload on saturated fats and sugars, and miss the proteins, and vitamins and minerals that your body needs. It needs to be balanced.

In order for anyone to answer the question you asked in relation to you, you need to provide more information. If you workout, play sports, or are generally active, your going to need more calories to maintain your current body. It all depends on what you want to achieve.

Answer 2

Just to survive not many, I would say 500. You not be in the best of shape, but, you would most likely survive. The intake is really debatable as many factors are involved. I am a man and fairly active and I would guess I consume about 1200 calories a day. A Football Player many consume much more, though we both may look very fit and well toned.

Answer 3

As a guide, and based on an adult, the human body burns on average 100 calories an hour. During sleep can be as low as 60 calories an hour. It has to be reminded though that this is average.
However if you are into physicall activity such as, weightlifting and the likes then you will have to increase calories for the extra energy that will be required.

Answer 4

Me personally or people in general?
I've heard that people can't survive for very long or have a healthy active life if their calorie intake is less than 1000 calories per day.
I eat about 2100 calories per day but I supposedly use or burn 3200 to 4500 calories per day however I'm trying to trim down and train for my first marathon.
If I'm going to ride in a Century, I might need or use 5000 to 6000 calories per day.

Answer 5

Its a personal thing, depends on your weight, size, how active you are etc. but generally speaking 2500 for men 2000 for women, but me personally dont like to consume more than 1500 cals as i feel bloated.

Answer 6

the recommended intake for women is 2000
and for men it is 2500.
you intake depends mostly on how you weigh . my advice is you eat as much as you like and take regular exercise , just make sUr u have a healthy balanced diet and don't eat when u feel full. as long as you do that you should have no problems. all those people who starve themselves don't get thinner they just stay thin because you body just adjusts itself to fewer calories same if ure overweight , that why starving yourself is never the right answer and what sort of life is that. u need eat to live not live to eat.

Answer 7

Use this simple formula to estimate your calorie requirements:

Change your weight in pounds to kilograms: Your weight divided by 2.2
Your basal metabolic rate is approximately 1 calorie per kilogram per hour. Multiply your weight in kilograms by the 24 hours in a day. This is the number of calories you burn just being alive each day.
Now factor in activity: Multiply your calories needed per day (from #2 above) by the following percentages, depending on your activity level:

Light activity: 50% to 70%

Moderate: 65% to 80%

Heavy: 90% to 120%

If you sit at a desk for your job, and workout 30 minutes per day, this would be light activity. If your job involves more motion and you are active in addition to your workout (you take stairs, walk to work, do alot of housework, etc.), this would be moderate. Heavy activity would be for construction workers, athletes, etc. Most Americans are in the "light activity" level.
Multiply the percentages in #3 and you'll get a general range of calories needed for your daily activity. Add this to the number of calories needed to be alive each day.
Example:
Say you weigh 150 pounds. Divide by 2.2 to get 68 kilograms.
68 times 24 hours = 1632 calories needed per day for basic function.
Let's say you're activity is light:
1632 times 50% = 816
1632 times 70% = 1142

Add this to basic calories per day to get a range of 2448 to 2774 calories needed per day. Now compare this to what you are really eating. To lose those extra pounds, you'll need to burn more calories than you are eating, either by exercising more, or eating less.

Answer 8

The recommended daily amount for men is 2500, for women 2000. I normally get by on 2000 or just over.

Answer 9

That is a stupid question. I can go to the gym and burn off over 1000 Calories by doing an hours STRENUOUS exercise. It depends how active you are.

Answer 10

To maintain weight 2000 for women and 2500 for men. Thats two more chocolate bars for men per day!!

If you are overweight the figure will be more and if you are underweight the figure will be less.