How do I calculate my daily calorie needs?
Your daily calorie needs are calculated by combining your basal metabolic rate (BMR) with the additional energy you use through physical activity and digestion.
Basal metabolic rate accounts for as much as 60 per cent of your daily needs and is the energy your internal organs (brain, heart, kidneys) need to function at complete rest. A higher proportion of muscle mass leads to a higher basal metabolic rate. In addition to BMR, you use energy when your body breaks down the food you eat (the thermic effect), as well as through physical movement, both during exercise sessions and through everyday movement (NEAT).
Your total daily energy requirement, often called TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure), varies depending on age, weight, sex and activity level. For example, a woman weighing 70 kg may need around 2,200 kcal per day to maintain her current weight, while a man weighing 80 kg may need around 2,800 kcal per day. A general rule of thumb is that a person of normal weight needs around 30 calories per kilogram of body weight per day to meet their energy needs. Using a calorie calculator can help give you a clearer estimate of how many calories you should eat per day based on your individual circumstances.
How many calories per day are needed to lose weight?
One kilogram of body fat corresponds to approximately 7,000 to 7,700 kilocalories. To lose 1 kg of fat, you need to create a deficit of around 7,000 calories, which means that to lose 1 kg in one week, you need a daily calorie deficit of around 1,000 calories. To lose half a kilogram per week, the body therefore needs to obtain around 500 calories from its own fat stores every day.
Current recommendations strongly advise against a daily intake below 1,200 kilocalories unless this is done through a Very Low Energy Diet (VLED), using specific products that help meet the body's nutritional needs despite the low calorie intake. An excessively low calorie intake over time inevitably leads to nutritional deficiencies and muscle loss, which harms your long-term health.
Do you have to count calories to lose weight?
No, you do not have to count calories to lose weight, but keeping a food record for a period of time is a scientifically proven tool for identifying unconscious eating that affects your weight loss.
Research shows that people generally underestimate how much they eat. Liquid calories from drinks, dressings, oil in the frying pan, small tastes or snacking are often forgotten. By basing your meals on foods with a low energy density, meaning foods that take up a lot of space but contain few calories, it becomes easier to naturally achieve a calorie deficit. Fibre-rich vegetables and lean protein sources are good examples of this type of food and are an important part of weight loss.
Why does weight loss stop despite a calorie deficit?
Sooner or later, weight loss usually levels off into a plateau because your body compensates for the weight loss by reducing its calorie expenditure, a survival mechanism called metabolic adaptation.
When you lose weight, your body becomes smaller and therefore requires fewer calories to function. At the same time, the brain often unconsciously reduces spontaneous everyday movement to save energy. An intake that initially created a calorie deficit of 500 kilocalories may, after a few months, have become your body's new, lower energy balance. To break through the plateau, the calorie level needs to be adjusted again. Remember that the number of calories you burn each day can also be affected by your muscle mass, which uses more calories than fat tissue.
Frequently asked questions about calories and energy needs
What happens if I eat too few calories?
An excessively low calorie intake puts the body under stress. The brain responds by reducing energy expenditure, breaking down valuable muscle tissue for quick energy and increasing the release of hunger hormones. This increases the risk of eating large amounts due to a loss of control around food and usually results in rapid weight gain when the diet is stopped.
How many calories are in one kilogram of body fat?
One kilogram of body fat corresponds to a stored reserve of around 7,000 to 7,700 kilocalories. This means that you need to create a total calorie deficit of this size over a certain period of time to burn one kilogram of pure fat mass.
Do you lose weight by eating fewer calories?
You lose weight by eating fewer calories than your body uses. This creates a calorie deficit, which forces the body to use its own reserves as an energy source.
Do muscles burn more calories than fat?
Yes, muscle tissue uses more calories than fat tissue. Having a higher proportion of muscle mass means that your body uses more energy (calories) each day, even when you are sleeping or sitting still.
Which foods are most filling per calorie?
Foods with a high water content and plenty of fibre and protein are the most filling. Research shows that boiled potatoes, lean fish, oats and eggs are among the foods that provide the greatest feeling of fullness in relation to the number of calories they contain.
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