Women and men process calories differently. Women have more fat than men, which burns fewer calories than muscle. Your calorie intake will be affected by your body mass index.
Body Mass Index
A body mass index calculator will tell you if you are underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese. Depending on how much body fat you have, you may need to adjust your calorie intake.
Basal Metabolic Rate
The basal metabolic formula for women is BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years). This formula will tell you how many calories you use each day while you're inactive.
Harris Benedict Equation
To estimate how many calories you use on a typical day, the Harris Benedict equation multiplies your BMR by your activity level; see Resources. This number is the starting point for estimating the number of calories you should consume.
Conclusion
If your BMI indicated that you are underweight, you can increase your intake by 500 calories a day. If you're overweight, the National Institutes of Health suggests creating a 500-calorie deficit in your daily diet. If you're at a normal weight, stick with the number of calories indicated from your Harris Benedict equation.
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