No two women are the same, and the same is true for your caloric intake. Your age, weight, height and activity level all affect the number of calories you need to eat each day to maintain, gain or lose weight.
Basal Metabolic Rate
Input your age, weight in pounds and height in inches into the equation 655 + (4.35 x weight) + (4.7 x height) - ( 4.7 x age) to calculate your basal metabolic rate, or the number of calories your body needs to survive. For example, a 30-year-old, 130 lb. woman measuring 65 inches requires 1,385 calories each day just to function, according to BMI-calculator.net.
Total Caloric Needs
Your BMR represents the absolute minimum you could eat to survive, but you'll need more calories to balance the calories burned during daily activities. Calculate your total caloric needs by multiplying your BMR by an activity factor of 1.2, 1.375, 1.55, 1.725 or 1.9 if you are inactive, exercise one to two days a week, three to five days a week, six to seven days a week or twice per day.
Weight Management
Gaining or losing weight requires creating a caloric excess or deficit through diet and exercise. To gain or lose pounds at a healthful rate of 1 lb. per week, add or subtract 500 calories from your daily caloric requirements, according to the American Council on Exercise. Pregnant or nursing women have different nutritional needs.
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