Women's TDEE is estimated with the Mifflin–St Jeor equation: 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age − 161, multiplied by an activity factor from 1.2 to 1.9. A 35-year-old woman, 5′5″ and 165 lb, who exercises moderately has a TDEE of about 2,239 kcal a day. Pregnancy and breastfeeding add roughly 330–452 kcal a day later on.
Key takeaways
- The −161 constant in the equation reflects that women, on average, have lower resting energy expenditure than men of the same size, mostly because of body composition.
- The example 35-year-old woman (165 lb, 5′5″, moderately active) has a BMR of 1,444 kcal and a TDEE of 2,239 kcal.
- A 10–20% deficit gives her 1,791–2,015 kcal, with 1,903 kcal as the middle 15% target.
- Pregnancy adds about 0 kcal in the first trimester, 340 in the second and 452 in the third; breastfeeding adds about 330 in months 0–6 and 400 in months 7–12.
How this TDEE calculator for women works
Enter your age, weight, height and activity level, and choose lose, maintain or gain. For fat loss you can set a gentle, moderate or faster pace of 10%, 15% or 20% below TDEE (or 5%, 10% and 15% above for gain). You can optionally pick a different formula or enter your body fat. A pregnancy and breastfeeding selector adds the extra energy for your stage.
The calculator is set to female, so the equation uses the −161 constant. For the general version of this tool, see the TDEE calculator. To read about the basics first, see what is TDEE.
What is the TDEE formula for women?
The default is the Mifflin–St Jeor equation, which has performed best in comparisons with measured resting energy (Mifflin et al., 1990; Frankenfield et al., 2005):
BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age − 161 TDEE = BMR × activity factor (1.2 / 1.375 / 1.55 / 1.725 / 1.9)
The −161 constant, compared with +5 for men, says that at the same weight, height and age women burn about 166 kcal less per day at rest. The gap is commonly attributed to typical differences in body composition.
How many calories does a woman need by age and weight?
This table shows TDEE (moderate activity, ×1.55) for women 5′5″ tall, with BMR in brackets.
| Age | 130 lb | 150 lb | 170 lb | 190 lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 2,070 (1,336) | 2,211 (1,426) | 2,351 (1,517) | 2,492 (1,608) |
| 35 | 1,993 (1,286) | 2,133 (1,376) | 2,274 (1,467) | 2,414 (1,558) |
| 45 | 1,915 (1,236) | 2,056 (1,326) | 2,196 (1,417) | 2,337 (1,508) |
| 55 | 1,838 (1,186) | 1,978 (1,276) | 2,119 (1,367) | 2,259 (1,458) |
| 65 | 1,760 (1,136) | 1,901 (1,226) | 2,041 (1,317) | 2,182 (1,408) |
Each decade of age lowers TDEE by about 78 kcal in this model, and each additional 20 lb adds about 140 kcal. Body size matters more than age here.
How does age change a woman’s calorie needs?
Equations subtract 5 kcal of BMR for each year of age. The doubly labeled water data from Pontzer and colleagues suggest that after adjusting for body composition, expenditure is fairly stable from the 20s through the 50s and declines only gradually after about age 60 (Pontzer et al., 2021). Equations may therefore overstate the decline in midlife and understate it later, so use them as a starting point. For more on midlife, see the perimenopause TDEE calculator.
How many calories should a woman eat to lose weight?
Take the maintenance number and subtract 10–20%. For the example woman that is 1,791–2,015 kcal, usually worth about 0.5–1 lb (0.2–0.5 kg) a week at first. Do not plan below about 1,200 kcal a day, or below your BMR, without medical supervision. The calorie deficit calculator gives targets by pace and a goal date, and the protein calculator helps protect muscle while you diet. If you have polycystic ovary syndrome, the PCOS TDEE calculator covers the calorie math, which is not medical advice.
How many extra calories do pregnancy and breastfeeding need?
The Dietary Reference Intakes add energy at specific stages (Institute of Medicine, 2005):
| Stage | Extra calories per day | Example woman’s TDEE |
|---|---|---|
| Not pregnant or breastfeeding | 0 | 2,239 kcal |
| Pregnancy, first trimester | 0 | 2,239 kcal |
| Pregnancy, second trimester | +340 | 2,579 kcal |
| Pregnancy, third trimester | +452 | 2,691 kcal |
| Breastfeeding, 0–6 months | +330 | 2,569 kcal |
| Breastfeeding, 7–12 months | +400 | 2,639 kcal |
Choose the stage in the calculator’s selector and it adds the amount for you. These are population averages, and individual needs vary with prepregnancy weight, activity and milk production. This is not medical advice. Talk with your obstetrician, midwife or registered dietitian about gestational weight gain and about trying to lose weight while breastfeeding. For lactation, see the breastfeeding calorie calculator.
When should a woman see a professional?
Speak with a doctor or registered dietitian before dieting if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, under 18, have a history of disordered eating, take diabetes medication or have missed periods. The numbers here describe typical energy needs, not a treatment plan.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories should a woman eat a day?
It depends on size, age and activity. A moderately active 35-year-old woman at 165 lb needs about 2,239 kcal to maintain, and many women land between roughly 1,800 and 2,400 kcal. Use the calculator for your own number rather than a generic 2,000-calorie figure.
What is a good calorie deficit for a woman?
A 10–20% reduction from TDEE is a common range, which for the example woman is 1,791–2,015 kcal. Do not plan below about 1,200 kcal, or your BMR, without medical supervision. See the calorie deficit calculator.
Do women need fewer calories than men?
On average, yes, because women are typically smaller and carry less lean mass at the same body weight. At the same height, weight and age, the equation gives a woman 166 kcal a day less BMR than a man, before the activity multiplier.
How many calories do I need to maintain weight after 50?
Using the same equation, BMR drops about 5 kcal for each year of age, so a 55-year-old woman at 165 lb and 5′5″ who is moderately active needs about 2,084 kcal to maintain, versus 2,239 kcal at 35. See the BMR for women over 50 page.
Should I adjust my calories for my menstrual cycle?
The calculator does not adjust for cycle phase. Day-to-day water weight and appetite change across the cycle, so judge your weight trend over several weeks rather than daily. If cycles stop or become irregular, speak with a clinician.
References
- Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, Hill LA, Scott BJ, Daugherty SA, Koh YO (1990). A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 51(2):241–247.
- Institute of Medicine (2005). Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. The National Academies Press.
- Pontzer H, Yamada Y, Sagayama H, et al. (2021). Daily energy expenditure through the human life course. Science 373(6556):808–812.
- Frankenfield D, Roth-Yousey L, Compher C (2005). Comparison of predictive equations for resting metabolic rate in healthy nonobese and obese adults: a systematic review. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 105(5):775–789.