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Have you ever pondered how many calories you need to burn every day in order to maintain your fitness level, reduce your body weight, or even build muscle? Although there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, knowing how your body uses calories can help you make better decisions for your fitness and health journey. Let’s dissect it in a straightforward and cordial manner.

What Are Calories, Really?

Your body uses calories as fuel, which are units of energy. Your body uses the calories from every meal to power breathing, blood circulation, movement, thought, and all the other processes that keep you alive.

Your weight remains constant when you consume approximately the same amount of calories as your body expends. When you eat less, your body uses the fat that has been stored as fuel, which causes you to lose weight. When you eat more, the extra energy is stored, usually as fat, which results in weight gain.

Knowing how many calories your body normally requires will help you make better dietary and activity choices, but you don’t have to count every calorie.

Understanding Your Daily Calorie Needs

Your age, gender, body size, muscle mass, and level of activity all affect how many calories you need. Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories your body burns during a day.

TDEE includes:

• Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): The calories your body burns at rest to perform vital functions like breathing and circulation. BMR accounts for about 60–70% of your daily energy use.

• Thermic Effect of Food (TEF): The calories burned during digestion, which make up around 10% of your total daily energy use.

• Physical Activity: The energy you spend moving—whether it’s exercising, walking, or doing chores.

The interesting thing is that foods high in protein actually increase your caloric expenditure! This is due to the fact that protein has the greatest “thermic effect.” Compared to only 5–10% of the calories in carbohydrates and 0–3% of the calories in fats, about 20–30% of the calories in protein are spent simply during digestion. Thus, eating a diet high in protein helps to increase your metabolism while also keeping you fuller for longer.

How to Estimate Your Calorie Burn?

While specialized lab tests can measure your calorie burn precisely, most people can get a good estimate using the Mifflin-St. Jeor Equation.

For men:
Calories/day = 9.99 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) – 4.92 × age + 5

For women:
Calories/day = 9.99 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) – 4.92 × age – 161

Then, multiply this result by your activity level:

• Sedentary (little to no exercise): × 1.2

• Lightly active (exercise <3 days/week): × 1.375

• Moderately active (exercise most days): × 1.55

• Very active (hard exercise daily): × 1.725

• Extra active (intense training twice a day): × 1.9

This will give you an idea of how many calories you need to maintain your current weight.

According to general guidelines, moderately active women usually need 1,800–2,200 calories a day, while men need about 2,400–2,800 calories to maintain their weight.

Setting Goals: Burn, Lose, or Gain

Once you know your daily calorie needs, you can adjust your diet and exercise to match your goals.

For Weight Loss

You must burn more calories than you consume in order to achieve a calorie deficit and lose weight. A safe, consistent weight loss of approximately 1 pound (0.45 kg) per week is typically achieved with a daily calorie deficit of roughly 500.

Changes that are small and gradual are most effective. Severe diets can cause you to lose muscle, slow down your metabolism, and eventually gain weight again. Rather, concentrate on consuming whole foods, reducing added sugars, and maintaining an active lifestyle.

For Muscle Gain or Healthy Weight Gain

Eat a little bit more than your body uses for energy if you want to gain weight or build muscle. To make sure the extra calories are used to build muscle rather than fat, combine this with resistance training and a high-protein diet.

How Many Calories Does Exercise Burn?

Here’s a quick look at how many calories a 154-pound (70-kg) person burns in 30 minutes:

• Walking (3.5 mph): 140 calories

• Running (5 mph): 295 calories

• Biking (under 10 mph): 145 calories

• Swimming (slow freestyle): 255 calories

• Dancing: 165 calories

• Weightlifting (light effort): 110 calories

• Vigorous basketball: 220 calories

Even everyday activities add up! Roughly 20 steps burn about 1 calorie, so 8,000 steps can burn around 400 calories—proof that staying active throughout the day really makes a difference.

Tips to Burn More Calories Every Day

• Move more often: Walk whenever you can, take the stairs, or add short workouts throughout your day.

• Prioritize protein: High-protein foods like chicken, eggs, beans, and Greek yogurt help you burn more calories during digestion and stay satisfied longer.

• Build muscle: Strength training increases your resting metabolism, helping you burn more calories even while relaxing.

• Eat smart: Choose whole, nutrient-dense foods over processed snacks. Small swaps can make a big difference over time.

• Stay consistent: Healthy habits matter more than quick fixes. Aim for balance, not perfection.

It is up to each individual to determine the “ideal” daily caloric expenditure. Making thoughtful decisions that support your objectives—whether they be weight loss, muscle growth, or just feeling stronger and healthier—is made easier when you are aware of your body’s energy requirements.

Additionally, keep in mind that you don’t have to track calories or use devices to track every step. Make an effort to eat healthily, maintain an active lifestyle, and provide your body with foods that make you feel your best—especially lots of protein!