How many calories should I eat?
Aug 29, 2025
If you're getting started with food logging and tracking your calories, it can be hard to know how many calories you should eat. I certainly know that I struggled with it! We've come up with a 3-step method to share with you, whether you're tracking with Calorik or not.
You can use this simple 3-step method: set a goal, pick a sensible starting number from your body size and movement, then run a 2-week test and adjust from your weight trend. We'll go into more detail in this blog post.
Step 1: choose your goal
Picking your goal might sound like a basic point, but you really want to understand why you're focusing on logging your calories. These are the most common goals, but you may have others:
Fat loss: create a small daily deficit.
Maintenance: stay roughly the same.
Muscle gain: create a small daily surplus.
Step 2: get a starting number of calories from your body size and movement
Start with your body weight, then nudge up or down based on how much you move.
Quick starting points
Low movement, under 5k steps most days: body weight in kg × 28
Moderate movement, 5k to 8k steps: kg × 30
High movement, 8k to 12k steps: kg × 32
Very high movement, 12k+ steps or tough training blocks: kg × 34
Prefer pounds: use body weight in lb × 13 for moderate movement, then adjust a little up or down for the other bands.
Turn the starting point into your daily budget
Fat loss: subtract 300 to 500 calories
Maintenance: keep the number as is
Muscle gain: add 150 to 300 calories
Examples
80 kg, 6k steps: 80 × 30 ≈ 2400. Fat loss start: 1900 to 2100.
65 kg, 11k steps: 65 × 32 ≈ 2080. Maintenance start: about 2100.
95 kg, 7k steps: 95 × 30 ≈ 2850. Gain start: 3000 to 3150.
Set protein so hunger is easier
Aim for 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg body weight. Example: 80 kg → 130 to 175 g protein. The rest of your calories can be carbs and fat in any split you prefer.
Step 3: run the 2-week test
The goal is not to be perfect. The goal is to see what the number does in real life, then adjust.
How to test
Log meals in Calorik for 14 days.
Weigh yourself daily after waking, before food or drink.
Calculate a 7-day average for week one and week two. Compare them.
How to read the result
Fat loss: if your average drops about 0.25 to 1.0 kg per week, keep going.
No change or very slow drop: reduce by 150 to 200 calories.
Too fast drop or low energy: add 100 to 150 calories.
Maintenance: if the average stays within about 0.2 kg, you are on target.
Muscle gain: aim for about 0.1 to 0.25 kg per week. If nothing moves, add 100 to 150 calories.
Keep the test clean
Hold steps and training steady.
Hit your protein most days.
Watch water, salt, and late meals that can spike scale weight.
Do not “eat back” every exercise calorie.
FAQ quick hits
Do I need perfect macro ratios? No. Set calories first, hit protein, then split carbs and fat to taste.
What if I have big weekend swings? Plan a small weekday buffer or pre-log key meals.
How often should I adjust? Only after a 2-week check unless energy is crashing.
What to do now
Pick your goal.
Use the movement band to get a sensible starting number.
Set calories and protein in Calorik, save three go-to meals, and start your 14-day test.
Adjust by 150 to 200 calories based on the weight trend and keep going.
Simple, measurable, repeatable. That is how you find the right calorie target.
