If you're trying to lose weight, one of the first questions you may ask is: How many calories should I eat per day? There isn't one calorie target that works for everyone. Daily energy needs vary with body size, age, sex, metabolism, and physical activity. NIDDK notes that calorie needs can differ based on all of these factors, which is why individualized planning is more useful than assigning the same calorie intake to everyone. A practical place to start is your TDEE, or To

BMR and TDEE are two numbers you will often see in calorie calculators, fitness apps, and weight-management plans. They are related, but they do not mean the same thing. BMR describes the energy your body uses under basal resting conditions. TDEE describes the total amount of energy you use across an entire day. If your goal is weight loss, TDEE is generally the more useful starting point because it accounts for your overall daily energy expenditure rather than your resting n