Calorie needs at age 29, female
Enter your age, size and activity to see how many calories you use each day. The example below is a woman aged 29 who is 5 ft 4 in tall and weighs 150 lb.
How it works
The page works in two steps. Step one is resting calories with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation: 10 times kilograms plus 6.25 times centimeters minus 5 times age, plus 5 for males or minus 161 for females. Step two multiplies by an activity factor between 1.2 and 1.9. This 29-year-old woman uses a factor of 1.375 for the lightly active level.
Worked example
Convert first: 5 ft 4 in is 162.56 cm and 150 lb is 68.04 kg. Then 10 × 68.04 = 680.4 and 6.25 × 162.56 = 1016. Age 29 takes off 5 × 29 = 145. Subtract 161. Resting calories are 1390.4, which rounds to 1390. The lightly active factor is 1.375. 1390.4 × 1.375 = 1911.8, or 1912 calories a day.
Maintenance calories at every activity level for the same woman aged 29 at 5 ft 4 in and 150 lb, with the lightly active level set in the form above.
- Sedentary (little or no exercise)
- 1668 calories a day
- Lightly active (light exercise 1 to 3 days a week)
- 1912 calories a day
- Moderately active (moderate exercise 3 to 5 days a week)
- 2155 calories a day
- Very active (hard exercise 6 to 7 days a week)
- 2398 calories a day
- Extra active (very hard exercise and a physical job)
- 2642 calories a day
Common questions
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR is what your body burns at rest. TDEE adds the calories you use moving and exercising. It is always higher. For this woman aged 29 at 150 lb, BMR is 1390 calories and TDEE at the lightly active level is 1912.
Which activity level should I pick?
Pick the one that matches a typical week, not your best week. If you sit most of the day and train a few times, lightly or moderately active is usually closer than very active. Across the five levels this 29-year-old woman ranges from 1668 to 2642 calories a day, and the lightly active level gives 1912.
How big a calorie deficit is reasonable for weight loss?
A deficit of 500 calories a day is a common starting point and works out to roughly half a kilogram a week. Smaller deficits are slower and easier to keep up. A 500 calorie deficit here means 1412 calories a day for this 29-year-old woman at the lightly active level.
How big a surplus helps build muscle?
A modest surplus of about 250 calories a day is a common starting point. Larger surpluses tend to add more fat without adding muscle faster. A 250 calorie surplus here means 2162 calories a day for this 29-year-old woman at the lightly active level.
Why does age 29 change the result?
The formula takes 5 calories off for every year of age, which reflects that resting burn tends to fall over time. At 29 that is 145 calories. Without the age term this 29-year-old woman would burn 1535 calories at rest, or 2111 a day at the lightly active level.