What Determines How Many Calories You Need?
Your total daily calorie requirement is made up of several components that, taken together, reflect how much energy your body uses across a typical day.
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
BMR is the number of calories your body burns simply to keep you alive — breathing, circulation, cell repair — at complete rest. It accounts for the largest share of your daily energy use, often 60–70% of the total. Body weight, height, age, and biological sex all influence BMR, with larger and younger bodies generally burning more at rest.
Activity Level
Your BMR is multiplied by an activity factor to estimate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). Sedentary adults (desk job, minimal movement) typically apply a factor around 1.2; people who exercise several times a week apply 1.5 or higher. Accurately estimating your activity level is one of the trickier parts of calorie calculation — most people slightly overestimate it.
Your Goal: Lose, Maintain, or Gain Weight
Once you know your TDEE, your calorie target shifts depending on your goal:
- To lose weight: most approaches use a deficit of 300–500 kcal below TDEE. Larger deficits can be counterproductive over time, particularly on a GLP-1 medicine where intake may already be reduced.
- To maintain weight: eating at roughly your TDEE keeps body weight stable.
- To gain weight: a modest surplus above TDEE — typically 200–400 kcal — supports gradual, controlled weight gain.
These are general educational ranges, not personal prescriptions. Your prescriber or doctor is best placed to advise on targets appropriate for your specific health situation.
How GLP-1 Medicines Affect Calorie Intake
Medicines such as Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and Wegovy (semaglutide) act on appetite-regulating pathways, and many people find their natural intake drops significantly while taking them. This makes it important to track what you are actually eating — not just to stay within a calorie target, but to make sure you are getting enough protein and nutrients even when appetite is low. You can explore daily calorie needs in more detail, look at how to assess what you currently consume, and read more about everyday calorie requirements to build a fuller picture.
average weekly weight change in the first 16 weeks of Mounjaro & Wegovy use*
Tracking the right four numbers — weight, waist, protein and dose — turns a noisy chart into a clear story. That's the loop GLP-1 users keep coming back for.
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Track Your Calories Automatically with GLP Trackr
Manually counting calories is tedious — especially when appetite is unpredictable on a GLP-1 medicine. GLP Trackr's AI food photo scan makes it effortless: point your camera at a meal and get an instant calorie, protein, and macro breakdown without typing a thing. For packaged food, the barcode scanner fills in the details in seconds.
Beyond logging individual meals, the app lets you set a personal calorie target and tracks your daily progress against it — so you can see at a glance whether you are hitting your goal or falling short. Protein and fibre targets sit alongside calories, helping you make sure lower-volume eating on GLP-1 still covers your nutritional bases.
The insights dashboard then surfaces patterns from your own data: how your calorie intake on different days relates to your energy levels, weight trend, and other markers you log. Rather than guessing whether your current intake is working, you can see it clearly — and bring that record to your next prescriber appointment. The GLP Trackr calorie calculator hub brings all these tools together in one place.
GLP Trackr provides tracking and general information — it is not a substitute for personalised guidance from your prescriber or doctor. If you have questions about the right calorie intake for your health goals, discuss them with your healthcare professional.
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What does glptrackr include?
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Morning Check-In
Start every day with a 60-second wellness check-in. Log how you're feeling, track nausea, appetite, energy, and mood — giving you and your care team a complete picture of how your medication is working.
Injection Tracking
Log every dose with a single tap. Track your dose history, phase in your cycle, estimated medication levels, and upcoming injection dates — with reminders so you never miss a scheduled shot.
Hydration Reminders
Staying hydrated is especially important on GLP-1 medications. Set daily water targets, log intake throughout the day, and receive smart nudges when you're falling behind your goal.
Smart Meal Planning
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Log walks, workouts, and movement with activity targets that flex with your energy levels. On lower-energy dose days, gentler targets keep you moving without burning out.
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Knows Your Cycle
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Frequently asked questions.
Most weight-loss approaches use a deficit of roughly 300–500 kcal below your total daily energy expenditure. The right target depends on your body size, activity level, and health history — your prescriber or doctor can help you set a goal that works for your situation.
Eating at roughly your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) keeps weight stable. TDEE is your Basal Metabolic Rate multiplied by an activity factor, and varies widely between individuals — typically anywhere from around 1,600 to over 2,500 kcal per day.
A modest calorie surplus above your TDEE — generally around 200–400 kcal per day — supports gradual weight gain. For personalised guidance, especially if you are on a prescribed medicine, speak with your prescriber or doctor.
These medicines act on appetite pathways, so many people naturally eat less while taking them. Tracking your actual intake helps ensure you still meet protein and nutrient needs even when appetite is reduced — your prescriber can advise on appropriate targets for your goals.
GLP Trackr lets you log meals via AI photo scan, barcode, or search, and tracks your daily calories against a personal target. The insights dashboard shows patterns over time, giving you useful data to discuss with your prescriber or doctor.