Your daily calories and macros will appear here.
How This Pregnancy Calorie Calculator Works
First we estimate the energy your body burns at rest using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation[2], then multiply by your activity level to get your daily burn (TDEE). The activity multipliers are the standard ones most calculators use; they do not come from a single study. Then the stage you pick changes the target, in plain words:
- First trimester: no calorie deficit. Your target is at least what you burn. Guidelines add no extra calories in the first trimester[3], and pregnancy is a time for healthy weight gain, not loss[4].
- Second and third trimester: what you burn plus 350 kcal (ICMR-NIN 2020)[5]. Never a deficit.
- Pregnancy protein and carbs: at least 1.1 g of protein per kg and at least 175 g of carbs a day, the US reference intakes for pregnancy[3].
- Breastfeeding: your goal calories plus 500, never below your burn plus 500 minus 550, and never below 1,800 kcal. ICMR-NIN adds 600 kcal a day for months 0 to 6 and 520 kcal for months 7 to 12[5]; the US reference adds about 500[3]. We add 500 and allow gentle loss, because part of the energy for milk comes from fat stored in pregnancy[6], and in a trial a 500 kcal a day deficit plus exercise did not affect babies' growth[7]. The 1,800 kcal floor and the 550 kcal limit are our own safety defaults.
- Postpartum, not breastfeeding (first year): any deficit is capped at 550 kcal a day, so weight loss stays gentle. That cap is our default, at the gentle end of the 500–750 kcal a day deficit in the US obesity guideline[8].
Worked examples
A 29-year-old woman, 60 kg, 160 cm, lightly active, burns 1,779 kcal a day (BMR 1,294).
| Stage | Calories | Protein / carbs / fat |
|---|---|---|
| First trimester | 1779 | 108 g / 201 g / 60 g |
| Second trimester | 2129 | 132 g / 278 g / 54 g |
A 31-year-old woman, 68 kg, 162 cm, sedentary (burns 1,651 kcal a day), who is breastfeeding and asks to lose 0.5 kg a week, gets 1,800 kcal: 149 g protein, 163 g carbs and 61 g fat. If she is not breastfeeding and asks for 0.75 kg a week, she gets 1,200 kcal (105 g, 90 g, 46 g).
Sources
Numbers marked as our defaults are UltraFit360's own cautious choices within published ranges, not values from these sources.
- Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition.
- Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, Hill LA, et al. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990;51(2):241-247. doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/51.2.241
- Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. National Academies Press; 2005. doi.org/10.17226/10490
- Institute of Medicine and National Research Council. Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Reexamining the Guidelines. National Academies Press; 2009. doi.org/10.17226/12584
- ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. Nutrient Requirements for Indians: Recommended Dietary Allowances and Estimated Average Requirements. 2020. www.nin.res.in/rdabook/brief_note.pdf
- Institute of Medicine. Nutrition During Lactation. National Academies Press; 1991. doi.org/10.17226/1577
- Lovelady CA, Garner KE, Moreno KL, Williams JP. The effect of weight loss in overweight, lactating women on the growth of their infants. N Engl J Med. 2000;342(7):449-453. doi.org/10.1056/NEJM200002173420701
- Jensen MD, Ryan DH, et al. 2013 AHA/ACC/TOS Guideline for the Management of Overweight and Obesity in Adults. Circulation. 2014;129(25 Suppl 2):S102-S138. doi.org/10.1161/01.cir.0000437739.71477.ee
Pregnancy Calorie FAQs
How many extra calories do I need in pregnancy?
In the first trimester most women need no extra calories[3]. In the second and third trimester the ICMR-NIN 2020 guidance adds about 350 kcal a day to your normal needs[5]. That is roughly a glass of milk, a banana and a small handful of nuts[1], not "eating for two".
Can I lose weight while pregnant?
This calculator never sets a calorie deficit in pregnancy. Your target is at least what you burn each day, because the goal in pregnancy is healthy weight gain, by an amount that depends on your BMI before pregnancy[4]. If your doctor has given you a specific weight plan, follow that instead.
How many calories do I need while breastfeeding?
Exclusive breastfeeding uses about 640 kcal a day in the first six months, partly from fat stored in pregnancy[6]. ICMR-NIN adds 600 kcal a day for months 0 to 6 and 520 kcal for months 7 to 12[5]. The target here adds 500 kcal to your goal calories and never goes below 1,800 kcal a day, our own safety floor. Gentle loss is fine: in a trial, a 500 kcal a day deficit plus exercise did not affect babies' growth[7]. Avoid crash diets.
Can I diet if I am not breastfeeding after delivery?
You can lose weight gently. The calculator limits the daily deficit to about 550 kcal below what you burn, our default at the gentle end of the 500–750 kcal range in the US obesity guideline[8]. That is why asking for a faster pace may not change your number.
How much protein do I need in pregnancy?
The calculator sets at least 1.1 g of protein per kg of body weight and at least 175 g of carbohydrates a day, the US reference intakes for pregnancy[3]. Dal, curd, milk, paneer, eggs, fish and sprouts all help. Ask your doctor about any supplements.
Why is the trimester important?
Energy needs rise as the baby grows, from the second trimester on[3][5]. The app dates your trimester and moves you forward every 13 weeks, so your target changes with you.
Keep reading
Read How UltraFit360 sets targets for diabetes, PCOS and pregnancy for the full rule set. Related tools and guides: PCOS macro calculator, diabetes macro calculator, calorie calculator.