Maintenance Calories for a 130 lb Woman

A 130 lb (59 kg) woman burns roughly 1,344 to 2,354 calories a day, depending on height, age and activity. For example, a 35-year-old woman who is 5′4″ and lightly active needs about 1,746 calories to maintain weight.

Set to a 35-year-old woman, 5′4″, 130 lb. Change any value:

Your TDEE (maintenance calories)

1,746 calories/day

BMR 1,270Mifflin-St JeorLightly active ×1.375

Units
Sex
Height

Light exercise or sports 1–3 days a week

How the formulas work

Calories by activity level

Activity levelCalories/day
Sedentary ×1.2Little or no exercise, mostly sitting (desk job)1,524
Lightly active ×1.375Light exercise or sports 1–3 days a week1,746
Moderately active ×1.55Moderate exercise or sports 3–5 days a week1,968
Very active ×1.725Hard exercise or sports 6–7 days a week2,190
Extra active ×1.9Very hard daily training, or exercise plus a physical job2,412

Maintenance and gradual change

Gentle starting points based on your TDEE. Real-world change is usually slower and less even than the arithmetic suggests, so watch your trend over several weeks and adjust.

GoalCalories/day
Lose about 1 lb a week1,246
Lose about 0.5 lb a week1,496
Maintain current weight1,746
Gain about 0.5 lb a week1,996

BMR by formula

Calories by height (130 lb, age 35)

HeightSedentaryLightlyModeratelyVery
5′0″1,4471,6581,8702,081
5′2″1,4861,7021,9192,135
5′4″1,5241,7461,9682,190
5′6″1,5621,7892,0172,245
5′8″1,6001,8332,0662,300
5′10″1,6381,8772,1162,354

Calories per day to maintain weight, Mifflin-St Jeor. Sedentary ×1.2, Lightly ×1.375, Moderately ×1.55, Very ×1.725.

Calories by age (130 lb, 5′4″)

AgeSedentaryLightlyModeratelyVery
251,5841,8152,0452,276
351,5241,7461,9682,190
451,4641,6771,8902,104
551,4041,6081,8132,018
651,3441,5401,7351,931

Each 10 years of age lowers the estimate by 50 calories of BMR, which becomes about 60 to 86 calories of TDEE depending on activity. Height matters a little more: each extra 2 inches adds about 32 calories of BMR. Activity matters most. A very hard daily trainer at this weight (35, 5′4″, “extra active”) would burn around 2,412.

Using these numbers

These are estimates for the average woman with these measurements. Your real maintenance could be a couple of hundred calories either side. The way to know is to eat close to your estimate for two to four weeks and watch your weekly average weight; see how to find your maintenance calories. If you want a gradual change, the calculator above shows gentle ranges and won’t show a target below about 1,200 calories a day.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories should a 130 lb woman eat to maintain weight?

Roughly 1,344 to 2,354 calories a day across the heights, ages and activity levels in the tables on this page, by the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. A 35-year-old woman who is 5′4″ and lightly active comes out at about 1,746. Your own number depends on your height, age and activity; enter them in the calculator for a personal estimate.

How many calories should a 130 lb woman eat to lose weight?

Starting from about 1,746 calories (age 35, 5′4″, lightly active), a gentle reduction of 250 to 500 calories a day gives roughly 1,246 to 1,496 calories, often linked to about 0.5 to 1 lb a week at first. Results vary, so watch your trend over several weeks.

Is 1,500 calories a day enough for a 130 lb woman?

For a 35-year-old woman who is 5′4″ and mostly sedentary, it is close to estimated maintenance (about 1,524). More active women of the same weight burn more and would likely need more to keep their weight stable.

How many calories does a 130 lb woman burn at rest?

A 35-year-old woman who is 5′4″ and 130 lb has an estimated BMR of about 1,270 calories a day by Mifflin-St Jeor. That is the energy used at complete rest, before any movement or digestion.

More weights: 110 lb · 120 lb · 130 lb · 140 lb · 150 lb · 160 lb · 170 lb · 180 lb · 190 lb · 200 lb. Also see the 140 lb man table.

Estimates only, not medical advice. Methodology and sources · Reviewed November 11, 2026