Pregnancy Calorie Calculator
How much to eat this week of your pregnancy, from the official 2023 equations: nothing extra in the first trimester, then a little more each week. Not eating for two.
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- Updated 12 October 2026
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Fill in your details and your answer appears here as you type.
How we got it
We use the 2023 Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy from the US National Academies. First trimester (weeks 1 to 13): the usual equation for women, with nothing added. From week 14: the pregnancy equation (age, height, current weight, activity), plus 9.16 calories for each week, plus an amount set by your BMI before pregnancy: 300 under 18.5, 200 at 18.5 to 24.9, 150 at 25 to 29.9, and minus 50 at 30 or more, when the body uses some of its stores. Breastfeeding: the usual equation plus 540 for milk minus 140 from body stores until 6 months, then plus 380. Protein uses the official recommended amounts. For one baby, adults 19 and over.
Updated . Sources: National Academies, 2023, Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy; Institute of Medicine, 2009, Weight Gain During Pregnancy.
The evidence
Every recommendation on this page links here. The badge shows what kind of source it is, so you can judge how strong it is.
- Guideline
Sets energy needs in pregnancy (none extra in the first trimester, then more each week) and breastfeeding (about 400 extra a day for the first 6 months: 540 for milk minus 140 from body stores, then 380).
National Academies (NASEM), 2023, Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy: Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy
- Guideline
Publishes the same 2023 equations: the usual equation in the first trimester, a pregnancy equation that rises each week from the second, and 540 minus 140 extra (then 380) while breastfeeding.
Health Canada, Dietary Reference Intakes tables, equations to estimate energy requirement: Equations to estimate energy requirement
- Guideline
Advises total gain for one baby by BMI before pregnancy: 12.5 to 18 kg under 18.5, 11.5 to 16 kg at 18.5 to 24.9, 7 to 11.5 kg at 25 to 29.9, and 5 to 9 kg at 30 or more.
Institute of Medicine, 2009: Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Reexamining the Guidelines
- Guideline
Recommended protein: 0.8 g per kg of body weight a day for adults, 1.1 g per kg in the second half of pregnancy and 1.3 g per kg while breastfeeding.
Institute of Medicine, 2005 Dietary Reference Intakes (Health Canada tables): Reference values for macronutrients
- Study
Measured protein needs in pregnant women directly: on average about 1.2 g per kg early and 1.5 g per kg late in pregnancy, higher than the official average of 0.88.
Stephens et al., 2015, The Journal of Nutrition: Protein requirements of healthy pregnant women during early and late gestation are higher than current recommendations
- Guideline
Without complications, physical activity in pregnancy is safe and good for most women, and is linked to less gestational diabetes and fewer caesarean births.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2020, Committee Opinion 804: Physical Activity and Exercise During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period
- Official data
Calories for the example foods: a medium banana 105, a 170 g pot of plain nonfat Greek yoghurt 100, a slice of wholewheat bread 80, a tablespoon of peanut butter 95, a cup (240 ml) of 2% milk 120, a 28 g handful of almonds 160.
US Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central (SR Legacy): FoodData Central
Our own rules of thumb
These are our choices, not findings from a study. We list them so you know which parts are judgement calls.
- The everyday foods are rounded examples of the extra calories.
- The week-by-week strip uses your current weight for every week.
Questions
Do I need to eat for two?
No. The first trimester needs nothing extra. After that the need rises a little each week. In our worked examples it ranged from about 100 to 800 more calories a day by the third trimester, depending on size and activity: a snack or a small meal, not a second person.
How many extra calories do I need in each trimester?
None in the first trimester. From week 14 the 2023 equations add about 9 calories for each week plus an amount set by your BMI before pregnancy. Enter your details for your own number for this week.
How much weight should I gain during pregnancy?
For one baby, guidelines advise 12.5 to 18 kg with a BMI under 18.5 before pregnancy, 11.5 to 16 kg at 18.5 to 24.9, 7 to 11.5 kg at 25 to 29.9, and 5 to 9 kg at 30 or more. Your midwife or doctor checks your gain with you.
How much protein do I need when pregnant?
The official amount is 1.1 g per kg of body weight a day from the second trimester. A 2015 study that measured needs directly found them higher, about 1.2 g per kg early and 1.5 g per kg late in pregnancy.
Turn this number into a plan
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