4000 Calories A Day: Getting Through The Bulking Phase Like A Boss

Kristen Fleming holds a Master of Science in Nutrition. Over her 8 years of experience in dietetics, she has made significant contributions in clinical, community, and editorial settings. With 2 years as a clinical dietitian in an inpatient setting, 2…

Have you ever wondered what 4,000 calories a day would look like? Or better yet, have you ever considered what eating 4,000 calories a day would do to your body? For many people, this may seem like an impossible task. However, you would be surprised to learn that some people live most of their lives on a 4,000-calorie-a-day meal plan.

No, you don’t. 4,000 calories a day is too much for the average person to consume. So, how many calories does the average person need in a day?

Your average daily calorie needs are determined by a variety of factors, including your age, gender, height, and level of daily physical activity. However, it is estimated that the average woman requires 1,600 to 2,000 calories a day to maintain their weight while the average man requires 2,000 to 3,000 calories a day as a norm (1).

Anyone who is looking to lose weight would need to reduce their energy intake by 500 to 1,000 calories a day, with the minimum number of calories to stay healthy being 1,200 calories for women and 1,500 for men (2). 

At the same time, people who are looking to gain weight slowly and steadily would need to bring up their daily energy intake by 300 to 500 calories a day – 700 to 1,000 more calories for fast weight gain (13).

With this in mind, it is clear to see that for the average person, a 4,000-calorie daily meal plan would be too much.