women eat at least 1,200 calories daily and men get a minimum of 1,500 calories a day unless supervised by their doctors. Women who eat 1,200 calories and men who consume 1,500 calories a day will likely lose weight. To maintain current body weights, women often require 1,600 to 2,400 calories daily, while many adult men need 2,000 to 3,000 calories a day, according to the publication "Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010.