For example, if you’re eating 1,200 calories a day, aim for 135 to 195 grams of carbs -- and if your weight-loss calorie requirement is 1,600 calories daily, shoot for 180, but no more than 260, grams of carbs per day.You Might Also Like.our calorie allotment for effective weight loss is 500 to 1,000 fewer calories than your usual daily intake, notes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For many adults, this amount is 1,200 to 1,600 calories per day, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.