The number can vary depending on your size, your gender, and your activity level. Many commercial weight-loss plans assign women to a 1,200 calorie per day diet plan and men to a 1,500 calorie per day diet plan. Once you know how many calories you plan to eat each day, choose one of these meal plans for weight loss. 1  1,200 Calorie Per Day Meal Plan to Lose Weight. 2  1,500 Calorie Per Day Meal Plan to Lose Weight. 3  1,700 Calorie Per Day Meal Plan to Lose Weight.