Many factors affect how many calories adults need. Somefactors you cannot change. For example, your age and height. On the flip side,activity level is an example of something that impacts calorie needs that youcan control.

Most people do not need to count calories on a daily basis.The best way to ensure that you are eating enough — but not too much — is toget in tune with your body. We all have individual hunger and fullness cues.Try to get in touch with your personal cues. They are a helpful way todetermine when and how much to eat:

• Weakness, shakiness and irritabilityare signs of hunger for many people.
• Pacing yourself is the best way toassess fullness. For example, slowly eat half of your meal and then take apause. Give your body a chance to begin to digest the food and think about howgood it is to feel comfortably full and satisfied.

That said, for those who are curious about the number ofcalories they need, there are lots of simple ways to find out.

Go with an Estimate

Calorie needs for adult women range from 1,600 to 2,400 perday. For men, the estimates range from 2,000 to 3,000 per day. Aim for the lowend of the range if you are mostly sedentary (little to no activity). If youare more than moderately active, the high end of the range is more reflectiveof your needs. However, as we age, our calorie needs decrease.

Side note:If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, you may require more calories. Ask yourhealth care provider for a referral to a registered dietitian nutritionist tolearn more about your nutrition needs during and after pregnancy.

Chart Your Age andGender

Estimated caloric requirements have been determined usingaverage heights and healthy weights for both men and women. The estimates areprovided for three levels of physical activity.

Women

Men

Use an OnlineCalculator

There are many free online calculators to help you figure out how many calories you need. The National Institutes of Health Body Weight Planner allows you to calculate based on your current weight and activity level — ranging from 1.4 (sedentary) to 2.5 (very active). The tool is set for a default value of 1.6, defined as someone who does light activity. For example, for an individual with a desk job who either takes walks or goes for a bicycle ride once a week.

The calculator also lets you obtain an estimate based on agoal weight and goal activity level.

Getting Too Few or TooMany Calories?

Some people have trouble maintaining a healthy weight.  And, not all weight changes are related to how much you are eating or drinking. Health conditions and medicines, for example, can impact weight changes.

By Barbara Gordon, RDN, LD Academy of Dietetics and Nutrition

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