How Many Calories Do You Really Need?
How many calories do you need to maintain a healthy weight?
To maintain weight, see the calorie chart below. This chart represents calorie guidelines to maintain weight based on median height and weight -- a BMI of 21.5 for females and 22.5 for males – as well as activity level.
To lose weight -- about 1 pound a week -- reduce calories in the chart by 500 a day and become more physically active.
To gain weight, add 500 calories per day for each pound you want to gain per week.
For successful weight loss that you can maintain over time, experts recommend choosing foods that are lower in calories but rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients.
|
Gender |
Age |
Sedentary* |
Moderately Active* |
Active* |
|
Females |
19-30 31-50 51+ |
2000 1800 1600 |
2000-2200 2000 1800 |
2400 2200 2000-2200
|
|
Males |
19-30 31-50 51+ |
2400 2200 2000 |
2600-2800 2400-2600 2200-2400 |
3000 2800-3000 2400-2800
|
*Sedentary means a lifestyle that includes light physical activity associated with typical activities of daily living. Moderately active consists of walking 1.5 to 3 miles daily at a pace of 3 to 4 miles per hour (or the equivalent). An active person walks more than 3 miles daily at the same pace, or equivalent exercise.
WebMD Medical Reference
Healthy Living Tools
Ditch Those Inches
Set goals, tally calorie intake, track workouts and more, all via WebMD’s free Food & Fitness Planner.
Get StartedToday in Weight Loss & Diet Plans
Special Sections
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
©2005-2012 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.