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eWellness
Betty Greer, PhD, RD Professor and Extension Nutrition Specialist
H ow M any C alories D o I N eed ?
The number of calories you
need each day is based on your
activity level, age, and gender.
What is your activity level?
Calorie Range
Children
Sedentary
Moderate
Active
2 - 3 years
1,000
1,200
1,400
Females
• Sedentary - light physical
4 - 8 years
1,200
1,400
1,800
activity associated with typical
9 - 13
1,600
1,800
2,200
day-to-day life
1,800
2,000
2,400
• Moderate - a lifestyle that 14 - 18
19
30
2,000
2,200
2,400
includes
physical
activity
1,800
2,000
2,200
equivalent to walking about 1.5- 31 - 50
1,600
1,800
2,200
3 miles per day at 3-4 miles per 51+
hour, in addition to light physical Males
activity associated with typical 4 - 8 years
1,400
1,600
2,000
day-to-day life
9 - 13
1,800
2,200
2,600
• Active - a lifestyle that includes 14 - 18
2,200
2,600
3,200
physical activity equivalent to 19 - 30
2,400
2,800
3,000
walking more than 3 miles per
31 - 50
2,200
2,600
3,000
day at 3-4 miles per hour, in
2,000
2,400
2,800
addition to the light physical 51+
activity associated with typical
Find your estimated calorie level below to estimate the amount of
day-to-day life.
food you need to eat each day from each of the food groups.
Calorie Level
1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
1,800
2,000
2,200
2,400
2,600
2,800
3,000
3,200
Fruits
1 cup
1 cup
1.5 cups
1.5 cups
1.5 cups
2 cups
2 cups
2 cups
2.0 cups
2.5 cups
2.5 cups
2.5 cups
Vegetables
1 cup
1.5 cups
1.5 cups
2 cups
2.5 cups
2.5 cups
3 cups
3 cups
3.5 cups
3.5 cups
4 cups
4 cups
Grains
3 oz-eq
4 oz-eq
5 oz-eq
5 oz-eq
6 oz-eq
6 oz-eq
7 oz-eq
8 oz-eq
9 oz–eq
10 oz-eq
10 oz-eq
10 oz-eq
Meat/Beans
2 oz-eq
3 oz-eq
4 oz-eq
5 oz-eq
5 oz-eq
5.5 oz-eq
6 oz-eq
6.5 oz-eq
6.5 oz-eq
7 oz-eq
7 oz-eq
7 oz-eq
Milk
2 cups
2 cups
2 cups
3 cups
3 cups
3 cups
3 cups
3 cups
3 cups
3 cups
3 cups
3 cups
Oils
3 tsp
4 tsp
4 tsp
5 tsp
5 tsp
6 tsp
6 tsp
7 tsp
8 tsp
8 tsp
10 tsp
11 tsp
Extra
165
171
171
132
195
267
290
362
410
426
512
648
Calorie allowance
Do you need to lose weight?
You can lose about one pound a week by reducing calorie intake and increasing physical activity. Reduce
calorie intake by 250 calories a day and use 250 extra calories each day through physical activity. (You burn
about 100 calories per mile by walking at pace of 3- 4 miles per hour.)
ag.tennessee.edu