Calories: How Many You Need Daily
With Amounts in Different Food Groups
Medically reviewed by Jamie Johnson, RDN
Calories are the energy in our food and beverages, allowing us to move, breathe, and survive. The number of calories a person needs per day varies depending on several factors, such as age, height, weight, sex, and activity levels. This article will discuss calories and how to estimate how many you need in a day.
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How Many Calories Everyone Needs
Figuring out your daily caloric needs can be done in several ways. Different equations are available to determine your basal metabolic rate (the amount of calories you need to breathe and survive daily). Then, you may do additional calculations based on your height, weight, sex, and physical activity level.
A more simplistic way to know how many calories you need is to follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). This provides an estimated number of calories per day for healthy individuals based on age, sex, and activity levels.
Determining Factors in Amount of Daily Calories
The total number of calories an individual needs per day can vary greatly depending on several factors, such as the individual's:
Age
Sex
Height
Weight
Level of physical activity
Health status
Health goals
For example, pregnant people generally require more calories than non-pregnant people. Athletes who participate in long hours of physical activity require more calories than people who engage in only light activity. In general, people who are taller and weigh more need additional calories than those who are shorter and weigh less.
Children
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), estimated calories needed for children vary widely, with sedentary children requiring fewer calories than those who are active. Male children generally have higher calorie requirements than females:
Boys: The DGA recommends 1,000 to 2,000 calories per day for healthy males ages 2 through 8 and 1,600 to 3,200 calories per day for males aged 9 to 17.
Girls: The DGA recommends 1,000 to 1,800 calories per day for healthy females ages 2 through 8 and 1,400 to 2,400 calories per day for females aged 9 to 17.
A Note on Gender and Sex Terminology
Verywell Health acknowledges that sex and gender are related concepts, but they are not the same. To accurately reflect our sources, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man” as the sources use them.
Young to Middle-Age Adults
Adult calorie needs can vary just as greatly as children's. In general, adult males require more calories per day than females:
Men: The DGA recommends 2,200 to 3,200 calories daily for healthy adult males aged 18 to 55.
Women: Healthy, non-pregnant adult females aged 18 to 55 years need 1,600 to 2,400 calories per day, according to the DGA.
Older Adults
Calorie needs generally decrease for adults as they age due to reductions in basal metabolic rate that naturally occur with aging. You will see this reflected in the daily calories recommended in the DGA for this age group:
Men: Healthy older males aged 56 and older need 2,000 to 2,600 calories daily.
Women: Healthy older females aged 56 and older need 1,600 to 2,000 calories daily.
Burning Calories and Weight Loss
In general, to lose weight, you must burn or use more calories than you take in. A good goal for healthy, sustainable weight loss is to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week. You can create a calorie deficit by slightly decreasing your calorie intake daily or burning more calories.
A deficit of about 500 calories per day is a good basic starting point, though individual needs may vary. For example, if your estimated daily calorie needs are 2,000 calories, then aim for 1,500 calories per day to help with weight loss.
However, use caution not to decrease calorie intake too much. Humans need a basic amount of calories per day to maintain basic body functions.
Many experts do not recommend consuming less than 1,200 calories per day. Eating too few calories can lead to changes in metabolism, as well as other symptoms such as extreme hunger, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, headaches, micronutrient deficiencies, and gallstones.
Foods and Drinks High and Low in Calories
Knowing what foods are high and low in calories can help you make informed choices when trying to adjust your daily caloric intake.
Foods and beverages high in calories include:
Sugar-sweetened beverages, such as regular soft drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks, flavored coffee beverages, lemonade, punch, and sweet tea
Deep-fried foods, such as french fries, potato chips, donuts/pastries, and fried chicken
Desserts and sweets, such as cake, ice cream, cookies, candies, chocolate, etc.
Alcoholic beverages
Whole-fat dairy foods and beverages
Butter, oils, shortening, and lard
Higher fat cuts of red meat
Processed meats, such as salami, bacon, and sausage
Fatty fish, such as salmon
Nuts and nut butters
Seeds
Cheese
Dried fruit
Granola
Trail mix
Avocado
Low-calorie foods include:
Cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower
Lettuce greens, including kale, spinach, romaine lettuce, arugula, and chard
Other vegetables, such as celery, cucumbers, beets, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and summer squash
Fruits, such as berries, citrus fruits, apples, and watermelon
Low-fat or nonfat milk and yogurt
Low-fat cottage cheese
Popcorn
Eggs
Broth-based soups
Empty Calories
Empty calories are foods and beverages that provide a lot of calories with little or no additional nutritional benefit. For example, sugar-sweetened soft drinks, candy bars, high-fat or high-sugar condiments, pastries such as cakes and donuts, and potato chips are often referred to as empty calorie foods.
A related term is nutrient density, which refers to how many nutrients a food provides compared to its calories. The DGA suggests replacing low nutrient density foods with those of higher nutrient density.
Counting Calories: How Do You Do It?
To count calories, you will need to keep track of everything you eat and drink. You can do this by writing it down on a piece of paper or using one of the many apps available to log your food intake. If you are using a paper log, you will have to manually look up and add the calories of all the foods and beverages you consume.
Be sure to track not only what you ate but also the quantity. Include everything that went into completing your meal, such as the butter or jam on your toast at breakfast, the condiments on your sandwich, and even the one or two pieces of candy for a treat. This will give you the most accurate information on which to base your goals and strategies moving forward.
Pros
Calorie counting can provide insight into your eating habits that you might not have noticed before. Especially if you are meeting with a registered dietitian nutritionist, they can spot areas where you might be able to improve nutritionally.
Because you are tracking everything that passes your lips, you may be more mindful of your eating habits and, thus, opt for healthier foods or smaller portions over less nutritious options.
If you are tracking your calories to meet a certain health goal, it can help guide you in choosing different foods that will help you achieve those predetermined nutritional goals. The accountability associated with calorie counting can be a strong motivator for keeping on track with your meal plan.
Calorie counting can also help you plan your meals ahead of time so you know how many calories you should plan for each meal or snack. You may decide to cook at home instead of eating out or go grocery shopping to have healthier snack items on hand.
Cons
Just as there are pros to calorie counting, there are also cons. First, calorie counting can be time-consuming, especially at first or if you use the paper method.
Because calorie counting focuses on the number of calories consumed, some people may forget to consider the nutritional quality of their food. Their intake may lack some nutrients just to meet a certain calorie goal.
It can be easy to underestimate or overestimate how much you’re eating, resulting in inaccurate food logs and calorie counts. This is especially true if you didn’t prepare the food or if you didn’t log the food shortly after eating.
If you’re counting calories to decrease how much you eat, be careful not to reduce your calorie intake too much. Eating too little can lead to side effects such as low blood sugar, low energy, difficulty concentrating, dizziness, light-headedness, and headaches.
Eating too few calories may also negatively impact your metabolism. A 2021 study found that, in response to weight loss, the body adjusts its metabolic rate to prevent starvation and to slow weight loss. A slower metabolism can hinder further weight loss progress.
In addition, putting such a focus on everything you consume and chronic dieting are risk factors for developing eating disorders. Don’t let your mental health and a healthy relationship with food go at the cost of dieting and the pursuit of weight loss.
Why Do Humans Need Calories?
Calories are a measurement of energy that the human body requires to function. Every cell in the human body requires energy to perform its specific tasks and roles. Calories are required for even the most basic processes, such as breathing and sustaining life.
Without calories, the body will not only begin to lose weight (both fat and muscle mass) but may experience other symptoms such as:
Nutritional deficiencies
Dehydration
Stomach pain
Constipation
Fatigue
Feeling cold
Thinning hair
Brittle nails
Dry or yellowish skin
Irritability
Mood changes
Depression
Tips to Reach Your Weight Goal
The best method of weight loss will vary from person to person. Weight loss can depend on several factors, such as age, health status, medications, culture, food availability, budget, work/home life balance, and more.
Nevertheless, a good starting point is to focus on adding more nutritional and whole foods to your diet, such as whole fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats. At the same time, aim to decrease less healthy options, including foods high in added sugars, saturated and trans fats, and sodium.
If you find yourself stuck in a weight loss plateau, try looking at your calorie intake to see if you need to increase or decrease it slightly. You may also need to adjust your nutrient intake, such as increasing the amount of protein or fiber you are eating. Changing your eating and/or physical activity patterns can also help get you out of a weight loss slump.
Keep in mind not just your eating habits but healthier habits in general. For example, getting enough sleep and managing stress levels can affect your overall health.
If you are still struggling to reach your weight goal, consider meeting with a registered dietitian nutritionist. They can provide an individualized assessment and plan to help you reach your goals.
Summary
Calories are the energy in the food and beverages you consume. Every cell in the human body requires energy to perform its specific roles. Calorie needs vary from person to person, depending on several factors, such as age, height, weight, sex, and activity levels. On average, adult males need about 2,200 to 3,200 calories per day, while adult females need about 1,600 to 2,400 calories per day.
In general, to lose weight, you must burn or use more calories than you take in. Healthy, sustainable weight loss is generally 1 to 2 pounds per week. High-calorie foods tend to be those higher in fat and added sugars. Low-calorie foods include fruits, vegetables, low-fat or fat-free dairy, and popcorn.
Calorie counting may help improve your eating habits and lead to weight loss. However, it may also be time-consuming and inaccurate, causing a focus on calories and not food quality. This can lead to a negative focus on food intake, which is a risk factor for eating disorders.
Focusing on eating more whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats, can help you reach your weight loss goals.
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