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How Many Calories Do I Need A Day?
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Answering a common question: how many calories should I eat a day?

Someone counting how many calories they should be eating in a day

One of the most common questions that we get asked in our counselling practice is “how many calories do I need a day?” If you have read a diet magazine that suggests an adult needs only 1200 calories per day, this is likely far too low to be sustainable, enjoyable and helpful to manage a healthy metabolism (after all, a 2 year old needs 1000 calories a day and they are much smaller than an adult!).

Consuming too few or too many calories?

Consuming too few calories compared to what your body requires is a form of stress for the body and will inevitably not help you manage your personal best weight and enjoy flexible eating habits over time.

Your metabolism is like a furnace, if food is in short supply it slows the furnace or metabolism down.  If you are not consuming enough calories your energy, mental health and physical health can be negatively influenced.

On the other hand eating too many calories for what your body requires for weeks and months over time, can increase your weight higher than your personal best weight should be and lead to health issues. 

What factors influence how many calories I need a day?

The total amount of calories you require per day will vary based on:

  • gender
  • age
  • body composition
  • activity level
  • genetics

The chart below gives you an estimate of how many calories you likely need per day. While there is definitely individual differences, this chart can give you a rough ballpark. For people that are extremely active they will even require even more than what is listed on the chart below.

Activity levels on the chart below can be defined by the following:

  • LOW = less than 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity in addition to daily activities
  • MOD. ACTIVE = 30-60 minutes a day of moderate physical activity in addition to daily activities
  • ACTIVE = 60 or more minutes a day of moderate physical activity in addition to daily activities

Estimated goals for total calories needed per day

MALES

 

FEMALES

Activity level

 

Low*

Mod. active*

Active*

 

Activity level

 

Low*

Mod. active*

Active*

AGE

         

AGE

       

2

 

1000

1000

1000

 

2

 

1000

1000

1000

3

 

1000

1400

1400

 

3

 

1000

1200

1400

4

 

1200

1400

1600

 

4

 

1200

1400

1400

5

 

1200

1400

1600

 

5

 

1200

1400

1600

6

 

1400

1600

1800

 

6

 

1200

1400

1600

7

 

1400

1600

1800

 

7

 

1200

1600

1800

8

 

1400

1600

2000

 

8

 

1400

1600

1800

9

 

1600

1800

2000

 

9

 

1400

1600

1800

10

 

1600

1800

2200

 

10

 

1400

1800

2000

11

 

1800

2000

2200

 

11

 

1600

1800

2000

12

 

1800

2200

2400

 

12

 

1600

2000

2200

13

 

2000

2200

2600

 

13

 

1600

2000

2200

14

 

2000

2400

2800

 

14

 

1800

2000

2400

15

 

2200

2600

3000

 

15

 

1800

2000

2400

16

 

2400

2800

3200

 

16

 

1800

2000

2400

17

 

2400

2800

3200

 

17

 

1800

2000

2400

18

 

2400

2800

3200

 

18

 

1800

2000

2400

19-20

 

2600

2800

3000

 

19-20

 

2000

2200

2400

21-25

 

2400

2800

3000

 

21-25

 

2000

2200

2400

26-30

 

2400

2600

3000

 

26-30

 

1800

2000

2400

31-35

 

2400

2600

3000

 

31-35

 

1800

2000

2200

36-40

 

2400

2600

2800

 

36-40

 

1800

2000

2200

41-45

 

2200

2600

2800

 

41-45

 

1800

2000

2200

46-50

 

2200

2400

2800

 

46-50

 

1800

2000

2200

51-55

 

2200

2400

2800

 

51-55

 

1600

1800

2200

56-60

 

2200

2400

2600

 

56-60

 

1600

1800

2200

61-65

 

2000

2400

2600

 

61-65

 

1600

1800

2000

66-70

 

2000

2200

2600

 

66-70

 

1600

1800

2000

71-75

 

2000

2200

2600

 

71-75

 

1600

1800

2000

76 and up

 

2000

2000

2400

 

76 and up

 

1600

1800

2000

*Calorie levels are based on the Estimated Energy Requirements (EER) and activity levels from the Institute of Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes Macro nutrients Report.

Do I need to track my calories in order to be successful?

None of the Dietitians in our practice routinely recommend tracking calories for our clients as it can become obsessive and steal the joy in everyday eating when you are focused on numbers rather than overall nutritional balance and taste.

Rather than track calories we recommend our clients understand the numbers for general awareness but then move away from the numbers.  Once our clients have an awareness of their overall calorie needs, we feel focusing on what, when, where, how much to eat and why they are eating are more effective strategies to help our clients move to their personal best weight.

We feel the following is more important for long-term success:

  • Understanding the science of food and prevention and treatment of medical issues
  • Ensuring you plan meals for balance for productivity and satiety
  • Developing a bank of meal planning ideas of foods you and your family love
  • Being able to eye-ball portion sizes appropriate for you
  • Working through barriers in habit formation, cravings and emotional eating
  • Understanding hunger and fullness cues and trusting your body as an intuitive eater

Are you ready to find Food Freedom? We can help!  

Our Calgary dietitian, online nutritionists, and certified intuitive eating counselors do everything we can to help you move towards your personal best weight and a sustainable lifestyle.

You won’t find any weird fad diets, unnecessary food restrictions and anyone trying to sell you shakes, supplements or so-called miracle cures here. 

As trained Registered Dietitians, you can count on us for credible advice and practical meal planning so you don’t have to stress about food anymore. You can achieve a healthy and joyous relationship with food and your body. Let’s talk about what this can look like for you. 

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"I am a psychologist in private practice and it is very important to me that my clients have the best care with other health care professionals. For that reason Health Stand Nutrition is my only source for exceptional Dietitians. Andrea and her team provide highly knowledgeable, compassionate, and real world support to my clients who require assistance with food lifestyle. I trust my clients to them and you would be in excellent hands making them part of your health care team."
Adele Fox, Psychologist
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Rhonda Jenkins, Nutrition Counseling Client
“The Dieticians at Health Stand Nutrition help you to take action on the science behind eating well by making it practical, understandable, and fun. Their office is cozy and not at all clinical or intimidating. I felt like I was sitting down with a really smart, caring friend who wanted to help me make the best choices for my lifestyle and food preferences. They really are the best in the business.”
Marty Avery, Nutrition Counseling Client
“I have come to think of the program as a one stop shopping excursion for everything one needs to know about creating a joyous relationship with food and our bodies. In a single word, the course has gifted me with freedom from the punishing rigidity of disordered eating, old stories that never were true, and body dysmorphia that did nothing but make me lose sight of a body that has done everything I've asked, despite my careless dismissal of her needs. Now when I look in the mirror I find myself shifting from harsh criticism to gentle gratitude.”
Lynn Haley, Pursuit of Healthiness Online Course Participant
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Peter Whitehead, Nutrition Counseling Client
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Amy Floyd, Nutrition Counseling Client
“Thanks Andrea for an amazing presentation, I have heard all positive remarks from attendees and the evaluations show the same sentiment. It is really gratifying when a speaker does their “homework” and weaves in our profession’s day to day challenges within their content, you did an awesome job of this! You truly took the “die” out of Dietician! Your information on healthy eating and simplifying how we can work towards this as we are all so busy really hit the mark. Andrea connects very well with her audience; she is energetic, funny, and very approachable.”
Carole Ann LaGrange, Transfusion Medicine Safety Officer

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I am a family physician who sees patients with a myriad of eating concerns – from wanting to know how to plan healthy meals for active families, to weight loss, to eating disorders, and so on. I cannot recommend the Health Stand team highly enough. I have worked with (and been to!) other Dieticians in the past and too often find that they just ask for food logs and make suggestions that are easily obtained online or in books. The Dieticians at Health Stand offer much more than just telling clients what they “should be eating.” In contrast, the team really does more of a counselling practice, and they work hard to help their clients learn more about why their eating habits may be off track and not optimal for them, as well as helping people to effect change at a deep level that, most importantly, is sustainable for lifetime health.”
Dr. Deb Putnam, Family Physician

Nutrition Counseling Client & Referring Physician

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Gillian Gray, Pursuit of Healthiness Online Course Participant
“As a construction company, we select speakers who can relate to our industry and its employees. Andrea’s message was delivered with humor and empathy. She makes people feel as though they can make changes without leaving behind every favorite food. Andrea focused her presentation on healthy eating as a way to keep energy high throughout the day. This message and the way it was delivered resonated with our predominantly male, blue collar culture. I would highly recommend Andrea as a speaker for groups such as ours. She will get your message across without alienating anyone in your audience – which is a huge hurdle when trying to introduce a wellness program in the workplace!”
Stephanie Wood, HR and Safety Manager

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Erin Kronstedt, Nutrition Counseling Client
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