Calorie Needs by Age: How Many Calories Should I Eat a Day To Lose Weight?

You may have noticed that as the years go by, you either need to eat less or move more to feel and look your best. That’s because calorie requirements change by age, with your metabolism beginning to shift as early as your 20s and slowing in earnest—by a small but noticeable 0.7 percent per year—around age 60,  according to research in the journal Science. So if you’ve ever wondered “how many calories should I eat a day to lose weight?”, we’ve got the age-by-age breakdown to help shed stubborn pounds.

Why calorie requirements change as you age

“Women often wonder why they’re suddenly gaining weight even though they’re eating the same amount of food or calories a day that they always have. This is due to a slowed metabolism where their body is just not burning as many calories in 24 hours as it used to,” says Vanessa Imus, MS, RDN, owner of Integrated Nutrition for Weight Loss in Bothell, Washington. 

Knowing your daily calorie requirements by age can make it much easier to maintain a healthy weight. It can also help you make sure your body is getting the nutrients it needs to thrive in the long term. “Calories come from macronutrients—fats, carbohydrates and protein—and we need all of these for our body to function optimally,” Imus says.

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Wellness

How Many Calories Do You Really Need To Burn To Lose Weight Safely?

Make sure you consider your body's needs when calculating a deficit.

How eating too few (or too many) calories affects your health

Cutting back on the number of calories you take in too dramatically or without taking into account your age and activity level could result in you eating inadequate amounts of protein, fat or carbs, for instance. And that could lead to muscle loss, poor vitamin absorption or low energy, Imus says. 

On the other hand, eating significantly over your calorie requirements by age can lead to weight gain, which could affect your health, especially if you have or are at risk for a condition such as heart disease or type 2 diabetes. 

Imus says that hormone changes can contribute to a slower metabolism. So, too, can a reduction in activity levels and muscle mass, adds Whitney Stuart, MS, RDN, CDCES, a dietitian and diabetes educator and the founder of Whitness Nutrition. “In general, the older you get, the more sedentary you are. [Additionally,] as we age we tend to lose muscle mass, which makes our body less metabolically efficient, meaning we need less calories,” Stuart says. 

Daily calorie needs by age for women

People’s calorie needs are largely individual, Stuart says. Gender, height, weight, body composition (how much muscle and fat you have), activity level and more all affect how many calories you should eat in a day. The best way to know your specific calorie requirements by age is to use a free online total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) calculator (like this one from TDEEcalculator.net). 

Eating at your TDEE should help you maintain your weight; if you’re looking to gain or lose weight, Stuart suggests talking to your doctor or dietitian about reducing or increasing this number by five to 10 percent to create a small, sustainable calorie deficit or surplus.

Here, a guide to how many calories you should eat by age, based on estimates from the Institute of Medicine, for an average woman looking to maintain body weight (spoiler alert: it’s only 2,000 calories or more if you’re moderately or very active):

• Inactive: You get no additional activity beyond what’s regularly involved in living independently
• Moderately active: You get the equivalent of a 1.5 to 3-mile daily walk at a moderate pace
• Very active: You get more activity than a moderately active lifestyle

How to estimate your daily calorie intake—without counting calories

The simplest way is the scale. Stuart suggests weighing yourself once or twice a week at the same time of day, since it’s normal for weight to fluctuate as much as four to six pounds a day. If you’re trying to maintain weight, the number should be pretty stable. For weight loss or gain, it should be going down or up by no more than 0.5 to 1 pound per week, Stuart says.

While it can be tempting to drastically cut calories to lose weight, the strategy often backfires. “Signs of eating too few calories are fatigue, poor concentration, difficulty with cognition or brain functioning and an increased stress response,” Imus says. “Cortisol production increases when the body becomes stressed from not getting enough calories. In some instances, this can be a trigger for slowing down the metabolism and the body refusing to lose more fat.” 

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3 smart steps to maximize  calorie intake for weight loss

Getting the right mix of nutrients rather than just focusing on the number of calories you’re eating a day can aid weight loss—especially if you’re adjusting to a metabolism slowdown. Imus suggests following three simple steps:

1. Prioritize protein

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Protein helps you retain muscle mass, and muscle makes the body more metabolically efficient, which helps keep metabolism high, Stuart says. It also improves bone health and reduces the risk of falls as you age. That’s why Imus suggests women over age 50 focus on getting enough protein in each meal, before anything else. “Women should aim for at least 15 to 25 grams of protein per meal to support muscle mass. This is especially important as you age to prevent muscle wasting,” she explains.

2. Fill up on fiber 

Next, make sure you’re getting enough fiber—about five to 10 grams per meal to hit 25 daily grams. “Fiber keeps you full, balances blood sugar and supports gut and heart health,” Imus says. (Get more tips to balance your blood sugar here.)

3. Finish with carbs and fat

Opt for nutrient-dense carbs and healthy fats over the refined carbs and unhealthy fats you’d find in processed foods. ”Choose whole grains, nuts, seeds and avocados,” Imus suggests. These are energizing, filling and good for your heart health. But they also tend to be calorie-dense, which is why adding them to your plate after you know you’ve met your protein and fiber needs can be a smart choice.