Calorie Calculator
How your number is worked out
- Resting calories (BMR)Mifflin-St Jeor: 170 lb, 5 ft 5 in, age 65, woman1,320
- ActivityLightly active — walks or light exercise 1–3 days a week · ×1.375×1.375
- Maintenance caloriesWhat you burn on a typical day1,810
- Goal adjustmentLose about ½ lb (0.23 kg) a week−250
- Safety minimum1,200 a day for womennot needed
- Daily calorie target250 below maintenance1,560
Calorie needs fall gradually through adulthood, and most of that drop comes from losing muscle and moving less rather than from age itself. That's why this calculator pairs every calorie target with a protein target and why we suggest strength exercise for every goal: eating less without protecting muscle can leave you lighter but weaker.
A 65-year-old woman who is 5 ft 5 in, 170 lb and lightly active burns about 1,810 calories a day. To lose about half a pound a week, aim for about 1,560, with at least 82 g of protein.
- Eat about 1,560 calories a day — 250 below maintenance of 1,810. Weigh yourself once a week at the same time and adjust by 100–200 calories if the trend stalls for three weeks.
- Get 82–109 g of protein a day — about 27 g at each of three meals. Protein spread through the day helps protect muscle, especially after 60.
- Pair the calorie cut with strength exercises two or more days a week, so the weight you lose comes mostly from fat rather than muscle.
Key Answers About Your Calorie Needs
Each answer is recalculated from your entries above — change any of them and these update.
About 1,560 calories a day to lose weight safely. That comes from your maintenance level of 1,810 — what a 65-year-old woman of your size burns while lightly active — minus 250.
About 1,560 a day to lose roughly half a pound a week, or 1,310 for about a pound a week. After 60, the slower pace is usually the better choice: it makes it easier to keep muscle and get enough protein, calcium and vitamin D.
About 1,810 calories a day. Your body uses about 1,320 just at rest — breathing, circulation, keeping warm — and the rest goes to daily movement and exercise. Moving from lightly active up one level would add about 230 calories a day.
About 82–109 g a day — 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of a healthy-range weight for your height, the range in the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines. That is roughly 27 g per meal: a palm-size serving of fish, chicken or tofu, two eggs plus Greek yogurt, or a bowl of beans and cheese. If you have kidney disease, ask your doctor before eating more protein.
At 1,560 calories a day you would lose about 5.6 lb in 12 weeks, reaching about 164 lb by January 10, 2027. Enter a goal weight to see when you would reach it.
Your BMI is 28.3, which is overweight (18.5 to 24.9 is the standard healthy range). BMI can't tell muscle from fat, and for adults over 65 some research finds the lowest health risks at a BMI in the mid-20s or slightly higher, so a small amount of extra weight is less of a concern than losing muscle.
Most health organizations suggest not going below about 1,200 calories a day for women or 1,500 for men without a doctor or dietitian supervising, because it's hard to get enough protein, vitamins and minerals on less. Your target of 1,560 is above that line.
In this formula each decade lowers your resting calorie burn by 50 a day, and your maintenance level by a bit more once activity is counted — 1,880 at age 55 versus 1,810 now, at the same weight and activity. Much of the real-world drop comes from losing muscle and moving less, which strength exercise and an active routine can slow.
Protein, Fat, Carbs and Fiber for Your Calories
| Nutrient | Per day | Share | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 82–109 g | 21%+ | 1.2–1.6 g per kg of a healthy-range weight (150 lb) |
| Fat | 52 g | 30% | Mostly from olive oil, nuts, fish; saturated fat under 17 g |
| Carbohydrates | 191 g | 49% | The rest of your calories — favor whole grains, beans, fruit, vegetables |
| Fiber | 22 g | — | 14 g per 1,000 calories |
Spread across your day
| Meal | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 390 | 25 g |
| Lunch | 470 | 25 g |
| Dinner | 550 | 25 g |
| Snack | 160 | 8 g |
Muscle responds best when protein is spread out rather than saved for dinner — many older adults eat little at breakfast, which is the easiest meal to fix. Eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, milk, beans and canned fish are inexpensive ways to add protein without much cooking.
Your Weight Timeline
At 1,560 calories a day you would lose about 5.6 lb in 12 weeks, reaching about 164 lb by January 10, 2027. Enter a goal weight to see when you would reach it.
Loading chart…
Calories for each goal
| Goal | Calories a day | First week |
|---|---|---|
| Lose about 1 lb (0.45 kg) a week | 1,310 | −1.0 lb |
| Lose about ½ lb (0.23 kg) a week yours | 1,560 | −0.5 lb |
| Keep my current weight | 1,810 | About the same |
| Gain about ½ lb (0.23 kg) a week | 2,060 | +0.5 lb |
Real progress is rarely a straight line: water, salt and digestion can move the scale two or three pounds from day to day. Judge by the trend over three or four weeks, not single weigh-ins.
How Activity Changes Your Calorie Needs
| Activity level | Maintenance | Your target |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary — little or no exercise | 1,580 | 1,330 |
| Lightly active — walks or light exercise 1–3 days a week yours | 1,810 | 1,560 |
| Moderately active — exercise 3–5 days a week | 2,040 | 1,790 |
| Very active — hard exercise 6–7 days a week | 2,270 | 2,020 |
| Extra active — physical job plus daily training | 2,500 | 2,250 |
Most people overestimate their activity level. If you exercise a few times a week but sit most of the day, "lightly active" is usually closer than "moderately active." Federal guidelines suggest 150 minutes of moderate activity a week plus strength and balance exercises for older adults — brisk walking, water aerobics and gardening all count.
Calorie Needs by Age
Your height, weight and activity, at different ages.
| Age | Resting calories | Maintenance |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | 1,440 | 1,980 |
| 50 | 1,390 | 1,910 |
| 60 | 1,340 | 1,850 |
| 70 | 1,290 | 1,780 |
| 80 | 1,240 | 1,710 |
What to Do in Your Situation
Calorie, protein, carbohydrate and salt targets often need to be adjusted for these conditions, and some medications change how weight loss affects blood sugar or blood pressure. Medicare Part B covers medical nutrition therapy with a registered dietitian for diabetes and kidney disease when your doctor refers you.
Medicare covers intensive behavioral therapy for obesity — regular counseling visits with your primary care provider, weekly in the first month and then less often — at no cost to you when the provider accepts assignment. Ask about it at your next visit or your Annual Wellness Visit.
Losing 5% of your weight over 6 to 12 months without trying is worth telling your doctor about — it can be a sign of illness, medication side effects, dental problems or depression. Use the "Keep my current weight" or "Gain" goal, and focus on protein and calorie-dense foods.
These medicines curb appetite so much that it's easy to eat too little protein and lose muscle along with fat. Use your protein target here as a floor, keep up strength exercise, and ask your prescriber or a dietitian how many calories you should aim for.
You don't need to track every bite to eat well. If food, weight or exercise is causing you distress, or you've had an eating disorder, skip the numbers and talk with your doctor or a counselor about what would help. The National Alliance for Eating Disorders runs a free helpline.
How This Calculator Works
Resting calories use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the formula the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found most accurate for healthy adults: 10 × weight in kg + 6.25 × height in cm − 5 × age, plus 5 for men or minus 161 for women. That is multiplied by a standard activity factor from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (extra active) to estimate maintenance calories. Weight-loss goals subtract 250 or 500 calories a day, but never below 1,200 for women or 1,500 for men, and never for anyone with a BMI under 18.5.
Protein follows the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines range of 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram, using a healthy-range weight for your height if you weigh more than that. Fat is set at 30% of calories, carbohydrates fill the rest, and fiber is 14 grams per 1,000 calories. The timeline assumes about 7,700 calories per kilogram (3,500 per pound) of body weight and recalculates your needs every week. Individual results vary by 10% or more.
This calculator gives general estimates for healthy adults and is not medical advice. It isn't designed for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18, or managing a medical condition that affects diet. Talk with your doctor or a registered dietitian before starting a weight-loss plan, especially if you are over 65 or take medication.
Key sources: Mifflin et al., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1990) · Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics · 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (USDA / HHS) · Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans · Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · National Institute on Aging