Both men and women need to understand their daily calorie needs to ensure they meet their nutritional needs.Calories provide energyin the form of heat, so that our bodies can function.
Average calorie intake for men varies depending on factors such as age, activity level and goals. To determine how many calories you should consume per day, you must decide whether you want to lose, gain, or maintain your current weight. You also need to get yourthe daily energy requirement. The more specific information you can provide, the more accurate your calorie count will be.
Typical calorie intake for men
US. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses one2,000 calorie per day dietas an example of the Nutrition Fact label. The number is used to provide information about the daily values and the percent daily value (%DV).But eating 2,000 calories is not a recommendation.
A calorie calculator is useful when you're trying to figure out how many calories you should eat per day. To use this calculator, enter your age, height (in feet and inches), activity level, and current weight. In addition, you must enter a target weight and date to achieve your goal. Remember that if your goal is weight loss,a rate of £1 to £2 per weekconsidered healthy and reasonable.
For example, a 32-year-old man of average height, who weighs 160 pounds and is moderately active, needs about 2,608 calories per day to maintain his weight. But his calorie needs will change if he wants to gain or lose weight.
According to2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americansthe recommended calorie intake for adult men ranges from 2,200 to 3,200 calories per day.Your specific calorie needs will vary, which is why the calculator is useful.
How to Meal Plan: A Beginner's Guide
Calorie Needs for Men vs. women
Nearly every calorie calculator takes sex into account, in addition to weight and activity level. This is because a man's body generally requires more energy (in the form of calories).
Men generally have more muscle mass than women.The extra muscle requires more energy. Men tend to be taller than women, and the extra height also leads to greater calorie needs.
But even among men and women of the same size, men often need more calories. Men generally have a greater lung capacity, as indicated by a larger lung capacityaverage VO2max– which allows them to work harder during exercise and physical activity and also requires more calories to maintain.
Calories for men to maintain weight
To maintain your weight, you want to eat enough to meet your daily energy needs. If you don't eat enough calories per day, you will lose fat and muscle mass. If you eat too many calories per day, your body stores the excess energy as fat.
You can use a calculator to find outhow many calories you burn per day. Or scan these average calorie counts for men to see how much energy you use each day and how many calories you need to consume to maintain your weight.
Based on the calorie calculator numbers, here is the average number of calories for a man who wants to maintain his current weight, based on a moderately active man of average height (about 6 feet 4 inches) weighing 175 pounds:
| Calories to maintain your weight | |
|---|---|
| The | Calories per day |
| 20 | 2,806 calories |
| 30 | 2,728 calories |
| 40 | 2,651 calories |
| 50 | 2,573 calories |
| 60 | 2,496 calories |
| 70 | 2,418 calories |
| 80 | 2,341 calories |
If you are sedentary or mildly active, you will need to consume fewer calories per day to maintain your weight. If you are very active (you work in a job that involves physical labor and/or you regularly exercise intensively), you will need to consume more calories per day to maintain your weight.
You may notice that the number of calories you need decreases with age. As we age, our metabolism slows down and we don't need as much food (energy) to fuel our bodies. Your metabolism may slow down due to a decrease in muscle massor due to a slower lifestyle. As we get older, we generally become less active.
What is physical inactivity?
Calories for men to gain weight
But what if you want to gain weight? How many calories should a man eatincrease your muscle mass? You will need to consume more than your daily energy needs to gain weight, but you also need to pay attentionfriendlycalories you consume.
While experts used to recommend an energy surplus of 500 to 1,000 calories per day to gain one pound of body weight, recent research has called these figures into question.
Scientists now suggest that the energy surplus required to gain a pound of muscle mass will vary from person to person. But as a starting point, they suggest adding about 360 to 480 calories per day. Then track changes in body composition and functional capacity to further personalize nutritional interventions.
To get an idea of the average calories per day to gain weight, scan these estimates to see how many calories it takes to increase a man's weight from 160 pounds to 180 pounds, at the rate of 1 pound per day. week:
| Calories to gain weight | |
|---|---|
| The | Calories per day |
| 20 | 3,230 calories |
| 30 | 3,153 calories |
| 40 | 3,075 calories |
| 50 | 2,998 calories |
To ensure that you gain muscle mass and not excess fat, you can adjust your daily diet to promote lean body mass. Focus on eating more protein, with fewer processed foodsadded sugarand limit your intake ofrefined carbohydrates. You should also focus on healthy sources of fat and avoid eating too much saturated fat or foods containing trans fat.
So how much protein is enough? Protein needs for men vary depending on your activity level. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, you should participate in a strength training program to increase your muscle mass. Additionally, you should consume 1.2 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day (or 0.5 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight).
Good sources of lean proteininclude lean meats (lean cuts of beef, bison, lamb and pork), poultry (chicken breast or turkey), proteins, legumes, seafood and low-fat or low-fat dairy products.
1 week meal plan with 3000 calories
Calories for men to lose weight
If your goal is to lose weight, you want to create onecalorie deficit for weight loss. A man must eat fewer calories than he needs to lose weight effectively. As a starting point, you can cut back about 500 calories per day or 3,500 calories per week. But you adjust your number based on the changes in your body composition.
Some weight loss plans for men provide about 1,500 to 1,800 calories per day, for a weight loss of 1 to 1.5 pounds per week.However, your individual needs may vary. Working with a registered dietitian can help you personalize your number in a sustainable way.
Again, age and activity level are very important. If you exercise regularly and vigorously or have a job that involves a lot of physical labor, you can consume more calories and still lose weight.
Macronutrient balance is important in weight loss. When cutting calories, try to build your meals around lean sources of protein and healthy sources of carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Protein- and fiber-rich, healthy carbohydrates will keep you feeling full and satisfied so you can stick to your meal plan. Include healthy sources of fat to increase satiety and keep your body healthy.
How does fat leave the body when you lose weight?
A word from Verywell
The number of calories you consume each day can affect your weight and energy levels. If you've set a goal to change your weight, you may want to work with a registered dietitian to address not only calorie intake, but also your dietary preferences, meal planning, andoptimal macronutrient intake. Based on your goals and lifestyle, you can develop an eating plan that is satisfying and sustainable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum calorie intake for men per day?
There is no set minimum number of calories per day for a man (or woman), but the National Institutes of Health recommends that very low-calorie diets of less than 800 calories per day should not be consumed unless you are supervised by your doctor. . .
Learn more:What is a very low calorie diet?
What is a good calorie intake for breakfast for men?
You can determine your optimal breakfast calories based on your schedule, your lifestyle, and your overall calorie goal per day. day. Many people choose to divide calories evenly between breakfast, lunch and dinner. But others choose to eat more calories in the morning when their activity levels are higher earlier in the day.
Learn more:How many calories should I eat for breakfast?
Why is the recommended calorie intake different for women and men?
Men's calorie needs are often higher for men because men are (generally) larger, have a larger body and have more muscle mass. But a tall, very active woman may need more calories than a shorter, sedentary man.
Learn more:Average calories for men and women
What is the calorie intake for men to lose weight?
There is no set number of calories for men to lose weight. Your calorie goal is based on a number of factors, including your current body size, your target weight, and your activity level. Dietitians used to recommend that you reduce your weekly calorie intake by 3,500 calories to lose a pound of body fat, but nutritionists no longer believe that a single number works for everyone.
Learn more:This is how you understand the 3500 calorie rule
10 sources
Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed research, to support the facts in our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, trustworthy and reliable.
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Read further
Dilgate Muth N.Do men and women have different nutritional needs?. American Council on Exercise.
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DoorMalia Frey, MA, ACE-CHC, CPT
Malia Frey is a weight loss expert, certified health coach, weight management specialist, personal trainer and fitness nutrition specialist.
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