Calorie needs at age 43, male
Daily calorie needs depend on age, sex, size and how much you move. Here is the sum for a 43-year-old man who is 5 ft 10 in and 178 lb.
How it works
Resting calories are 10 times weight in kilograms plus 6.25 times height in centimeters minus 5 times age. Add 5 for males or subtract 161 for females. Multiply by 1.2 for little exercise up to 1.9 for very hard training. This 43-year-old man uses a factor of 1.375 for the lightly active level.
Worked example
A man aged 43 is 177.8 cm tall and weighs 80.74 kg. Multiply weight by 10: 10 × 80.74 = 807.4. Multiply height by 6.25: 6.25 × 177.8 = 1111.25. Subtract 5 × 43 = 215. Add 5. The total is 1708.65, or 1709 calories at rest. Multiply 1708.65 by 1.375 for the lightly active level. That gives 2349.4, or 2349 calories a day.
Maintenance calories at every activity level for the same man aged 43 at 5 ft 10 in and 178 lb, with the lightly active level set in the form above.
- Sedentary (little or no exercise)
- 2050 calories a day
- Lightly active (light exercise 1 to 3 days a week)
- 2349 calories a day
- Moderately active (moderate exercise 3 to 5 days a week)
- 2648 calories a day
- Very active (hard exercise 6 to 7 days a week)
- 2947 calories a day
- Extra active (very hard exercise and a physical job)
- 3246 calories a day
Common questions
How accurate is a calorie estimate?
It is a starting estimate. Track your weight over two or three weeks and adjust the target up or down based on what actually happens. For this 43-year-old man, a 5 percent error on 2349 calories is 117 calories a day.
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR is what your body burns at rest. TDEE adds the calories you use moving and exercising. It is always higher. For this man aged 43 at 178 lb, BMR is 1709 calories and TDEE at the lightly active level is 2349.
Which activity level should I pick?
Pick the one that matches a typical week, not your best week. If you sit most of the day and train a few times, lightly or moderately active is usually closer than very active. Across the five levels this 43-year-old man ranges from 2050 to 3246 calories a day, and the lightly active level gives 2349.
How big a calorie deficit is reasonable for weight loss?
A deficit of 500 calories a day is a common starting point and works out to roughly half a kilogram a week. Smaller deficits are slower and easier to keep up. A 500 calorie deficit here means 1849 calories a day for this 43-year-old man at the lightly active level.
How big a surplus helps build muscle?
A modest surplus of about 250 calories a day is a common starting point. Larger surpluses tend to add more fat without adding muscle faster. A 250 calorie surplus here means 2599 calories a day for this 43-year-old man at the lightly active level.