Calorie needs at age 61, male
This page estimates total daily energy use. The sample is a man aged 61 at 5 ft 10 in and 178 lb, and the table shows every activity level.
How it works
Your body burns calories at rest. The page estimates that with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation: 10 times weight in kilograms plus 6.25 times height in centimeters minus 5 times age, then plus 5 for males or minus 161 for females. It multiplies the result by an activity factor from 1.2 to 1.9 to get your daily total. This 61-year-old man uses a factor of 1.375 for the lightly active level.
Worked example
Take a man aged 61 who is 5 ft 10 in tall and weighs 178 lb. In metric that is 177.8 cm and 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 × 61 = 305. Add 5. That gives 1618.65, which rounds to 1619 calories at rest. Multiply 1618.65 by 1.375 for the lightly active level to get 2225.6, which rounds to 2226 calories a day.
Maintenance calories at every activity level for the same man aged 61 at 5 ft 10 in and 178 lb, with the lightly active level set in the form above.
- Sedentary (little or no exercise)
- 1942 calories a day
- Lightly active (light exercise 1 to 3 days a week)
- 2226 calories a day
- Moderately active (moderate exercise 3 to 5 days a week)
- 2509 calories a day
- Very active (hard exercise 6 to 7 days a week)
- 2792 calories a day
- Extra active (very hard exercise and a physical job)
- 3075 calories a day
Common questions
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 61-year-old man ranges from 1942 to 3075 calories a day, and the lightly active level gives 2226.
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 1726 calories a day for this 61-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 2476 calories a day for this 61-year-old man at the lightly active level.
Why does age 61 change the result?
The formula takes 5 calories off for every year of age, which reflects that resting burn tends to fall over time. At 61 that is 305 calories. Without the age term this 61-year-old man would burn 1924 calories at rest, or 2645 a day at the lightly active level.
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 61-year-old man, a 5 percent error on 2226 calories is 111 calories a day.