Calorie needs at age 65, female
This page estimates total daily energy use. The sample is a woman aged 65 at 5 ft 4 in and 150 lb, and the table shows every activity level.
How it works
The page works in two steps. Step one is resting calories with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation: 10 times kilograms plus 6.25 times centimeters minus 5 times age, plus 5 for males or minus 161 for females. Step two multiplies by an activity factor between 1.2 and 1.9. Here the woman aged 65 has a height of 162.56 cm and a weight of 68.04 kg, at the lightly active level.
Worked example
Convert first: 5 ft 4 in is 162.56 cm and 150 lb is 68.04 kg. Then 10 × 68.04 = 680.4 and 6.25 × 162.56 = 1016. Age 65 takes off 5 × 65 = 325. Subtract 161. Resting calories are 1210.4, which rounds to 1210. The lightly active factor is 1.375. 1210.4 × 1.375 = 1664.3, or 1664 calories a day.
Maintenance calories at every activity level for the same woman aged 65 at 5 ft 4 in and 150 lb, with the lightly active level set in the form above.
- Sedentary (little or no exercise)
- 1452 calories a day
- Lightly active (light exercise 1 to 3 days a week)
- 1664 calories a day
- Moderately active (moderate exercise 3 to 5 days a week)
- 1876 calories a day
- Very active (hard exercise 6 to 7 days a week)
- 2088 calories a day
- Extra active (very hard exercise and a physical job)
- 2300 calories a day
Common questions
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 1164 calories a day for this 65-year-old woman 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 1914 calories a day for this 65-year-old woman at the lightly active level.
Why does age 65 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 65 that is 325 calories. Without the age term this 65-year-old woman would burn 1535 calories at rest, or 2111 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 65-year-old woman, a 5 percent error on 1664 calories is 83 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 woman aged 65 at 150 lb, BMR is 1210 calories and TDEE at the lightly active level is 1664.