Calculate your caloric needs
Your body needs energy to carry out daily activities. This energy comes from the foods we eat. These foods are measured in units of calories. The following calculator is to be used for maintenance.
Understanding Caloric Needs
When we eat and drink more calories than we use up, our bodies store the excess as body fat. If this continues over time we may put on weight. As a guide, an average man needs around 2,500kcal (10,500kJ) a day to maintain a healthy body weight. For an average woman, that figure is around 2,000kcal (8,400kJ) a day. These values can vary depending on age, size and levels of physical activity, among other factors.
Calories in common Fruits
Food | Size | Calores |
Apple | 1 small | 80 |
Banana | 1 medium | 101 |
Orange | 1 | 71 |
Strawberry | 1 cup | 53 |
Calories in common Foods
Food | Size | Calores |
Bread | 1 slice | 75 |
Beef | 1 slice | 120 |
Egg | large | 79 |
Pizza | 1 slice | 180 |
Hamburger | 1 | 280 |
Calories in common Vegetables
Food | Size | Calores |
Brocoli | 1 cup | 40 |
Carrots | 1 cup | 45 |
Eggplant | 1 cup | 38 |
Lettuce | 1 cup | 7 |
Calories in common Beverages
Food | Size | Calores |
Coca-cola | 1cup | 97 |
Diet Coke | 1 cup | 3 |
Milk, low-fat | 1 cup | 104 |
Milk | 1 cup | 150 |
Orange Juice | 1 cup | 115 |
Our bodies need energy to keep us alive and our organs functioning normally. When we eat and drink, we put energy into our bodies. We use up that energy through everyday movement, which includes everything from breathing to running. But, to maintain a stable weight, the energy we put into our bodies must be the same as the energy we use by normal bodily functions and physical activity.
An important part of a healthy diet is balancing the energy you put into your bodies with the energy you use.