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As we age, our body continually goes through changes. From adolescence through adulthood to our life as older adults, our physiology is constantly shifting.
For us as women, the biological clock is more than just a time stamp on our fertility, it also signifies major milestones of aging including decreased bone density, muscle mass, and increased weight gain. While this may all be natural, it doesn’t make it less confronting.
Fortunately, we are in control of our health, and one way to regain control is through nutrition.
In this article, we answer the question — How many calories does a 50-year-old female need? Inside, we share how aging effects metabolism, daily calorie intakes, and our balanced nutrition guide.
Understanding Caloric Needs for Women Over 50
Entering our 50s our nutritional requirements shift like no other decade before. While nutrition is always important, however, its impact during older adulthood can truly enhance your quality of life.
Below, we discuss the effects of aging, menopause, and the caloric needs of women over 50.
How Aging and Menopause Affect Metabolism
Our 40s and 50s can be some of the most challenging of our lives physiologically. During these decades, both women and men have a greater risk of chronic illness.
The American Heart Association (AHA) reported a 40% incidence of cardiovascular disease from 45-59 years, increasing to 86%, from 60-79 years. During the 45-54 age bracket, there is a greater risk of chronic illnesses including hypertension, diabetes, lung disease, stroke, arthritis neurological disease, and cancer.
For women, these effects are compounded due to the onset of menopause. During this time, the reproductive hormones estrogen and progesterone fluctuate and decline. This begins with perimenopause (before menopause) in our mid-40s, and even as early as our late 30s.
Menopause officially begins 12 months after your last period. Our hormone levels decline, and we can experience a range of symptoms, including night sweats, hot flashes, mood changes, poor sleep, and wrinkling skin.
During this time, there can be a loss of lean muscle, decreased bone density, increased appetite, and an increase in fat mass in the abdominal area. These factors can affect our function, and quality of life in later years if they go unaddressed.
The Role of Basal Metabolic Rate and Total Daily Energy Expenditure
A major component of nutrition is how we identify and calculate our daily calorie expenditure both at rest and with physical activity. This is done in two ways: our basal metabolic rate and total daily energy expenditure. Below we present these measurements, their uses, and key differences.
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
Our basal metabolic rate is the minimum amount of calories required to fuel your body at rest. This is the energy required to maintain bodily function. It is determined by age, height, weight, and activity level.
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)
Total daily energy expenditure is the number of calories your body burns daily. This includes your basal metabolic rate and the calories from physical activity and exercise.
Calculating Your Daily Calorie Needs
Understanding the principles of daily calorie intake is vital for managing weight and weight loss. It enables us to identify our target calorie intake and create a nutrition plan that stays within or beneath these limits.
Below we discuss how to calculate your basal metabolic rate, and adjust for different activity levels to help you get a precise figure. This will help set you up for success with your nutrition plan.
Using the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation for BMR Calculation
The Miffin-St Jeor Equation is a way of calculating your basal metabolic rate. Below is the formula, and an example to help you understand its application.
e.g. 10 x weight (in kilograms) + 6.25 x height (in centimeters) - 5 x age (in years) -161.
*10 x 75 kilograms + 6.25 x 170 centimeters - 5 x 52 years -161 = 1,391.5 calories*
Adjusting for Activity Levels: From Sedentary to Very Active
The above formula is excellent for determining our basal metabolic rate, however, to increase accuracy our activity level must be taken into account. This can be done with a simple calculation by multiplying the BMR by an activity figure.
e.g. 1,391.5 calorie (figure listed above) x 1.2 (sedentary individual) = 1,669.8 calorie/day
Here is a full list of activity multipliers that can be used to calculate a precise BMR:
- Extra Active: Multiply your BMR by 1.9
- Very Active: Multiply by 1.725
- Moderately Active: Multiply by 1.55
- Lightly Active: Multiply by 1.365
- Sedentary: Multiply by 1.2
Average Daily Calorie Intake for a 50-Year-Old Female
Below is a table showing the approximate daily calorie intake for a 50-year-old female, depending on her activity level, weight, and height. These figures are estimates and can vary based on individual characteristics. For a more precise measurement, we recommend using the method mentioned above.
Adjusting Calorie Intake for Your Health Goals
Adjusting our calorie intake is one of the most effective tools for controlling our weight. While some women may want to lose weight, others want to build muscle. Below we detail how to adjust your calorie intake to achieve your goals.
Creating a Calorie Deficit for Weight Loss
Weight loss requires us to reduce our calories to form a calorie deficit. This is eating fewer calories than we are burning each day. For example, if our basal metabolic rate is 1669.8 (the figure above), we would need to consume fewer calories than this each day to lose weight.
E.g. Basal Metabolic Rate - Daily Calorie Intake
1,669.8 calories (figure listed above) - 1,500 calories = 200 calorie deficit
This example shows a calorie deficit of 200 calories each day. While this may seem insignificant, over the course of a week, it would equate to 1,400 fewer calories. This is almost a full day of eating!
If you want to lose weight, we recommend a smaller calorie deficit. This will reduce feelings of hunger, and fatigue, leading to a more sustainable weight loss plan. If you find that you are managing with a small deficit, then you can increase it by 100 calories.
Maintaining Weight with a Balanced Caloric Intake
Maintaining weight requires a balance of our basal metabolic rate and daily calorie intake.
E.g. Basal Metabolic Rate - Daily Calorie Intake
*1669.8 calories (figure listed above) - 1669.8 calories = 0*
Increasing Caloric Intake for Muscle Maintenance
When we want to build or maintain lean muscle mass, we need to maintain or increase our calorie intake, while prioritizing protein intake. The recommended protein intake for 1.0-1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.
E.g. Bodyweight x 1.2 g of protein =
75 kg x 1.2 g of protein = 90 grams per day
Protein intake is vital for maintaining lean muscle mass and becomes more important when we want to lose weight as a calorie deficit can lead to muscle loss.
Lifestyle Considerations for Caloric Balance
What we eat is not the only important factor when it comes to maintaining our weight and overall health, Lifestyle factors including sleep quality, and stress also play a role. Below we address different lifestyle considerations to help you maintain a healthy calorie balance.
The Importance of Sleep
There is nothing like a good night's sleep. Poor sleep has been linked to health disorders including hypertension, obesity, type-2 diabetes, impaired immune function, cardiovascular disease, mood disorders, and mental illness. Po
This is made worse for women over 50, as menopause can lead to symptoms such as night sweats, and hot flashes which can result in poor sleep.
Furthermore, inadequate sleep increases our hunger hormone ghrelin and decreases the satiety hormone leptin. This creates a swing in appetite which can lead to weight gain.
It is recommended that adults should sleep 7 or more hours each night regularly to promote optimal health. By establishing your sleep routine, you will be able to balance your calorie intake and reduce the effects of many health disorders.
Manage Stress
One of the biggest factors that derails a nutrition plan is stress. For many people, food is used as a coping mechanism for stress. This is because when we are stressed our stress hormone cortisol can increase by approximately nine times our normal levels. Cortisol increases cravings for foods with high levels of fat, sugar, and salt.
Sadly, stress is the result of menopause symptoms, as poor sleep can lead to stress and frustration.
To combat stress and maintain balanced nutrition, we recommend exercising regularly, practicing mindfulness, and setting a sleep routine. Combining these factors will help you reduce daily stress, and improve sleep, leading to less stress.
Nutrient-Dense Foods vs. Empty Calories
Eating a balanced diet containing nutrient-dense foods is a powerful way of maintaining a healthy calorie balance. Foods such as lean meats, complex carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables provide our body with vital nutrients that support many of our body's systems and can help improve satiety.
Meanwhile, calorie-dense foods such as processed, fatty, and sugary foods often contain far more calories and fewer nutrients. These foods use up more calories.
For example, a sugary soda contains approximately 139 calories, which is largely made up of sugar. On the other hand, a 200g protein yogurt containing 20 grams of protein only has 70 calories, which will keep you fuller for longer.
The protein yogurt with 100g of strawberries (33 calories) will add up to just over 100 calories, and contain more nutrients. Furthermore, it is a great volume of food, improving satiety.
Tips for Managing Caloric Intake Effectively
Managing our caloric intake is one of the most effective ways to control our weight. But sometimes, this is easier said than done. Below are some helpful tips for managing your calorie intake effectively to help you reach your health goals.
Tracking Calories with Apps and Monitoring Progress
Tracking your calories using nutrition apps is an excellent way to stick to your daily limit. In decades past, we monitored our calorie and nutrient intake manually. Fortunately, we now have access to calorie-tracking apps on our phones. These contain a large database of common foods, and brands, allowing us to simply enter our foods and meals.
One of the best things about these apps is how quickly you will learn the calorie, macronutrient, and nutrient content of foods you commonly eat. In the beginning 100g of chicken breast will be entered and you will watch the helpful graphs fill up, and by week two you will know that 100g of chicken breast contains 165 calories and 31g of protein.
The use of these apps becomes an educational experience. Each time we use it you will learn something new about the food we eat, and how it affects our body.
Practicing Portion Control and Mindful Eating
Portion control can be a major hurdle when we alter our nutrition and calorie intake. For many, the initial reduction in calories and portion sizes can be surprising, as they won’t always match the number of calories.
Just because we are eating healthy, nutrient-dense foods, doesn’t mean we can eat as much as we want. For example, walnuts are a great source of protein, iron, potassium, and magnesium. However, just 50g contains 327 calories. That's enough for a small meal!
Practicing portion control will stop you from exceeding your recommended daily intake, and stick to your healthy eating goals..
Conclusion: Finding the Right Caloric Balance for Health at 50
Entering our 50s can come with various challenges including increased weight gain, menopause symptoms, and the signs of aging. The onset of menopause and shift in physiology can make it incredibly confusing and frustrating.
Thankfully, we can regain control through diet, exercise, and lifestyle choices. Nutrition has been shown time and again to be a powerful tool for managing weight, energy levels, and overall health.
By taking a closer look at what we eat and nutrition, we can begin to modify our calorie intake and nutrient intake to meet our dietary needs. This will strengthen our bones, and muscles, alleviate menopause symptoms, and reduce the risk of chronic illness.
FAQs
How many calories should a 50-year-old woman consume daily?
A 50-year-old woman's calorie needs vary based on activity level, but generally range from 1,600 to 2,200 calories per day for maintaining weight.
What is the best way for women over 50 to manage calorie intake?
Focus on nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Keeping track of portion sizes and avoiding empty calories can help manage intake.
How many calories should a 50-year-old woman eat to lose weight?
For weight loss, a 50-year-old woman typically needs to reduce calorie intake by 500 to 1,000 calories per day, aiming for a total of 1,200 to 1,600 calories daily, depending on activity level.
What types of food should women over 50 prioritize for balanced nutrition?
Women over 50 should prioritize high-fiber foods, lean protein, healthy fats, and calcium-rich foods to support bone health, metabolism, and overall well-being.
How does metabolism change for women in their 50s?
Metabolism tends to slow down in a woman's 50s, which can make it harder to maintain or lose weight. Focusing on regular physical activity and adjusting calorie intake to match energy expenditure can help manage weight and support health during this stage.
