Calorie needs can fluctuate like your weight

Lifestyle, age and diet goals all play a role in determining the right number

By Karen Collins, R.D.
Special to MSNBC.com
Updated: 7:54 a.m. ET Aug 17, 2007

Many of today’s nutrition recommendations are based on calorie needs, whether for weight control or for foods that fit in a healthy diet.
Unfortunately, most of us apparently can't identify our calorie needs. In a 2006 survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, 88 percent of respondents could not accurately estimate how many calories they should eat every day.
Calorie needs depend on weight, age, gender and activity level, as well as individual metabolic rate. The figures from the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion provide a rough estimate. Women ages 31 to 50 who exercise less than 30 minutes a day need about 1,800 calories daily, while men need about 2,200. Those under 30 can add 200 to that figure; those over 50, subtract 200.
Women ages 31 to 50 who exercise 30 minutes a day can eat about 2,000 calories daily, while men can eat about 2,400. Men under 30 can add 200 (sorry, women, no change); everybody over 50, subtract 200.
Finally, women ages 31 to 50 who are very active — 60 minutes or more daily exercise — need about 2,200 calories a day, while men need about 3,000. Women under 30 can add 200 (men, sorry, no change for you); men over 50, subtract 200.
For a more accurate estimate of recommended calories that reflects your height and weight, go to http://www.mypyramid.gov/ and click on MyPyramid Plan. Recalculate your needs with every five to 10 pound change, since calorie needs change with weight.
Strategies for a balanced diet
Recommended limits of fat consumption are based on calorie needs. If you multiply estimated calorie needs by 0.011, you will see your recommended maximum grams of saturated fat daily. (For example, if you need 2,000 calories a day, that equates to a maximum of 22 grams of saturated fat a day.) Those with high cholesterol may need to reduce saturated fat below this figure. A registered dietitian can help.
How much junk food is reasonable in a healthy diet? The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans include a “discretionary calories allowance.” Discretionary calories represent the extra foods and drinks that supply calories without much nutritional value. The allowance is 132 discretionary calories a day for someone maintaining weight and eating about 1,600 calories a day, and 290 discretionary calories daily for someone who needs 2,200 calories a day.
Strategies for a balanced diet change with calorie level, too. On about 1,600 calories a day, five servings of grains (equal to five slices of bread) is enough, whereas someone needing 2,200 calories a day should eat seven servings daily. Someone who needs only 1,600 calories a day can meet fruit and vegetable recommendations with seven servings daily, but someone who needs 2,200 calories or more should aim for at least 10 per day.

LILIANA REYES

Profile

My name is liliana reyes I am 19 years old, mi birthday is on may 15. I am studying industrial engineering. I have a boyfriend and his name is Jorge, I like reading, and nowadays I am reading “ LOS PILARES DE LA TIERRA” and this book is a famous novel about middle age, the author of this novel Is kent follet and I recommend to reading, because is very interesting.

profile:

My name is liliana reyes, I live in chia, I am 19 years old and I am study industrial engineer. I like reading about romantic Histories, and my favorite colour is the blue.

the second letter

Dear, Fernández


The weight up is a common problem in the young women; because many people have different problems that occasioning weight up, but is necessary to know the causes of this problem because I have different solutions; for this reason, I can help them with many situations.

The first young’s problem is about the stress; this problem is produced for different circumstances such as the study, friends, and relationships. These problems involve the young people, when they begin to weight up. If you have stress, I recommend to go to practice yoga and in general, curses where you can relax.

The second point about the weight up is the bad physic activities, this problem is common in the young people too, because nowadays many people around in the word prefer watch TV, listen music or play video games, these activities produced weight up quickly because their are sit down all time; if you have not physical activity, the solution would be to go to gym or practice running every mornings.

The final point is about your nutritive costumes, for example the teenagers eat hamburgers, pizza, and bad drinks such as coca kola, Pepsi, and others similar beers, this food is very bad for your body, however this problem have solution too, in this case if you suffer it you need to eat others nutritive products for example: vegetables, fruits, cereal etc, for this reason is very necessary that you begin now.

I will hope that my advice help you.

Cordially
Liliana Reyes

1 letter

Dear, Valentina

I’m writing to you because I read your letter and I really want to help you in all I can do .

I know that you suffer of migraine, well this is the reason why you write me, I can say a lot of things about your illnesses but I prefer to see you, because I don’t want to tell you a fast solution, that can be harmful for your health, for that reason I give you a date for the next week at 9:00 am. I know that the date is so late but is necessary, also I know that the headache continues for this time, that’s the reason why I send you a prescription with the medicine that can help you for the moment.

I fell so bad because I know that you need a solutions so fast but, I cant, and I think that you understand mi reasons.

I’m waiting for you the next week .
Sincerely yours


Dr.
Ma. Camila Cuadros A.
5261961

Ma. Camila C profile

My name is Maria Camila Cuadros I’m 17 years old, mi birthday is on December 29. I’m studying law on sabana university, and I’m happy to be there. I have a boyfriend since 2 years and two months ago and I’m so glad with he, his name is Sebastian Ramos he is studying publicity on Jorge Tadeo University, we enjoy a lot together because we do a lot of things, and the things that we do with frequency is to go to the cinema or to the disco, we are all the time together but we share with her family or mi family, also we get out with mi friends or some times with his friends and we enjoy, listen music, dancing, go to the disco or shopping.
This is me….. this is that I like..

health

Dear, Ángela



I am writing this letter because I will like to help you with the migraine. First of all we must look for symptoms of this illness, so I can give to you a perfect solution for your problem.

The method is based on toxins elimination that caused different symptoms in the body; such as cold, headaches, etc. For this reason, it is necessary to help the body eliminate this toxin for purifying itself.


This method use hydrotherapy and a vegetarian diet that will make you feel better quickly. On the other hand is very important that you practice physical activity because the method recommend, however you can drink drugs (alternative medicine) and in a little time you are going to feel better.

With this, I hope you will feel better.



Sincerely yours,
__________________
Liliana Reyes Romero
200511762

Letter ----> Laura

Dear Maria Claudia Velasquez,

Thanks for writing me, I get your letter today and I can see some symptoms from migraine. The migraine which is a typical illness in women, begans with a strong headache ofte in one side of the head, then a little visual distortions, dizziness and hypersensitivity to the lights. the simptons can disappear soon until five days or more.

I recommend you to take an aspirin with a cup of coffe. It's a good idea to lie down in the darkness with a cold bandage on the front in order to stop or minimize the attack. If you continues suffering frecuent attacks you nay have to come here and I make an X-ray so that we might be able to discard a tumor altough you shouldn't have worried about that. You can practice other methods if you want. The hypnosis can be use to treat the headache by relaxing and concentration. Maybe the hypnosis can help you I think it's the best way if you wanna recover your health as soon as possible so that hypnosis works by changing in your state of consciousness and you going to relax and then the pain can minimize with help of the aspirins.

Many people recover their health soon with some cares so you going to feel better in a few days. I expect to receive good news.

Sincerely yours,

Dr. Laura Fda. Rincon

Lauras' profile

I'm Laura Fernanda Rincon Velasquez. I'm 17 years old but on August 22 I will be 18 years old.

I like to do everything ... I try to do all the activities more funny. I enjoy to play some sports, wacth movies, dance a lot, meet new people and be with my best friends or a lot of friends doing whatever things . I prefer manytimes get out with my friends than my parents. In fact, I avoid familiar dinners but I have to be there all the times. I love the food, actually the meat and pizza are my favorities. I would like traveling around the world and have a beautiful family.

I love all my friends... kisses !!!!

Letter Paola Ruiz

Thomas Baher
Paseo drive
67-87 salitre park
13 de agosto de 2007




Dear Thomas




I hope you are okay

I am writing to you because I receive you last letter which you told me about any problems of health.

I give you an advice, you must be careful with your stomachache, headache and fever for the reason that you have not been able to work.

If you can not take chemical tablets you should go to Andrés Sandoval, he is the best doctor in Bogotá city he tries with naturopathy.
This is a method which tries to help the body to eliminate any waste products, thus purifying itself, however, instead of using drugs or surgery.

I recommended if you can visit to the doctor in this address street 23 Nº 5 floor 3




I am looking forward to hearing from you again.


Yours sincerely

Paola Andrea Ruiz

paola ruiz

profile

My name is Paola Andrea Ruiz ; I am 22 years old and I am from medellín Colombia.
I am studying social communication and journalism in the Sabana University.

I really enjoy traveling to other countries, meeting new people, and making friends.
I am very fun person and I love to be in my house also I like learning new things everyday.
I like the rock music and when I close my eyes and express my feelings through the rock I get the felling my sad


This is who I am!!!