MyPyramid Plan for Daily Food and Calorie Intake¹

Glenda Warren²

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MyPyramid is your guide to a healthy eating plan and an active lifestyle. The MyPyramid plan:

Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.
Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts.
Is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
Recommends daily physical activity for 30 to 60 minutes every day.
Explains that oils are not a food group, but some are needed for your good health.

Table 1.

CALORIES	GRAINS	VEGETABLES	FRUITS	OILS*	MILK	MEAT & BEANS	Discretionary Calorie Allowance
1,000	3 oz	1 cup	1 cup	3	2 cups	2 oz	165
1,200	4 oz	1.5 cups	1 cup	4	2 cups	3 oz	171
1,400	5 oz	1.5 cups	1.5 cups	4	2 cups	4 oz	171
1,600	5 oz	2 cups	1.5 cups	5	3 cups	5 oz	132
1,800	6 oz	2.5 cups	1.5 cups	5	3 cups	5 oz	195
2,000	6 oz	2.5 cups	2 cups	6	3 cups	5.5 oz	267
2,200	7 oz	3 cups	2 cups	6	3 cups	6 oz	290
2,400	8 oz	3 cups	2 cups	7	3 cups	6.5 oz	362
2,600	9 oz	3.5 cups	2 cups	8	3 cups	6.5 oz	410
2,800	10 oz	3.5 cups	2.5 cups	8	3 cups	7 oz	426
3,000	10 oz	4 cups	2.5 cups	10	3 cups	7 oz	512
3,200	10 oz	4 cups	2.5 cups	11	3 cups	7 oz	648
*Numbers represent teaspoons of oils at your calorie level

Limit the amount of calories used for fat and sugar to the amount in the discretionary calorie allowance for your calorie level. Remember, total recommended daily amounts are based on serving the foods without any added fats or sugar.

Find the calorie level that is right for your gender, activity level, and age.**

1. First, choose the column for your gender.

2. Next, choose your activity level.

3. Then, find your age and the calorie level that matches your physical activity.

Table 2.

	MALES				FEMALES
Activity Level	Sedentary*	Mod active*	Active*	Activity Level	Sedentary*	Mod active*	Active*
AGE				AGE
2	1000	1000	1000	2	1000	1000	1000
3	1000	1400	1400	3	1000	1200	1400
4	1200	1400	1600	4	1200	1400	1400
5	1200	1400	1600	5	1200	1400	1600
6	1400	1600	1800	6	1200	1400	1600
7	1400	1600	1800	7	1200	1600	1800
8	1400	1600	2000	8	1400	1600	1800
9	1600	1800	2000	9	1400	1600	1800
10	1600	1800	2200	10	1400	1800	2000
11	1800	2000	2200	11	1600	1800	2000
12	1800	2200	2400	12	1600	2000	2200
13	2000	2200	2600	13	1600	2000	2200
14	2000	2400	2800	14	1800	2000	2400
15	2200	2600	3000	15	1800	2000	2400
16	2400	2800	3200	16	1800	2000	2400
17	2400	2800	3200	17	1800	2000	2400
18	2400	2800	3200	18	1800	2000	2400
19-20	2600	2800	3000	19-20	2000	2200	2400
21-25	2400	2800	3000	21-25	2000	2200	2400
26-30	2400	2600	3000	26-30	1800	2000	2400
31-35	2400	2600	3000	31-35	1800	2000	2200
36-40	2400	2600	2800	36-40	1800	2000	2200
41-45	2200	2600	2800	41-45	1800	2000	2200
46-50	2200	2400	2800	45-50	1800	2000	2200
51-55	2200	2400	2800	51-55	1600	1800	2200
56-60	2200	2400	2600	56-60	1600	1800	2200
61-65	2000	2400	2600	61-65	1600	1800	2000
66-70	2000	2200	2600	66-70	1600	1800	2000
71-75	2000	2200	2600	71-75	1600	1800	2000
76 and up	2000	2200	2400	76 and up	1600	1800	2000

*Calorie levels are based on the Estimated Energy Requirements (EER) and activity levels from the Institute of Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes Macronutrients Report, 2002.

SEDENTARY = less than 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity, in addition to daily activities.

MOD. ACTIVE = at least 30 minutes and up to 60 minutes a day of moderate physical activity, in addition to daily activities.

ACTIVE = 60 or minutes a day of moderate physical activity, in addition to daily activities.

**You can also find calorie levels for your family members.

Footnotes

This document is FCS8800, one of a series of the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Adapted from CNP-XX, "MyPyramid Food Intake Pattern Calorie Levels, United States Department of Agriculture, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, April 2005. First published: December 2007. Please visit the EDIS Web site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

Glenda L. Warren, M.S., R.D., CFCS, Associate Professor, Extension Nutritionist – EFNEP, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Millie Ferrer-Chancy, Interim Dean.

MyPyramid Plan for Daily Food and Calorie Intake1

Footnotes

MyPyramid Plan for Daily Food and Calorie Intake¹