Calorie and diet needs change for women over age 50. Your health, fitness and weight rely on an adequate calorie intake for support. However, getting too many calories might lead to weight gain because your metabolism slows as you age. Making healthy lifestyle choices may slow age-related body changes and protect your overall health.

Calorie Needs

Your doctor is a good resource for determining your specific calorie requirements after age 50. In general, you need about 200 fewer calories per day than the average recommended intake of 1,800 calories, according to Karen Collins, R.D. Aim to get 1,600 calories per day after you turn 50. This supports overall health but prevents weight gain. If you are very active, you might need additional calories while a completely sedentary lifestyle decreases your daily needs.

Food Choices

Most experts recommend that women over age 50 get their calories from a balanced diet made up of a variety of foods from each food group. The National Institute on Aging recommends including various colors of fruits and vegetables, eating plenty of whole grains and limiting sugar and fat. This ensures adequate fiber intake, a nutrient that digests slowly, keeping you feeling full for longer. Whole grains, fruits and vegetables are the best sources of dietary fiber. Add lean protein and low-fat dairy to round out your nutrient intake. These foods satisfy your hunger but help you stay within the recommend calorie intake for your age.

Healthy Meals

In 2011, the U.S. Department of Agriculture altered the daily intake recommendations to make it easier to build healthy meals. In general, your plate should contain one-half fruits and vegetables and one-half protein and grains with a serving of dairy on the side. Women over age 50 need 1 1/2 cups of fruit, 2 cups of vegetables, 5 ounces of grains, 5 ounces of protein foods and 3 cups of dairy foods each day.

Cutting Calories

After age 50, you might find that your normal caloric intake is too high. Cutting calories keeps you healthy and maintains your weight. To reduce the number of calories in your diet, limit or eliminate fried foods, fast food, soda, candy, cookies, cake and frozen entrees. These items are high in calories and fat but offer little to no nutrition. Alcohol is another source of empty calories. Reserve your calories for nutrient-dense foods that are low in calories.


Keep a calorie journal to help track your intake until you are familiar with the amounts of food you are able to eat after you turn 50. Measure your food to ensure that you aren't mistakenly overdoing it on calories, hindering your intake goals. Menopause causes shifts in your hormones and occurs for most women after age 50. This change contributes to weight gain. Talk to you doctor about hormone-replacement therapy, which might prevent you from having to further restrict your caloric intake. If your health causes weight loss, your calorie needs may be higher to counteract this. Talk to your doctor about an appropriate calorie intake that aligns with any health conditions from which you suffer.

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