How many calories should I eat per day?

On average, men should eat around 2,500 calories per day and women need around 2,000 daily calories to maintain their weight ( 2 ). However, individual needs vary due to other factors such as activity level, body size and composition, age, and health conditions.

How can calorie needs be adjusted in a meal plan?

Calorie needs can be adjusted in a meal plan based on personal goals, body composition, activity level, age, sex, and health conditions. You can adjust your calorie intake without completely changing your meal plan by increasing or decreasing the portion sizes.

How should snacks be incorporated into a meal plan?

Snacks should be incorporated into a meal plan by first understanding the purpose of the snack. Whether it’s to prevent you from becoming incredibly hungry, gain energy for a certain physical activity, or boost your nutrient intake, you need to decide when to take the snacks and make sure they’re balanced.

Can two people with different goals follow the same meal plan?

Two people with different goals may not be able to follow the same meal plan, depending on what their goals are. Therefore, different individuals can apply different eating strategies or different meal plans to achieve different goals ( 3 ). However, they can use the same meal plan structure, particularly if the meal plan is customizable, then adjust it to suit their personal goals. For example, if their weight management goals are different, the same meal plan can be used by either increasing or decreasing the portion sizes.