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Your Personal Frame of Reference for Dietary Guidelines

• Eat a variety of foods.
• Balance the food you eat with physical activity–maintain or improve your weight.
• Choose a diet with plenty of grain products, vegetables, and fruits.
• Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol.
• Choose a diet moderate in sugars.
• Choose a diet moderate in salt and sodium.
• If you drink alcoholic beverages: do so in moderation.
• Drink at least 8-10 cups of fluid everyday.

Recommended Breakdown of Calories

Carbohydrate >55%

Protein ~15%

Fat <30%

1 gram of Carbohydrate = 4 calories

1 gram of Protein = 4 calories

1 gram of Fat = 9 calories

YOUR PERSONAL FRAME OF REFERENCE

For women, estimate your daily calorie needs (at a light to moderate activity level) by multiplying your weight (wt) in pounds (lbs.) by:

1) 16.4 if you are between the ages of 25-50

2) 13.6 if you are 50 years of age or older

(Your wt)______ X______(1 or 2 from above) =______ (your calories)

(Your calories) ______X 55% = ______calories from Carbohydrate

(Your calories)______X 15% = ______calories from Protein

(Your calories)______X 30% = ______calories from Fat

* To determine grams *

(Calories from Carbohydrate)______ ÷ 4 = ______grams of Carbohydrate

(Calories from Protein) ______ ÷ 4 =______grams of Protein

(Calories from Fat) ______ ÷ 9 =______grams of Fat

The University of Arizona · College of Agriculture · Department of Nutritional Sciences · Tucson, Arizona 85721 

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