1 Uncorrected proof. For citation purposes please see: “Feeding Productive Bodies: Calories, Nutritional Values and Ability in Progressive Era US,” in: Peter-Paul Bänziger/Mischa Suter (eds.): Histories of Productivity: Genealogical Perspectives on the Body and Modern Econo- my. London: Routledge, 2016, 117-135. Feeding Productive Bodies: Calories, Nutritional Values, and Ability in the Progressive Era US Nina Mackert Under the headline “What Does 100 Calories Look Like?”, the web portal SparkPeople fea- tures pictures of plates that contain 100-calorie-servings of fruits, vegetables, nuts, protein, and grains (Megan n.d.). i With these and other posts, the US-based company SparkPeople (n.d.), Inc., which runs a range of health portals, seeks to “help . . . everyone learn to eat bet- ter . . . for life”. Counting calories is obviously a huge part of this endeavor. Numerous web- sites from different backgrounds encourage people to eat right, to “keep portion distortion in check” (Dairy Council of California n.d.), in order to lose weight and to stay healthy. “You need energy from foods and drinks to fuel your body – for everything from breathing to phys- ical activity”, the USDA (n.d.) states but, at the same time, urges people to keep their “calorie limit in mind when deciding what to eat and drink”. When individuals approach supermarket shelves, grab an item and check its caloric content, the calorie has inscribed itself into their routines. It yields knowledge on eating “right”, distinct practices of bodies, the materiality of caloric tables as well as meal sizes, and individuals that understand themselves in relation to the calorie.