Daily Calorie Calculator
Calculate daily calorie needs based on age, gender, height, weight, and activity level. Get BMR and TDEE for weight loss, maintenance, or gain.
About this calculator
The Daily Calorie Calculator tells you how many calories to eat to maintain, lose or gain weight. Enter your age, sex, height, weight and activity level, choose a goal, and it shows your BMR, your maintenance calories, your target and a suggested split of protein, fat and carbohydrate.
It uses the Mifflin-St Jeor formula and the standard activity factors. The goal menu offers a deficit of 500, 750 or 1,000 calories or a surplus of 500. A 500-calorie daily deficit is the usual starting point because it is large enough to see progress and small enough to follow.
How to use it
- Enter your Age, Gender, Height (cm) and Weight (kg).
- Choose your Activity Level.
- Choose your Goal: maintain, lose or gain.
- Press Calculate Calories and read BMR, TDEE, target and macros.
Calculation
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation estimates basal metabolic rate (BMR), the energy your body burns at rest: Men: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age + 5 and Women: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age − 161. Daily energy needs (TDEE) are BMR × activity factor, where the factor is 1.2 for a desk job, 1.375 for light exercise, 1.55 for moderate exercise, 1.725 for hard exercise and 1.9 for a very physical job plus training.
Worked example
Man, age 30, 175 cm, 70 kg, moderately active, maintaining weight
| BMR | 1,649 kcal |
| TDEE | 2,556 kcal |
| Target (maintain) | 2,556 kcal |
| Protein / Fat / Carbs | 140 g / 71 g / 339 g |
To lose about 0.5 kg a week, eat around 2,056 kcal, a 500 kcal deficit. Aim for at least 1,500 for men and 1,200 for women unless a doctor advises otherwise.
This tool gives general information, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or dietitian before making changes to your diet, exercise or medication.
Tips and common mistakes
- A 7,700-calorie deficit is roughly 1 kg of body fat, so a 500-calorie daily deficit loses about 0.45 kg a week.
- Keep protein high when cutting to protect muscle.
- Weigh yourself under the same conditions and look at weekly averages.
- Weight loss slows as you get lighter, so recalculate every few kilograms.
- Pregnant, breastfeeding or have a medical condition? Use a doctor's guidance, not a calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories do I need a day?
It depends on age, sex, size and activity. An average adult needs roughly 1,800 to 2,800 calories.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
Subtract about 500 from your maintenance calories for roughly half a kilo of loss a week.
What is the safe minimum?
Most guidance suggests not going below 1,200 calories for women or 1,500 for men without supervision.
Does it work for muscle gain?
Yes. Choose a surplus of 250 to 500 calories and train with weights.
Are the macros fixed?
They are a balanced starting split. Adjust them to your preferences and training.
Why does my result differ from other calculators?
Different formulas and activity factors give different answers.