Calorie Calculator
Estimate daily calories from age, gender, height, weight, and activity level.
This calorie calculator estimates how many calories you need each day to maintain, lose, or gain weight. It uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to calculate Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), then multiplies by an activity factor to estimate Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).
Maintenance calories (TDEE)
2,336 kcal/day
BMR: 1,699 kcal/day (Mifflin-St Jeor)
Mild weight loss (~0.25 kg / 0.5 lb per week)
2,086 kcal/day
Weight loss (~0.5 kg / 1 lb per week)
1,836 kcal/day
Mild weight gain (~0.25 kg / 0.5 lb per week)
2,586 kcal/day
Weight gain (~0.5 kg / 1 lb per week)
2,836 kcal/day
Common use cases
- Plan a calorie target for weight loss or weight gain
- Estimate maintenance calories before a body-composition change
- Compare daily needs across different activity levels
- Sanity-check macros and meal-plan calorie totals
How to use
- Choose metric or imperial units.
- Enter your age, gender, height, and weight.
- Pick the activity level that best matches a typical week.
- Read your BMR, maintenance calories, and weight-change targets.
FAQ
Which formula does this use?
Mifflin-St Jeor (1990), the equation most commonly recommended by dietitians for adults. It generally predicts resting energy expenditure within about 10% of measured values.
What is TDEE?
Total Daily Energy Expenditure — BMR multiplied by an activity factor that accounts for movement, exercise, and non-exercise activity throughout the day.
How much should I cut to lose weight?
A deficit of about 500 kcal/day typically yields ~0.45 kg (1 lb) of fat loss per week. Aggressive deficits below 1,200 kcal/day for women or 1,500 kcal/day for men are not recommended without medical supervision.
Estimates only. Not medical advice. Individual energy needs vary with body composition, genetics, medications, and health conditions. Consult a registered dietitian or physician before making significant dietary changes.