Calorie Calculator
This calorie calculator estimates how many calories your body needs each day by combining the Mifflin-St Jeor formula for basal metabolic rate (BMR) with your activity level to produce your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) — then adjusts that number for your goal, whether you want to lose, maintain, or gain weight.
About you
Fill in your details and we'll estimate your daily calorie needs instantly — nothing leaves your browser.
Your estimate
TDEE combines your BMR with the activity multiplier you selected. Real-world energy needs still shift with sleep, stress, daily steps, and training load — use this as a starting point and adjust based on how your weight trends over two to three weeks.
Enter your details and select "Calculate calories" to see your BMR, TDEE, and goal-adjusted daily calorie target.
What BMR and TDEE mean — and how we calculate them
Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the energy your body burns at complete rest just to keep you alive — breathing, circulating blood, maintaining body temperature, and repairing cells. We estimate it with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, widely regarded as the most reliable predictive formula for the general population:
BMR is just the floor, though — it assumes you spend the whole day lying still. Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) adds in everything else: walking, working, exercising, fidgeting, even digesting food. We get there by multiplying your BMR by an activity multiplier:
How activity level multipliers work
Pick the description that best matches your typical week, not your most ambitious day. The multiplier scales your BMR up to reflect how much extra energy your lifestyle and training demand:
Setting a healthy calorie goal
Once you know your TDEE — your maintenance calories — you can shift your intake up or down depending on your goal. Small, sustainable changes tend to stick better than dramatic ones:
- ↓ Lose weight: a deficit of roughly 500 kcal/day below TDEE leads to about 0.45 kg (1 lb) of loss per week. We never recommend going below ~1,200 kcal (women) or ~1,500 kcal (men) without professional supervision.
- → Maintain weight: eat close to your TDEE — your weight should stay roughly stable from week to week, with normal day-to-day fluctuation.
- ↑ Gain weight: a surplus of roughly 250–500 kcal/day above TDEE supports lean gain when paired with resistance training and adequate protein, while limiting excess fat gain.
How to read your results
Your BMR is the energy cost of simply existing — don't try to eat at or below this number. Your TDEE is your real-world maintenance calories, the number that should anchor any plan. Your goal target nudges that maintenance number up or down based on what you're trying to achieve. None of these numbers are exact: they're population-based estimates. Track your actual weight trend over two to three weeks and adjust your intake by 100–200 kcal if you're not moving in the direction you expected.
If your number looks different from another calculator's, it's usually down to a different BMR formula, a different activity multiplier scale, or rounding — not a "wrong" answer. Use whichever estimate you land on as a starting point, then let real results guide your next adjustment.
Frequently asked.
Everything you need to know about how this calorie calculator works and what its results mean.
- What is a calorie calculator?
- A calorie calculator estimates how many calories your body burns per day so you know roughly how much to eat. It first calculates your basal metabolic rate, then multiplies by an activity factor to give your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE).
- How are my daily calorie needs calculated?
- We use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the most accurate of the common BMR formulas, then multiply your BMR by an activity multiplier from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (extra active). The result is your maintenance calories, or TDEE.
- What are maintenance calories?
- Maintenance calories are the number of calories that keep your weight stable — your TDEE. Eat consistently above it to gain weight and below it to lose weight. Most weight change plans set a daily target relative to this number.
- How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
- A deficit of about 500 calories per day below your TDEE leads to roughly 0.45 kg (1 lb) of loss per week. We show mild and steeper deficit options, but we never recommend going below about 1200 (women) or 1500 (men) calories without professional guidance.
- How many calories to gain weight or build muscle?
- A surplus of about 250 to 500 calories per day above your TDEE supports lean gain while limiting fat. Pair the surplus with adequate protein and resistance training. Our calculator shows both a conservative and a faster gain target.
- Which BMR formula is most accurate?
- Mifflin-St Jeor is generally considered the most accurate predictive equation for the general population and is the one we use. Harris-Benedict and Katch-McArdle are alternatives; Katch-McArdle can be better if you know your body fat percentage.
- Why is my calorie number different from another calculator?
- Different sites use different BMR formulas, activity multipliers, and rounding. Self-reported activity level is the biggest source of variation. Treat the result as a starting estimate and adjust based on real weight trends over two to three weeks.
- Is this calorie estimate medical advice?
- No. This is a screening estimate, not medical or dietary advice. Individual needs vary with health conditions, medications, and body composition — consult a doctor or registered dietitian before starting a weight-change plan.