Calorie Calculator

Calculate your daily calorie needs (TDEE) from age, gender, height, weight, and activity level to plan your diet for weight loss or gain. Free online calorie calculator that's easy to use.

Gender

How to Use

  1. Enter body information

    Input your gender, age, height (cm), and weight (kg).

  2. Set activity and goal

    Select your activity level and weight goal (lose, maintain, or gain).

  3. View results

    See your daily calorie recommendation for each goal.

What are Calories and TDEE?

Calories (kcal) are the unit of energy your body uses for activity and staying alive. When you take in more energy from food than you burn in a day, the surplus is stored as body fat; when you take in less, your body draws on stored fat. The reference point that governs this balance is your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure).

This calculator multiplies your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) — the energy you burn even while lying still — by an activity factor to find your TDEE, then suggests target calories for each goal.

  • Lose weight: eat below your TDEE to create a deficit.
  • Maintain: eat at your TDEE to hold your weight steady.
  • Gain weight: eat above your TDEE to build muscle and add weight through a surplus.

Rather than vaguely 'eating less', knowing your own TDEE lets you design your diet by the numbers — exactly how many kcal a day you need to reach your goal.

Calculation Formula

This calculator finds your BMR using the highly accurate Mifflin-St Jeor equation, then multiplies it by an activity factor.

Men: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age + 5
Women: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age − 161
TDEE = BMR × activity factor

Example — a 30-year-old man, 70kg, 170cm, moderate activity (3–5 times/week):
BMR = 10×70 + 6.25×170 − 5×30 + 5 = 1,618 kcal
TDEE = 1,618 × 1.55 = 2,508 kcal

The activity factors are: sedentary 1.2 / light 1.375 / moderate 1.55 / active 1.725 / very active 1.9. Weight loss is set at −500 kcal (2,008) and gain at +500 kcal (3,008); since 1 kg of body fat ≈ 7,700 kcal, a 500 kcal deficit corresponds to roughly 0.45 kg of change per week.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)?
TDEE is the total number of calories your body burns in a day. It is your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) plus the calories used for daily activity and exercise. To maintain your weight, eat at your TDEE; to lose weight, eat below it.
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR is the minimum number of calories needed to keep you alive while doing nothing but lying still. TDEE is your actual total expenditure — BMR plus the calories from daily activity and exercise. Eating below your BMR is risky, so build your deficit relative to your TDEE.
How do I choose my activity level?
Judge it by how often you exercise each week. Use 1.2 if you barely exercise, 1.375 for light exercise 1–3 times a week, 1.55 for moderate intensity 3–5 times, 1.725 for hard exercise 6–7 times, and 1.9 for physical labor or training twice a day. If unsure, pick the lower level to avoid overestimating.
How fast will I lose weight in a calorie deficit?
One kilogram of body fat equals about 7,700 kcal. A daily deficit of 500 kcal leads to roughly 0.45 kg of loss per week, while a 250 kcal deficit gives about 0.23 kg per week. The latter is slower but causes less muscle loss and is easier to sustain.
What is the minimum number of calories I should eat per day?
Even while losing weight, women should generally not drop below about 1,200 kcal a day and men below about 1,500 kcal. Staying far below your BMR for long periods can lead to muscle loss, metabolic adaptation (a slowdown in metabolism), and nutrient deficiencies.
Why use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation instead of Harris-Benedict?
Since its publication in 1990, the Mifflin-St Jeor equation has been shown in many validation studies to predict the actual BMR of modern people more accurately than the older Harris-Benedict equation. That is why most reliable tools, including this one, have adopted it as the standard.
How do I set my macronutrient ratios?
For maintenance, 50% carbs, 25% protein, and 25% fat works well. When cutting, raise protein to 35% to protect muscle; when bulking, keep carbs steady and set protein at 30% to support muscle synthesis. Carbs and protein provide 4 kcal per gram, fat 9 kcal per gram.
Can I trust the calculated calories exactly?
The formula is a statistical estimate, so it can be off by about ±10%. The most accurate approach is to eat at the calculated value for 2–3 weeks, observe your actual weight change, and adjust in increments of 100–200 kcal. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a medical condition, consult a professional.
Updated 2026 — WHO standards

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