Calorie Calculator

It depends on your age, sex, weight, height, and activity level. The calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to find your BMR, multiplies it by an activity factor (1.2 for sedentary up to 1.9 for a very active lifestyle) to get your TDEE, then adjusts by up to 500 calories based on your goal. Most adults land between 1,600 and 3,000 calories. Use the result as a starting point, not a hard prescription.

A 500-calorie daily deficit produces roughly 1 lb of loss per week; a 250-calorie deficit produces about 0.5 lb. The calculator offers both as preset goals. Steeper deficits can accelerate short-term loss but raise the risk of muscle loss and make adherence harder. Consult a healthcare provider before cutting below 1,200 calories (women) or 1,500 (men).

TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure, the number of calories you burn in a typical day. The calculator derives it by multiplying your BMR by an activity multiplier: 1.2 for little or no exercise, 1.375 for 1-3 days a week, 1.55 for 3-5 days, 1.725 for 6-7 days, and 1.9 for a physically demanding job plus daily training. Eating at your TDEE keeps your weight stable.

Mifflin-St Jeor is considered the most accurate general-population equation, but individual results still vary by roughly plus or minus 10-15%. Factors like genetics, non-exercise movement (NEAT), and metabolic adaptation are not captured by any formula. Treat the output as a calibrated starting point and adjust your intake by 100-200 calories after tracking real-world results for 2-4 weeks.

The calculator splits your target calories into protein, fat, and carbohydrates using a 30/30/40 ratio by calories. Protein and carbs each provide 4 calories per gram; fat provides 9 calories per gram, so the fat gram count is lower than the protein and carb counts even though the calorie share is equal. You can shift these ratios on your own, more protein for muscle gain or fewer carbs for a lower-carb approach, but the total calorie target stays the same.