Calorie Calculator
Find your daily calorie target for maintenance, fat loss or muscle gain — based on the Mifflin–St Jeor equation and your activity level.
Estimates only. Consult a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet, especially if you have a medical condition.
Frequently asked questions
Which equation does this calculator use?
It uses the Mifflin–St Jeor equation, which is the most widely cited modern standard. It estimates your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) from weight, height, age and sex, then multiplies by an activity factor to get your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) — the calories you burn on a normal day.
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR is what your body burns at complete rest, just keeping you alive. TDEE adds the calories burned by daily movement and exercise. Your maintenance calories are your TDEE; eating above it leads to weight gain and below it leads to loss.
How accurate is a calorie calculator?
It gives a solid estimate, but real metabolism varies by muscle mass, genetics and health by roughly ±10–15%. Treat the result as a starting point: track your weight for a couple of weeks and adjust intake up or down if you are not moving toward your goal at the expected rate.
Why does losing a pound require about 3,500 fewer calories?
A pound of body fat stores roughly 3,500 kcal. So a daily deficit of 500 calories (about 3,500 per week) is the basis for the “1 pound per week” target in this calculator. The actual rate eases over time as your lighter body burns fewer calories.