Enter age, gender, height, weight, and activity level to see maintenance calories (TDEE) plus suggested calories for fat loss, recomposition, or lean mass gain.
Age, gender, height, weight, and activity level describe your baseline.
We default to the Mifflin-St Jeor equation for basal metabolic rate.
We multiply BMR by an activity factor to get TDEE (your maintenance calories).
Choose weight loss, maintenance, or gain. We display daily targets, a recommended macro split, and a safe calorie deficit range.
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Estimate your body fat percentage using various measurement methods and formulas.
Calculate daily calorie needs based on your goals, activity level, and body composition.
Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure for optimal nutrition planning.
Your results include three key numbers. Here is exactly what each one means and how to use it to reach your goal.
This is your TDEE minus roughly 500 calories. Eating at this level creates a daily deficit that supports losing approximately 1 pound of fat per week. It is a sustainable, evidence-backed starting point. Avoid cutting more than 1,000 kcal below TDEE without medical guidance.
This is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the calories you need to maintain your current weight at your current activity level. Eating at TDEE means no net change in body weight over time. Use this as your anchor figure when adjusting for any goal.
This is your TDEE plus roughly 500 calories. Eating at this level creates a surplus that supports gaining about 1 pound per week — a mix of muscle and some fat. For lean bulking with minimal fat gain, a smaller surplus of 200–300 kcal/day is often more effective.
The macro breakdown shows a suggested daily split across protein, carbohydrates, and fat. The default ratio is 25% protein, 45% carbohydrates, and 30% fat — a general-purpose split that works for most people. These are starting values. Your optimal ratio depends on your training style, food preferences, and health history.
Critical for preserving and building muscle, especially in a calorie deficit. Target 0.7–1.0 g per pound of your goal body weight.
Your body's primary fuel source for high-intensity activity. Prioritize complex carbs from whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.
Essential for hormone production, vitamin absorption, and brain function. Focus on unsaturated sources like olive oil, nuts, avocados, and fatty fish.
Want to verify your result by hand? Here is the complete step-by-step calculation using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation.
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the minimum energy your body needs at complete rest — calories required to keep your heart beating, lungs breathing, and cells functioning. BMR accounts for 60–75% of your total daily calorie use and does not include any physical activity.
| Formula | Year | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Mifflin-St Jeor (default) | 1990 | Most adults — highest validated accuracy |
| Revised Harris-Benedict | 1984 | Legacy option; slightly less precise |
| Katch-McArdle | 1975 | Athletic individuals who know body fat % |
Multiply your BMR by the factor matching your weekly activity:
Profile
Step 1 — Calculate BMR
BMR = (10 × 74.8) + (6.25 × 165) − (5 × 35) − 161
BMR = 748 + 1,031.25 − 175 − 161
BMR ≈ 1,443 kcal/day
Step 2 — Apply Activity Factor
TDEE = 1,443 × 1.55
TDEE ≈ 2,237 kcal/day (maintenance)
Step 3 — Set Goal Targets
Weight Loss: 2,237 − 500 = 1,737 kcal/day
Maintenance: 2,237 kcal/day
Weight Gain: 2,237 + 500 = 2,737 kcal/day
At 1,737 kcal/day, she can expect roughly 1 lb of fat loss per week — a safe, sustainable rate.
One pound of body fat equals approximately 3,500 calories. A 500 kcal/day deficit runs that deficit in seven days — roughly 1 lb lost per week. This is a planning estimate; individual metabolic adaptation means results vary.
Women should not go below 1,200 kcal/day and men below 1,500 kcal/day without medical oversight. Very low intakes cause nutrient deficiencies, muscle loss, and hormonal disruption regardless of weight-loss goals.
Whether you are cutting fat, maintaining after a diet, or building muscle, here is how to apply your calorie number to real-life situations.
A 30-year-old man, 5'10", 200 lbs, moderately active, has a TDEE of roughly 2,700 kcal/day. At a 500 kcal/day deficit (2,200 kcal/day), he loses approximately 1 lb per week — reaching his goal in about 20 weeks. Distributing 160–175 g of protein evenly across meals helps preserve lean mass and control hunger throughout the cut.
Deficit: −500 kcal/day | Timeline: ~20 weeks
After reaching your goal weight, your TDEE is lower than when you started — because you weigh less. Recalculate with your new weight, then gradually increase to maintenance over 2–4 weeks (reverse dieting) to minimize fat regain. Tracking food intake during the first month after reaching your goal significantly reduces rebound risk.
Key action: Recalculate at goal weight, then transition slowly
A 25-year-old woman, 5'7", 135 lbs, training 5 days/week, has a TDEE of roughly 2,450 kcal/day. For lean bulking, a modest surplus of 200–300 kcal above TDEE (2,650–2,750 kcal/day) with 1 g of protein per lb of body weight supports muscle synthesis while minimizing fat accumulation.
Surplus: +200–300 kcal/day | High protein priority
Instead of eating the same calories daily, you eat more on training days and less on rest days — keeping the weekly total identical. For example: 2,100 kcal on three training days and 1,500 kcal on four rest days averages 1,757 kcal/day. This adds flexibility for social eating and may help reduce weight-loss plateaus over time.
Same weekly total, varied daily amounts
Reaching 1,800 kcal per day with quality nutrition is manageable. A sample day: Greek yogurt + berries (270 kcal) at breakfast, grilled chicken + brown rice + broccoli (520 kcal) at lunch, apple + almond butter (210 kcal) for a snack, and salmon + sweet potato + salad (530 kcal) at dinner. That totals 1,530 kcal — leaving 270 kcal for additional snacks. Focus on high-protein, high-volume foods to stay full.
Strategy: High protein + high volume = satiety at lower calories
The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2020–2025) recommend 2,000–2,600 kcal/day for moderately active adult men and 1,600–2,200 kcal/day for moderately active adult women. CDC data shows adults in states with higher obesity rates — including Mississippi, West Virginia, and Arkansas — tend to consume more processed foods high in added sugars. Wherever you live, using your personal TDEE is far more accurate than relying on a national average.
Source: USDA Dietary Guidelines 2020–2025 | CDC National Health Statistics
Get answers to common questions about calorie calculations and weight management.
We default to Mifflin-St Jeor for most users. You can compare revised Harris-Benedict, and if you know your body fat %, Katch-McArdle can be more accurate for leaner individuals.
Pick the description that best matches your weekly routine. If you sit most of the day and train 1–3 times/week, start with “Light” or “Moderate.” Adjust after 2–3 weeks based on results.
Start around −500 kcal/day for steady fat loss. Don’t exceed −1,000 kcal/day unless medically supervised. Faster loss increases the risk of muscle loss, low energy, and rebound weight gain.
It’s a population average, not a guarantee. Use it to set expectations, then calibrate based on your personal trend over a few weeks.
If your activity selection already includes workouts, they’re partly “baked in.” If not, consider eating back 25–50% of logged exercise calories since many trackers overestimate burn.
Recalculate after every 10–15 lb change or when your schedule shifts (new job, season, training block). Maintenance calories move with your body weight and activity.
As a general guideline, women ~1,200 kcal/day and men ~1,500 kcal/day are common floors. Going lower can increase nutrient risk and reduce training quality—talk to a clinician before doing so.
Start with higher protein (0.7–1.0 g/lb goal weight), fats at 25–35% of calories, and carbs filling the rest. Tweak based on satiety, performance, and labs under professional guidance.
It can provide flexibility and may help adherence. Keep weekly calories the same, just alternate high and low days around events or training. Consistency across weeks matters most.
Common culprits: logging inaccuracies, sodium/water fluctuations, hidden liquid calories, or reduced steps. Tighten tracking, add light activity, and adjust intake by ~100–200 kcal if the 2–3 week trend stalls.