Calorie Calculator

Estimate the calories you burn a day and what to eat for your goal

yr

Enter an age (10-100)

cm

Enter a valid height

kg

Enter a valid weight

Enter body fat percentage (2-70)

Daily Calories
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Maintenance (TDEE)
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BMR
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Daily Adjustment
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Weekly Change

Calorie Calculator — Complete Guide

Weight is governed by a simple balance: calories in versus calories out. Everything else — meal timing, food type, macros — matters mostly through how it affects that balance. This calculator estimates the "out" side for your body.

What this calculator does

Using your sex, age, height, weight and activity level, it estimates your basal metabolic rate (BMR), your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), and a daily calorie target based on whether you want to lose, keep or gain weight.

The formula

BMR (men) = 10w + 6.25h − 5a + 5
BMR (women) = 10w + 6.25h − 5a − 161
TDEE = BMR × activity factor

This is the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, with weight in kilograms and height in centimetres. Activity factors run from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (very active).

A worked example

A 30-year-old woman weighing 70 kg at 175 cm: BMR = 700 + 1,093.75 − 150 − 161 = 1,482.75. At a moderate activity factor of 1.55, TDEE is about 2,298 calories. A 500-calorie deficit for weight loss gives a target of roughly 1,798 calories a day — about 0.45 kg (1 lb) a week.

GoalDaily adjustmentWeekly change
Lose weight−500≈ −0.45 kg
Maintain00
Gain weight+500≈ +0.45 kg

Where the estimate goes wrong

Treat the number as a starting point, then adjust by what the scale actually does over two to three weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories should I eat a day?

It depends on your size and activity. A sedentary adult woman needs roughly 1,800-2,000 calories a day, a sedentary man roughly 2,200-2,400, and active people considerably more. This calculator works it out from your own numbers.

What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?

BMR is what your body burns at complete rest just to stay alive. TDEE multiplies that by an activity factor to get the calories you actually burn in a normal day, which is the number that matters for weight change.

How fast can I lose weight safely?

Most guidelines suggest 0.5-1 kg (1-2 lb) a week. That corresponds to a daily deficit of about 500-1,000 calories. Faster loss is harder to sustain and tends to cost muscle as well as fat.

Last reviewed: October 5, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources: NIH, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics