Calorie Calculator
Calculate your daily calorie needs (TDEE) based on age, weight, height, and activity level.
Activity Level
Goal
Daily Calorie Target · Maintain
2,633
calories per day
BMR (at rest)
1,699 kcal
Basal Metabolic Rate
TDEE (maintenance)
2,633 kcal
Total Daily Energy
Your Target · Maintain
2,633 kcal
Stay at current weight
BMR → TDEE Multiplier
Recommended Macros (30 / 40 / 30 Split for Maintain)
Protein 2.6 g/kg bodyweight · Protein 4 kcal/g · Carbs 4 kcal/g · Fat 9 kcal/g
How to use this calculator
- Enter your sex, age, height and weight in metric or imperial units.
- Choose your activity level — be honest; most people overestimate this.
- Pick your goal — lose weight, maintain, or build muscle — and the intensity.
The calculator shows your BMR, your maintenance calories (TDEE), a daily calorie target for your goal, and a recommended macronutrient split.
How it works
The calculation runs in two steps.
First, the Mifflin-St Jeor equation — the most reliable formula for the general population — estimates your BMR, the energy your body uses at rest, from your weight, height, age and sex.
Second, BMR is multiplied by an activity factor (from sedentary to very active) to give your TDEE — the calories you burn across a full day. Eating at your TDEE maintains your weight.
To change weight, you apply a calorie deficit (to lose) or surplus (to gain) — roughly 7,700 calories per kilogram of body weight. The calculator caps deficits at a safe minimum so it never recommends an unsafe target, and it tunes the protein/carb/fat split to match your goal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are daily calorie needs calculated? ▾
First, the Mifflin-St Jeor equation estimates your BMR — the calories your body burns at complete rest — from your weight, height, age and sex. That BMR is multiplied by an activity factor to give TDEE: total daily energy expenditure, the calories you burn in a typical day. TDEE is the number to eat at to maintain your weight.
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE? ▾
BMR (basal metabolic rate) is what you would burn lying still all day — just keeping your body running. TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is BMR plus everything else: moving, exercising, even digesting food. You maintain weight by eating at your TDEE, not your BMR.
How big a calorie deficit is safe for weight loss? ▾
A deficit of around 500 calories a day produces roughly half a kilogram of loss per week — a sustainable pace. Larger deficits work faster but are harder to sustain and can cost muscle. This calculator will not recommend a target below a safe minimum (about 1,200 calories for women, 1,500 for men); eating less than that needs medical supervision.
Why do the macro splits change with my goal? ▾
Different goals call for different balances. For weight loss, the calculator raises protein to help preserve muscle while in a deficit. For muscle gain, it shifts more toward carbohydrates to fuel training. Maintenance uses a balanced split. The macros adjust automatically to the goal you pick.
Are these numbers exact? ▾
No — they are well-founded estimates. Real metabolism varies between individuals, and activity levels are hard to judge precisely. Use the figure as a starting point, then adjust based on how your weight actually responds over two to three weeks.