Calorie Calculator: Find Your Daily Calorie Needs

This calorie calculator estimates your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure), the number of calories your body burns in a day, using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. Research comparing predictive formulas has found Mifflin-St Jeor to be more accurate than the older Harris-Benedict equation for most adults. Fill in your numbers below to get your BMR, TDEE, and a calorie target based on your goal.

How This Calculator Works

The calculator first finds your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), the calories your body burns just to keep you alive at rest, using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation:

• Men: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age + 5
• Women: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age − 161

Your BMR is then multiplied by an activity factor to get your TDEE, the total calories you burn including movement and exercise. From there, we apply a calorie surplus or deficit based on your goal to give you a daily target.

What the Activity Levels Mean

Most people overestimate their activity level, which is the single biggest reason calorie calculators feel "wrong." If you sit at a desk most of the day and train 3 to 4 times a week, you're moderately active, not very active. When in doubt, pick the lower option and adjust after two weeks of real results.

What to Do With Your Number

Use your target as a starting point, not a fixed rule. Eat at that calorie level consistently for two to three weeks, then check the scale trend. If your weight isn't moving in the direction of your goal, adjust by 100 to 200 calories and reassess again. This is exactly the approach we cover in our guide onbulking vs cutting, since knowing your maintenance calories is the first step to picking the right phase.

If muscle growth is the goal once your calories are dialed in, pairing your nutrition withcreatine and enoughprotein covers the other two pillars that actually move the needle.

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate is this calorie calculator? It uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, shown in research to be the most accurate predictive formula for resting metabolic rate in both lean and overweight adults. Still, it's an estimate that can be off by 10 to 15 percent, so treat it as a starting point and adjust based on real results.

What is TDEE? Total Daily Energy Expenditure, the total calories your body burns in a day including exercise and daily movement. It's your BMR multiplied by an activity factor.

How many calories should I eat to lose weight? A deficit of about 500 calories per day below your TDEE leads to roughly one pound of fat loss per week, a sustainable pace for most people.

Should I recalculate my calories as I lose or gain weight? Yes. Recalculate every 10 to 15 pounds of weight change, or every 4 to 6 weeks if you're cutting or bulking steadily.