Calorie Calculator — How Many Calories Should You Eat Per Day?
Your daily calorie needs depend on your body size, age, gender, and how active you are. Eat too few and you lose weight; eat too many and you gain it. This calculator finds the exact number for your goal — whether that's shedding fat, adding muscle, or staying exactly where you are.
The calculation uses two steps: first, estimating your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) — the calories you burn at rest — then multiplying by an activity factor to get your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). A deficit below TDEE causes fat loss; a surplus above it causes weight gain.
Select a BMR formula (Mifflin–St Jeor is recommended for most people), your activity level, and your goal with a weekly rate of change. Results include your daily calorie target, an estimated macronutrient split, and how long it will take to reach your goal.
The Science Behind Calorie Targets
Choosing the Right Activity Level
The activity multiplier is the biggest variable in your calorie calculation. Choosing too high inflates your target; too low restricts you unnecessarily.
| Level | Who it fits | Multiplier | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | Desk job, no planned exercise | × 1.2 | Office worker, Netflix evenings |
| Lightly Active | Light exercise 1–3 days/week | × 1.375 | Weekend gym sessions, daily walks |
| Moderately Active | Moderate exercise 3–5 days/week | × 1.55 | Gym 4× week, active commuting |
| Very Active | Hard exercise 6–7 days/week | × 1.725 | Daily training, sports athlete |
| Extra Active | Physical job + hard daily exercise | × 1.9 | Construction worker who also trains |
Most people overestimate their activity level. If in doubt, choose one level lower than you think — you can always adjust upward if you're losing weight faster than intended.
Calorie Targets by Goal
Eat below your TDEE. A 500 kcal deficit produces ~0.45 kg/week fat loss. A 1,000 kcal deficit targets ~0.9 kg/week — the generally safe maximum. Never eat below your BMR without medical supervision; doing so risks muscle loss and metabolic adaptation.
Eat at your TDEE. This stabilises weight while supporting exercise recovery, hormonal health, and energy. Use maintenance calories when transitioning between cutting and bulking phases, or to take a diet break.
Eat above your TDEE. A 250 kcal surplus supports lean muscle growth with minimal fat gain (lean bulk). A 500 kcal surplus supports faster mass gain. Bulks above 500 kcal/day produce significant fat alongside muscle.
Understanding the Macro Split
Your daily calorie target needs to be divided into macronutrients — protein, carbohydrates, and fat. The split varies by goal:
Preserves muscle during a deficit. Supports growth during a surplus. Target: 1.6–2.2 g per kg body weight. Higher in the range when cutting or training hard.
Primary fuel for high-intensity training and the brain. Makes up the bulk of calories for most people. Adjust up/down based on training volume and personal preference.
Essential for hormones, vitamin absorption, and cell function. Should not drop below 20% of total calories. Dietary fat does not directly cause body fat accumulation — calories do.
This calculator applies a balanced default split: 30% protein, 40% carbs, 30% fat — suitable for most goals. For more precise macro targets, use the Macro Calculator.
How to Use This Calorie Calculator
- Select gender & units — metric (kg/cm) or imperial (lb/ft·in).
- Enter age, weight, and height — use current measurements, not goal weight.
- Choose a BMR formula — Mifflin–St Jeor for most people; Katch–McArdle if you know your body-fat %.
- Enter body-fat % (Katch–McArdle only) — for lean mass-based estimation.
- Select activity level — choose honestly; overestimating is the most common mistake.
- Choose your goal — maintain, lose, or gain weight.
- Set weekly rate (lose/gain only) — 0.25–1.0 kg/week is a healthy range.
- Click Calculate — your daily calorie target, macro split, and goal timeline appear.
Frequently Asked Questions
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