Find your daily calorie needs for weight loss, maintenance, or muscle gain.
This calculator estimates your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recognizes as the most accurate predictive equation for estimating calorie needs in healthy individuals. It calculates your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), the calories your body burns at complete rest, then multiplies by an activity factor to account for your daily movement and exercise.
Enter your sex, age, height, weight, and activity level. The calculator shows your estimated daily calorie needs for maintaining your current weight, losing weight (a 500 calorie daily deficit, which produces roughly 1 pound of weight loss per week), and gaining weight (a 500 calorie daily surplus). You can switch between imperial and metric units.
Track alcohol calories alongside your daily intake with the Alcohol Calorie Calculator.
Sedentary (1.2x) means little or no exercise and a desk job. Lightly active (1.375x) means light exercise 1-3 days per week. Moderately active (1.55x) means moderate exercise 3-5 days per week. Very active (1.725x) means hard exercise 6-7 days per week. Extra active (1.9x) means very hard exercise plus a physical job. Most people overestimate their activity level. If you are unsure, start with one level lower than you think and adjust based on results after 2-3 weeks.
A calorie deficit of 500 calories per day produces approximately 1 pound of weight loss per week (3,500 calories = roughly 1 pound of body fat). A deficit of 1,000 calories per day produces roughly 2 pounds per week, which is generally considered the maximum safe rate of weight loss for most adults. Deficits larger than this can lead to muscle loss, nutrient deficiencies, and metabolic adaptation (your body slowing its metabolism to conserve energy). The most sustainable approach is a moderate 500 calorie deficit combined with adequate protein intake and regular exercise.
Building muscle requires a calorie surplus, typically 250-500 calories above your TDEE. A surplus larger than this tends to add more fat than muscle. Pair the surplus with resistance training at least 3-4 times per week and protein intake of 0.7-1.0 grams per pound of body weight. Track your weight weekly: if you are gaining more than 1 pound per week, reduce the surplus slightly. Use the Macro Calculator to set your protein, carb, and fat targets, and the Protein Calculator for a personalized protein target.
No calculator can tell you your exact calorie needs. The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is based on averages from large populations, and individual variation can be significant. Factors that affect your actual needs include genetics, body composition (muscle burns more calories than fat at rest), hormonal factors (thyroid function, menstrual cycle), medication, sleep quality, and non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT), the calories you burn through fidgeting, walking, and daily movement. Treat the calculator output as a starting point, then adjust based on actual results over 2-4 weeks.