Calorie Calculator
Find out how many calories you should eat to lose weight, maintain, or build muscle
How to Use Calorie Calculator
- Enter your gender, age, height, and weight โ results appear instantly
- Pick your activity level and goal (lose, maintain, or gain)
- See your daily calorie target, macros, and goal weight timeline
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories should I eat per day?
It depends on your age, gender, height, weight, and activity level. This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to find your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), then multiplies it by your activity factor to get your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) โ the calories you burn each day.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
Select the "Lose Weight" goal to see a target 500 calories below your TDEE. This creates a safe deficit of roughly 0.45 kg (1 lb) per week. Never go below 1,200 calories/day without medical supervision.
What is BMR vs TDEE?
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories your body burns at complete rest โ just to breathe, pump blood, and maintain cells. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) adds your activity on top of BMR, giving the total calories you actually burn in a day.
How much protein, carbs, and fat should I eat?
The macronutrient breakdown adjusts to your goal. For weight loss: 35% protein, 35% carbs, 30% fat. For maintenance: 30/40/30. For muscle gain: 30% protein, 45% carbs, 25% fat. The calculator shows exact grams for each.
How long will it take to reach my goal weight?
When you select Lose Weight or Gain Muscle, a timeline section appears. Enter your goal weight and the calculator estimates how many weeks it will take based on a 500-calorie daily deficit or surplus.
Which activity level should I choose?
Be honest โ most people overestimate. Sedentary means a desk job with no exercise. Light means 1-3 walks or light gym sessions per week. Moderate means 3-5 days of jogging or sports. Active means hard training 6-7 days. Very active is for athletes or physical labor jobs.