Calorie Calculator (TDEE & Macros)
Calculate your daily calorie needs and macronutrient targets. Get personalized protein, carbs, and fat goals for weight loss, maintenance, or muscle gain based on your TDEE.
Aquesta calculadora encara no s'ha traduït al Català.
De moment mostrem la versió en Anglès mentre acabem la traducció.
yr
Sedentary
Little or no exercise, desk jobYour goal
Diet type
%
Providing your body fat percentage improves accuracy by using the Katch-McArdle formula.
Your daily calories
1,940 kcal/day
Maintain weight (0 lbs/week)
TDEE (maintenance): 1,940 kcal/day
BMR (at rest): 1,617 kcal/day
Formula: Mifflin-St Jeor (recommended)
Macronutrient breakdown
30%
40%
30%
Protein: 146g (30%)
Carbs: 194g (40%)
Fat: 65g (30%)
Protein intake: 2.1 g/kg body weight
Calorie targets by goal
| Goal | Weekly change | Daily calories |
|---|---|---|
| Lose weight | -1.1 lbs/week | 1,500 |
| Maintain weight | 0 lbs/week | 1,940 |
| Gain weight | +1.1 lbs/week | 2,440 |
Macros by goal (Balanced)
| Goal | Daily calories | Protein (g) | Carbs (g) | Fat (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lose weight | 1,500 | 113 | 150 | 50 |
| Maintain weight | 1,940 | 146 | 194 | 65 |
| Gain weight | 2,440 | 183 | 244 | 81 |
Calorie calculator. Daily calories, TDEE, and macros for your goal.
A calorie calculator estimates how many calories you need per day based on your age, height, weight, and activity level using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. It shows your TDEE for maintenance, a 500-calorie deficit for weight loss, and a 500-calorie surplus for muscle gain, with protein, carb, and fat grams for each goal.
What Is a Calorie Calculator and Why Do You Need One?
Two adults can look almost identical on paper and still need very different amounts of food. A lightly active woman of 65 kg (about 143 lb, 165 cm) burns roughly 1,884 calories a day, while a very active man of 75 kg (about 165 lb, 178 cm) burns around 2,981 — a gap of nearly 1,100 calories driven by sex, body size, and how much each one moves. "Maintenance calories" is not one universal figure you can borrow from a friend or a magazine; it is personal, and that is exactly the number this calculator pins down for you.
The biggest reason people get it wrong is the activity level. It feels honest to call yourself "very active" because you hit the gym, but if you sit the rest of the day, reality is usually "lightly active." Jumping one level higher than you should can inflate your target by 300 to 500 calories — enough to quietly erase a weight-loss deficit or stall a lean bulk. When you are unsure, picking the lower level is the safer bet.
Under the hood, the calculator starts with your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) — the energy you burn at complete rest — using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation: for men, 10 x weight in kg + 6.25 x height in cm - 5 x age + 5; for women, the same with - 161 instead of + 5. It then multiplies that BMR by an activity factor (1.2 sedentary, 1.375 lightly active, 1.55 moderately active, 1.725 very active, 1.9 extra active) to get your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), the maintenance number. Finally it adjusts by 500 calories for a weight-loss or muscle-gain goal, and splits the result into protein, carb, and fat grams. If you enter a body fat percentage, it switches to the Katch-McArdle equation, which uses lean body mass and is more accurate for muscular or very lean people.
How to Use the Calorie Calculator (and the Math Behind It)
Using the calculator takes under a minute: enter your details, read four results.
1. Enter your sex, age, height, and weight. These four inputs feed the Mifflin-St Jeor equation that estimates your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR).
2. Choose your activity level — sedentary, lightly active, moderately active, very active, or extra active. This multiplier turns BMR into your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), the calories you burn on a normal day.
3. Pick your goal — lose weight, maintain, or gain muscle. The calculator subtracts 500 calories for loss, keeps your TDEE for maintenance, or adds 500 for gain.
4. Select a macro preset — Balanced, Low Carb, High Protein, or Keto — and the tool splits your goal calories into protein, carb, and fat grams.
The results panel then shows four numbers: your BMR, your maintenance TDEE, your goal calories, and your macros in grams. If you know your body fat percentage, enter it to switch to the Katch-McArdle formula, which uses lean body mass instead of total weight for a more accurate estimate in athletic or very lean bodies.
If you prefer to check the math by hand, here is the exact process the tool follows:
1. BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor). Men: (10 x weight in kg) + (6.25 x height in cm) - (5 x age) + 5. Women: the same, but - 161 instead of + 5.
2. TDEE. Multiply BMR by your activity factor: 1.2 (sedentary), 1.375 (lightly active), 1.55 (moderately active), 1.725 (very active), or 1.9 (extra active).
3. Goal calories. Subtract 500 to lose about 0.5 kg (1 lb) per week, keep TDEE to maintain, or add 500 to gain about 0.5 kg per week.
4. Macros. Multiply goal calories by each macro percentage, then divide protein and carbs by 4 and fat by 9 (calories per gram). The Balanced preset, for example, is 30% protein, 40% carbs, and 30% fat.
One safety rule is built in: if a weight-loss target would fall below 1,200 calories for women or 1,500 for men, the calculator raises it to that floor so you never diet below a safe minimum.
Calorie Calculator Formulas: Mifflin-St Jeor and Katch-McArdle
- = Total Daily Energy Expenditure — your daily calorie need including exercise
- = Basal Metabolic Rate — calories burned at complete rest
- = Body weight in kilograms
- = Height in centimeters
- = Age in years
- = Lean Body Mass in kilograms (weight minus fat mass)
Mifflin-St Jeor equation (the default, used when body fat % is not provided):
Katch-McArdle equation (used when body fat % is provided):
where lean body mass is:
Either BMR is then multiplied by an activity factor — 1.2 sedentary, 1.375 lightly active, 1.55 moderately active, 1.725 very active, or 1.9 extra active — to reach your TDEE. The settings reference table explains what each level means day to day.
Macronutrient grams are calculated from your goal calories:
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation was published in 1990 and, in a 2005 systematic review by Frankenfield and colleagues, predicted resting metabolic rate within 10% of measured values in more individuals than the Harris-Benedict, Owen, or WHO/FAO equations. The Katch-McArdle formula is preferred when body fat data is available because lean body mass is the strongest single predictor of metabolic rate — two people at the same weight but different body compositions will have very different calorie needs.
Activity Multipliers and Goal Adjustments at a Glance
| Setting | Value | What it does to your daily calories |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | BMR x 1.2 | Desk job, little to no exercise — baseline TDEE |
| Lightly active | BMR x 1.375 | Light exercise or sport 1-3 days per week |
| Moderately active | BMR x 1.55 | Moderate exercise 3-5 days per week |
| Very active | BMR x 1.725 | Hard exercise or sport 6-7 days per week |
| Extra active | BMR x 1.9 | Athlete, twice-daily training, or heavy physical job |
| Lose weight | TDEE - 500 | About 0.5 kg (1 lb) of fat loss per week |
| Maintain | TDEE +/- 0 | Hold your current weight at your TDEE |
| Gain muscle | TDEE + 500 | About 0.5 kg (1 lb) of gain per week with training |
Calorie Calculation Examples for Real Scenarios
Example 1: 30-Year-Old Man — Maintenance vs. Cutting
David is 30 years old, 180 cm (about 5 ft 11 in), weighs 80 kg (about 176 lb), and trains 3-5 days per week (moderately active).
Step 1 - BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor, male): (10 x 80) + (6.25 x 180) - (5 x 30) + 5 = 800 + 1,125 - 150 + 5 = 1,780 kcal.
Step 2 - TDEE: 1,780 x 1.55 = 2,759 kcal/day to maintain his weight.
Step 3 - Macros at maintenance (Balanced preset 30/40/30): Protein = 2,759 x 0.30 / 4 = 207 g. Carbs = 2,759 x 0.40 / 4 = 276 g. Fat = 2,759 x 0.30 / 9 = 92 g.
Step 4 - Cutting: switch the goal to lose weight and the target drops to 2,759 - 500 = 2,259 kcal/day (about 0.5 kg of loss per week). On the High Protein preset (40/35/25), that becomes 226 g protein, 198 g carbs, and 63 g fat. At 2.8 g of protein per kg, David has more than enough to protect muscle while he leans out.
Example 2: 30-Year-Old Woman Losing Weight
Sarah is 30 years old, 165 cm (about 5 ft 5 in), weighs 65 kg (about 143 lb), and does light exercise 1-3 days per week (lightly active).
Step 1 - BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor, female): (10 x 65) + (6.25 x 165) - (5 x 30) - 161 = 650 + 1,031.25 - 150 - 161 = 1,370 kcal (rounded).
Step 2 - TDEE: 1,370 x 1.375 = 1,884 kcal/day to maintain.
Step 3 - Weight-loss target: 1,884 - 500 = 1,384 kcal/day (about 0.5 kg of fat loss per week).
Step 4 - Macros (Balanced preset 30/40/30): Protein = 1,384 x 0.30 / 4 = 104 g. Carbs = 1,384 x 0.40 / 4 = 138 g. Fat = 1,384 x 0.30 / 9 = 46 g.
Sarah's 1,384 kcal sits comfortably above the 1,200 kcal safety floor for women, so this deficit is sustainable. At 104 g of protein (1.6 g/kg), she has enough to preserve muscle during the cut.
Example 3: 28-Year-Old Man Building Muscle
Marco is 28 years old, 178 cm (about 5 ft 10 in), weighs 75 kg (about 165 lb), and trains hard 6-7 days per week (very active).
Step 1 - BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor, male): (10 x 75) + (6.25 x 178) - (5 x 28) + 5 = 750 + 1,112.5 - 140 + 5 = 1,728 kcal (rounded).
Step 2 - TDEE: 1,728 x 1.725 = 2,981 kcal/day to maintain.
Step 3 - Muscle-gain target: 2,981 + 500 = 3,481 kcal/day (about 0.5 kg of gain per week).
Step 4 - Macros (Balanced preset 30/40/30): Protein = 3,481 x 0.30 / 4 = 261 g. Carbs = 3,481 x 0.40 / 4 = 348 g. Fat = 3,481 x 0.30 / 9 = 116 g.
At 261 g, Marco's protein works out to about 3.5 g/kg — well above the evidence-based 1.6-2.2 g/kg most research supports. He could shift some of those protein calories into carbs to fuel his training without losing any muscle-building benefit.
Example 4: Four Profiles Side by Side
The same equation produces very different plates depending on sex, size, activity, and goal. All four rows below come straight from this calculator.
| Profile | BMR | TDEE | Goal calories | Protein / Carb / Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Man 80 kg, moderate, maintain (balanced) | 1,780 | 2,759 | 2,759 | 207 / 276 / 92 g |
| Man 80 kg, moderate, lose (high protein) | 1,780 | 2,759 | 2,259 | 226 / 198 / 63 g |
| Woman 65 kg, light, lose (balanced) | 1,370 | 1,884 | 1,384 | 104 / 138 / 46 g |
| Man 75 kg, very active, gain (balanced) | 1,728 | 2,981 | 3,481 | 261 / 348 / 116 g |
Notice that the same 80 kg man needs 2,759 kcal to hold his weight but only 2,259 to lose it — the 500-calorie gap is the entire difference between maintaining and cutting. Activity swings the numbers just as hard: the very active 75 kg man out-eats the lightly active 65 kg woman by nearly 1,100 calories a day even before either one changes a goal.
Common Mistakes That Throw Off Your Calorie Target
- Eating below your BMR or the safety floor. Your goal calories should sit below your TDEE, not below your BMR. Dropping under roughly 1,200 kcal (women) or 1,500 kcal (men) makes it nearly impossible to get enough protein, vitamins, and minerals, and it speeds up muscle loss. The calculator clamps weight-loss targets to that floor for exactly this reason.
- Overstating your activity level. Hitting the gym three times a week while sitting the rest of the day is "lightly active" (1.375), not "moderately active" (1.55). Jumping one level too high inflates your TDEE by 200-400 calories and can quietly erase your entire deficit. When you are unsure, pick the lower level.
- Confusing TDEE with BMR. BMR is what you burn at complete rest; TDEE is BMR multiplied by an activity factor and is always higher. Set your calorie goal from TDEE, and never try to lose weight faster by eating at your bare BMR.
- Expecting perfectly linear weight change. A 500-calorie deficit predicts about 0.5 kg (1 lb) per week on paper, but water, glycogen, sodium, and hormonal shifts make the scale bounce from day to day. Judge progress on a 2-3 week trend, not a single morning weigh-in.
- Assuming a bigger deficit is always better. Doubling the deficit does not double fat loss — it mostly adds muscle loss, fatigue, and hunger. The 500-calorie adjustment is deliberately moderate because it maps to a sustainable 0.5 kg per week, not a crash diet.
- Never recalculating. As your weight changes, so does your BMR. Re-run the numbers every 4-5 kg (about 10 lb) of change, or whenever progress stalls, so your target keeps matching your current body.
What This Calculator Can and Cannot Tell You
Every number here is a population-average estimate, not a personal measurement. The Mifflin-St Jeor equation lands within 10% of lab-measured metabolic rate for roughly 70-82% of people, which means your true maintenance could realistically sit 150-200 calories above or below the figure shown. Individual metabolism varies by about 10-15% for reasons the equation cannot see: thyroid and other hormone levels, the muscle-to-fat ratio behind a given weight, sleep quality, medications, prior dieting history, and even gut bacteria all shift the real number.
The activity multipliers are broad buckets, not precise meters. Two people who both call themselves "moderately active" can burn very different amounts depending on their actual step count, training intensity, and how restless they are during the day (non-exercise activity thermogenesis, or NEAT). The result is best treated as a starting point you refine with real-world feedback — eat at the target for two to three weeks, track your weight trend, and adjust by 100-200 calories rather than trusting the first estimate as gospel.
This tool does not give medical or clinical nutrition advice. It is not designed for children or teenagers who are still growing, for pregnant or breastfeeding women (whose needs rise substantially), or for anyone managing diabetes, kidney disease, an eating disorder, or another condition that changes energy and nutrient requirements. If any of these apply to you, or before starting an aggressive diet, consult a doctor or a registered dietitian who can account for your full medical picture.
Tips for Using Your Calorie and Macro Results
- Treat your TDEE as a starting point, not a final answer. The Mifflin-St Jeor equation predicts BMR within 10% of measured values for about 70-82% of people. That means your true maintenance could be 150-200 calories higher or lower than the number shown. Eat at your calculated target for 2-3 weeks, weigh yourself daily at the same time, and average the weekly weigh-ins. If your weight stays flat, you found your true maintenance. If you are losing or gaining, adjust by 100-200 calories.
- Never go below the safety minimums: 1,200 calories per day for women and 1,500 for men. Below these thresholds, it becomes nearly impossible to get adequate vitamins, minerals, and protein. Prolonged very-low-calorie diets also slow your metabolism and cause muscle loss — the exact opposite of what most people want. If the calculator shows a weight-loss target below these floors, the tool automatically raises it to the minimum.
- Choose your activity level honestly. Most people with desk jobs who exercise 3 times per week are "lightly active" (1.375), not "moderately active" (1.55). Overestimating activity by one level inflates your TDEE by 200-300 calories and can erase your entire calorie deficit. A good rule: if your total daily step count is under 7,500, you are sedentary regardless of gym sessions.
- Protein is the most important macro to hit. Research supports 1.6-2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight (0.7-1.0 g per pound) for anyone strength-training during fat loss or muscle gain. Protein preserves muscle in a deficit, promotes satiety so you feel less hungry, and has the highest thermic effect of any macro (your body burns 20-30% of protein calories just digesting it). If your macro preset gives you less than 1.6 g/kg, increase the protein percentage.
- What your calorie result means in practical terms: under 1,800 kcal/day for maintenance suggests you are either a small-framed person, sedentary, or older — this is normal. Between 2,000-2,500 is the most common range for moderately active adults. Above 3,000 is typical only for very active individuals, athletes, or tall/heavy people. If your result seems surprisingly high or low, double-check your height, weight, and activity level inputs.
- If you are losing weight and hit a plateau after 4-6 weeks, do not cut more calories immediately. First, check if your activity level has dropped (you move less when eating less — this is called adaptive thermogenesis). Increase step count to 8,000-10,000 per day, ensure you are sleeping 7+ hours, and reassess after two more weeks before reducing intake further.
- Use the macro presets as a framework, not as doctrine. The Balanced preset (30/40/30) works for most people. Low Carb (40/20/40) suits people who feel more satisfied on higher-fat diets. High Protein (40/35/25) is designed for serious lifters in a cutting phase. Keto (20/5/75) requires strict carb restriction under 50 g/day and should only be attempted if you have researched the adaptation period and potential side effects.
Calorie Calculator — Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories should I eat a day to lose weight?
To lose weight, eat 500 calories below your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). This creates a deficit that produces roughly 1 lb (0.45 kg) of fat loss per week. For most adults, this translates to 1,500-2,200 calories per day depending on size and activity level. Never go below 1,200 calories (women) or 1,500 calories (men) without medical supervision — below these floors you risk nutrient deficiencies, muscle loss, and metabolic slowdown.
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the number of calories your body burns at complete rest — just to keep your organs functioning, your heart beating, and your lungs breathing. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is your BMR multiplied by an activity factor that accounts for all movement throughout the day, including exercise. TDEE is always higher than BMR. For a sedentary person, TDEE is about 20% above BMR; for a very active person, it can be 70% or more above BMR.
Is the Mifflin-St Jeor equation more accurate than Harris-Benedict?
Yes. A 2005 systematic review by Frankenfield et al. in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association compared four predictive equations and found that Mifflin-St Jeor predicted resting metabolic rate within 10% of measured values in more individuals than Harris-Benedict, Owen, or WHO/FAO formulas. The difference is about 5% on average. Mifflin-St Jeor was published in 1990 using modern population data, while Harris-Benedict dates from 1919.
When should I use the Katch-McArdle formula instead?
Use Katch-McArdle when you know your body fat percentage. The formula uses lean body mass (BMR = 370 + 21.6 x LBM in kg) instead of total weight, making it more accurate for muscular people, athletes, or anyone with an above-average or below-average body fat level. For example, two men both weighing 90 kg at 178 cm — one at 12% body fat and the other at 30% — have very different lean mass and therefore very different calorie needs. Mifflin-St Jeor gives them the same BMR; Katch-McArdle does not.
What are macros and how do I split them?
Macros (macronutrients) are the three calorie-containing nutrients: protein (4 kcal/g), carbohydrates (4 kcal/g), and fat (9 kcal/g). A common split for general fitness is 30% protein, 40% carbs, 30% fat. For weight loss with strength training, 40% protein, 35% carbs, 25% fat prioritizes muscle preservation. For keto, 20% protein, 5% carbs, 75% fat induces ketosis. The best split depends on your goal, food preferences, and training style — protein should always be at least 1.6 g per kilogram of body weight.
Is this calorie calculator accurate, and is it free?
The calculator is free to use, and the Mifflin-St Jeor equation it uses predicts BMR within 10% of laboratory-measured values for 70-82% of people. This means your true calorie need could be 150-200 calories above or below the calculated result. Factors like genetics, hormonal status, medications, and the thermic effect of food introduce individual variation. Treat the result as a well-validated starting point — track your weight for 2-3 weeks and adjust by 100-200 calories if your weight trend does not match your goal.
How do I know which activity level to choose?
Sedentary: desk job, under 5,000 steps/day, no structured exercise. Lightly active: desk job plus light exercise 1-3 days/week or 5,000-7,500 steps/day. Moderately active: exercise 3-5 days/week and 7,500-10,000 steps/day. Very active: hard training 6-7 days/week or a physically demanding job. Extra active: professional athlete or manual labor plus daily training. When in doubt, choose one level lower — overestimating activity is the most common reason calorie calculators give results that are too high.
What is a safe calorie deficit per day?
A deficit of 500 calories per day is the standard recommendation, producing about 1 lb (0.45 kg) of weight loss per week. A more aggressive 750-1,000 calorie deficit speeds up fat loss but increases the risk of muscle loss, fatigue, and nutrient deficiency. Never drop total intake below 1,200 kcal (women) or 1,500 kcal (men). For people who are already lean (under 15% body fat for men, under 25% for women), a smaller deficit of 250-350 calories protects against metabolic adaptation and muscle loss.
Why did the calculator not drop my target below a certain number?
The tool enforces a safety floor: 1,200 calories per day for women and 1,500 for men. If your TDEE minus 500 would land under that floor — common for small, older, or sedentary people — the calculator raises your goal calories back up to the minimum instead of showing an unsafe number. Eating below these floors for long periods risks nutrient deficiencies, muscle loss, and hormonal disruption, so if you want a deeper deficit than the floor allows, do it under the guidance of a doctor or registered dietitian.
Key Terms
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)
The total number of calories your body burns in 24 hours, including basal metabolism, digestion, and all physical activity. TDEE equals BMR multiplied by an activity factor.
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)
The number of calories your body requires at complete rest to maintain vital functions like breathing, circulation, and cell repair. BMR typically accounts for 60-75% of total daily calorie expenditure.
Calorie Deficit
Consuming fewer calories than your TDEE. A 500-calorie daily deficit produces roughly 1 lb (0.45 kg) of fat loss per week, based on the principle that 1 lb of body fat stores approximately 3,500 calories.
Calorie Surplus
Consuming more calories than your TDEE. A moderate surplus of 200-500 calories supports muscle growth when combined with resistance training.
Macronutrients (Macros)
The three nutrients that provide calories: protein (4 kcal/g), carbohydrates (4 kcal/g), and fat (9 kcal/g). Macro ratios determine the composition of your diet at any given calorie level.
Lean Body Mass (LBM)
Total body weight minus fat mass. Includes muscle, bone, organs, and water. Used in the Katch-McArdle formula because metabolically active tissue drives calorie expenditure more than fat tissue.
Activity Multiplier
The factor (1.2 to 1.9) applied to BMR to reach TDEE. It represents how much daily movement and exercise add to your resting calorie burn, from sedentary (1.2) to extra active (1.9).
Mifflin-St Jeor Equation
A BMR prediction formula published in 1990 that uses weight, height, age, and sex. Validated as the most accurate general-population equation by a 2005 systematic review in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
Katch-McArdle Equation
A BMR prediction formula that uses lean body mass instead of total weight: BMR = 370 + 21.6 x LBM (kg). More accurate than Mifflin-St Jeor for muscular or very lean individuals who know their body fat percentage.
Fonts i referències
- Mifflin et al. (1990) — A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 51(2):241-247
- Frankenfield, Roth-Yousey & Compher (2005) — Comparison of predictive equations for resting metabolic rate in healthy nonobese and obese adults: a systematic review. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 105(5):775-789
- USDA & HHS — Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 (Appendix 2: Estimated Calorie Needs per Day by Age, Sex, and Activity Level)
- NHS — Understanding Calories: daily calorie needs and energy balance guidance