Calorie Calculator

Your daily calorie needs are unique to you. This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation — the formula recommended by most registered dietitians — to estimate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which is the calories your body burns just to keep you alive. BMR is then multiplied by your activity factor to get your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), or maintenance calories.

For weight loss, a deficit of 500 calories per day produces roughly 1 pound of fat loss per week (since 1 lb of fat = ~3,500 calories). A 1,000-calorie deficit produces about 2 lbs/week. Sustainable weight loss rarely exceeds 2 lbs per week before muscle loss becomes significant. For weight gain (muscle building), a surplus of 250–500 calories per day minimizes fat gain while supporting lean tissue growth.

Calorie calculators are starting points, not definitive answers. Your actual metabolism may run 10–20% faster or slower depending on genetics, gut bacteria, previous dieting history, and other factors. The gold standard is to track your intake against your weight for 2–3 weeks and adjust until the scale moves as expected.