Calorie Calculator
Calculate daily calorie needs based on your goals
Result
How to Use
- Enter your gender, age, weight, and height.
- Select your typical activity level from the dropdown.
- Choose your weight goal (lose, maintain, or gain weight).
- Click 'Calculate Calories' to see your recommended daily intake.
- Follow the daily calorie target to progress toward your goal.
About Calorie Needs
How Calories Work
A calorie is a unit of energy. Your body needs a certain number of calories to maintain its current weight (TDEE). Eating fewer calories than you burn creates a deficit that leads to weight loss. Eating more creates a surplus that promotes weight gain. 3,500 calories roughly equals 0.45 kg (1 lb) of body fat.
Safe Deficit and Surplus
A safe calorie deficit for weight loss is 250–500 kcal/day below TDEE, resulting in 0.25–0.5 kg/week loss. For fast loss, a 1000 kcal deficit may be used but this requires medical supervision. For muscle gain, a modest 250–500 kcal surplus minimizes fat gain while supporting muscle growth.
Minimum Calorie Thresholds
Health professionals generally recommend a minimum of 1200 kcal/day for women and 1500 kcal/day for men, even when cutting calories. Going below these thresholds can lead to nutrient deficiencies, muscle loss, slowed metabolism, and other health problems. Always consult a doctor before extreme calorie restriction.
Adjusting Over Time
As your weight changes, your TDEE changes too. Recalculate your calorie needs every 4–6 weeks or after losing/gaining 5+ kg. Your body also adapts to calorie restriction over time (metabolic adaptation), so occasional 'refeed' days at maintenance calories can help maintain metabolic rate during a diet.
Key Features
- Calculates calories for 5 different weight goals
- Based on the accurate Mifflin-St Jeor formula
- Accounts for 5 activity levels
- Shows estimated weekly weight change for each goal