Calorie Calculator
Calculate your daily calorie needs for weight loss, maintenance, or gain.
Calorie Calculator
How it works
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation, which is widely considered one of the most accurate BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) formulas.
- BMR: The energy your body needs just to survive at rest.
- TDEE: Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure, calculated by multiplying BMR by your activity level.
TDEE & Daily Calorie Calculator
Whether you want to shed body fat sustainably or build lean muscle mass, your diet ultimately boils down to the laws of thermodynamics: Energy In vs. Energy Out. The Calculay Calorie Calculator accurately computes your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) and provides specific macronutrient macro targets to help you safely hit your physical goals.
What is TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)?
Your TDEE is the total number of calories you burn in a 24-hour period. It is essentially the "maintenance calories" you must consume to keep your weight exactly the same. TDEE is calculated by first determining your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and then multiplying it by an Activity Multiplier:
- Sedentary (office job, little/no exercise): BMR × 1.2
- Lightly Active (light exercise 1-3 days/week): BMR × 1.375
- Moderately Active (moderate exercise 3-5 days/week): BMR × 1.55
- Very Active (hard exercise 6-7 days/week): BMR × 1.725
How to Use Calories to Manipulate Weight
Once you have calculated your TDEE using our tool, the next step is to create an appropriate energy surplus or deficit. A standard rule of thumb in dietetics states that 1 pound (0.45 kg) of fat is roughly equivalent to 3,500 calories.
1. For Weight Loss (Cutting)
To lose weight in a safe, healthy manner, you should target a daily caloric deficit of 300 to 500 calories below your TDEE. This yields a steady fat loss of roughly 0.25 to 0.5 kg per week. Aggressive deficits (eating 1000+ calories below maintenance) are discouraged as they cause severe muscle loss and hormonal crash.
2. For Weight Gain (Bulking)
If you are lifting weights and trying to build muscle, you need a caloric surplus. Adding 250 to 500 calories above your TDEE will provide your body with the required building blocks to synthesize new muscle tissue without excessively gaining fat.
Disclaimer on Calorie Tracking
Algorithms provide an excellent starting baseline, but human metabolisms are adaptive. We recommend following the caloric intake suggested by this calculator diligently for two weeks. If your weight doesn't move in the desired direction, adjust your intake by 100-200 calories and test again.