Daily Calorie Calculator
Enter your details — your daily calorie needs update as you type. This is a general estimate, not a medical measurement, and it isn't medical advice.
How this calculator works
We first estimate your BMR (calories burned at complete rest) with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation — the same formula our bmr-calculator uses, so the two tools never disagree. Men: BMR = 10×weight(kg) + 6.25×height(cm) − 5×age + 5. Women: BMR = 10×weight(kg) + 6.25×height(cm) − 5×age − 161. We then multiply BMR by an activity factor (1.2 to 1.9) to get TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) — your estimated maintenance calories for a real day, not a day of lying still. The table below applies a common ±250/±500 kcal adjustment for mild and standard deficits or surpluses, with a rough weekly weight-change estimate using the widely cited (and imprecise) ~3,500 kcal ≈ 1 lb rule.
Worked example
A 30-year-old male weighing 80 kg at 180 cm with a Moderate activity level (×1.55): BMR = 1,780 kcal/day, so TDEE = 1,780 × 1.55 = 2,759 calories per day. For weight loss, a 500-kcal deficit lands at 2,259 kcal/day, an estimated ≈1 lb/week of loss; a 250-kcal mild deficit lands at 2,509 kcal/day, roughly ≈0.5 lb/week. The same math mirrors for a surplus if the goal is gaining weight.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from BMR?
BMR is the calories your body burns at complete rest — before you've moved at all. This calculator starts from that same BMR (using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation) and multiplies it by an activity factor to estimate TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure): the calories you burn in a real day, including exercise, walking, and daily movement. If you only want the at-rest number, use the bmr-calculator; use this one for a number you can actually eat to.
Is the 3,500 kcal per pound rule accurate?
Not precisely, and we want to be upfront about that. The 3,500-kcal-per-pound estimate comes from a rough historical approximation of how much energy is stored in a pound of body fat — it's a useful rule of thumb, not a law of physics for your body. Real weight change is messier: metabolic adaptation means your TDEE actually shifts as you gain or lose weight, water retention swings daily numbers around, and the true energy density of what you lose or gain varies by individual. Treat the weekly estimates below as a rough direction, not a guarantee.
Which activity level should I pick?
Be honest rather than aspirational: Sedentary means little or no structured exercise and a desk-bound day; Light fits exercising 1–3 days a week; Moderate fits 3–5 days a week; Active fits hard exercise 6–7 days a week; Very Active is for a physically demanding job on top of hard training. Most people who think they're 'Active' are actually 'Light' or 'Moderate' — overestimating activity is the single most common reason a calorie target doesn't match real-world results.
Should I eat exactly this number every day?
No — treat it as a starting estimate, not a precise prescription. This calculator gives you a reasonable place to begin; your actual results over 2–3 weeks (does your weight trend up, down, or flat?) are more reliable than any formula, because they account for your real metabolism instead of a population average. Adjust the target up or down based on what actually happens, not on getting the math more precise.
Is this medical advice?
No. This tool produces a general estimate from published formulas — it is not a medical or clinical assessment, and it isn't medical advice, diagnosis, or a nutrition prescription. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant, or have specific health goals, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before changing your diet based on this number.