Calorie Calculator
Calculate your daily calorie needs for weight loss, maintenance, or gain using the gold-standard Mifflin-St Jeor formula.
Daily Calorie Calculator
How to Calculate Daily Calorie Needs
This free calorie calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the most accurate formula for estimating resting metabolic rate in the majority of the population. Your result is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) — the total calories your body needs each day including activity.
BMR vs TDEE — What's the Difference?
Your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the number of calories your body burns at complete rest — just to keep you alive: breathing, circulation, cell repair. Your TDEE multiplies your BMR by an activity factor to account for all movement in your day. TDEE is your true maintenance calorie intake.
Calorie Targets for Different Goals
For weight loss, a deficit of 500 calories/day below TDEE produces approximately 1 lb (0.45 kg) of fat loss per week. For muscle gain, a modest surplus of 300–500 calories above TDEE with adequate protein supports lean muscle growth. For maintenance, eat at your TDEE.
Why Calorie Calculators Are Estimates
No formula perfectly captures individual metabolism — genetics, gut microbiome, hormone levels, sleep quality, and stress all affect how many calories you burn. Treat your result as a starting point, track actual weight changes over 2–3 weeks, and adjust intake by 100–200 calories based on real-world results.