Weight loss planning
Find your maintenance calories and subtract 300–500 to create a daily calorie deficit for sustainable weight loss without aggressive restriction.
Calorie Calculator – Daily Calorie Needs for Weight Loss, Maintenance & Gain
Find out how many calories you need per day based on your age, gender, height, weight, and activity level. See your BMR, TDEE, and the daily calorie target for weight loss, maintenance, or muscle gain.
Your Details
Calculates BMR and daily calorie needs (TDEE). Includes a simple macro split.
BMR
Calories/day1,643
TDEE
Maintenance calories/day2,546
Daily Macros (approx.)
BalancedProtein
191g
≈ 764 kcal
Fat
85g
≈ 764 kcal
Carbs
255g
≈ 1,018 kcal
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BMR
Estimated calories your body burns at rest.
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TDEE
Estimated maintenance calories based on activity.
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Macros
A simple split of protein, fat, and carbs.
Setting a Calorie Goal That Matches Your Target
Maintaining current weight
Eat at your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) to maintain your current weight while adjusting for activity level changes.
Muscle building
Add 200–300 calories above maintenance for a lean bulk — enough surplus to support muscle growth without excessive fat gain.
How to Use the Calorie Calculator
1
Enter your stats
Provide age, gender, height, and current weight.
2
Select activity level
Choose from sedentary, lightly active, moderately active, or very active.
3
Choose your goal
Select weight loss, maintenance, or weight gain.
4
View calorie target
See your BMR, TDEE, and recommended daily calories for your goal.
How Many Calories to Lose Weight Safely
Safe, sustainable weight loss requires a calorie deficit — eating fewer calories than you burn each day. A deficit of 500 calories per day produces approximately 0.45 kg (1 lb) of fat loss per week, which is the standard recommendation from most nutrition authorities. A deficit of 750 calories per day gives roughly 0.7 kg per week. Going beyond 1,000 calories per day deficit is generally not recommended without medical supervision as it increases muscle loss, fatigue, and nutrient deficiencies. For most adults, the practical minimum daily calorie intake is 1,200 kcal for women and 1,500 kcal for men — eating below these levels makes it difficult to get adequate protein, vitamins, and minerals. Find your TDEE from this calculator, subtract 500, and ensure the result stays above these minimums.
Activity Level Multipliers: How to Choose Yours
The TDEE calculation multiplies your BMR by an activity factor. Sedentary (desk job, no exercise) uses 1.2×. Lightly active (1–3 days/week light exercise or walking) uses 1.375×. Moderately active (3–5 days/week moderate exercise) uses 1.55×. Very active (6–7 days/week hard exercise or physical job) uses 1.725×. Extra active (twice-daily training or very physical work) uses 1.9×. Most people in desk jobs who exercise 3–4 times per week fall into the moderately active category. If you are just starting out or have a sedentary job and walk occasionally, start with lightly active. The activity multiplier is the main source of TDEE estimation error — if you are not losing weight at the calculated deficit, try reducing by 100–150 calories rather than changing the multiplier.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many calories do I need to lose 1 kg per week?
- 1 kg of body fat contains roughly 7,700 calories. To lose 1 kg per week, you need a daily deficit of about 1,100 calories. Most nutrition guidelines recommend a more sustainable deficit of 500–750 calories per day, which yields 0.45–0.7 kg of fat loss per week.
- What is BMR?
- BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the number of calories your body burns at complete rest — just to maintain basic functions like breathing, circulation, and cell repair. It is calculated from age, gender, height, and weight.
- What is TDEE?
- TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is your total calorie burn per day, including BMR plus activity. It is calculated by multiplying BMR by an activity factor. TDEE is your calorie maintenance level — eat below it to lose, above it to gain.
- What calorie formula does this use?
- The calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which is the most accurate formula for most adults: BMR = (10 × weight kg) + (6.25 × height cm) − (5 × age) + 5 (men) or − 161 (women).
- Should I eat back exercise calories?
- Activity level in TDEE calculation already accounts for regular exercise. If you use a sedentary or lightly active multiplier and then exercise on top, you can eat back a portion of exercise calories. Aim for 50–75% of estimated exercise burn to account for calculator imprecision.
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