Calorie Calculator
Find your daily calorie needs (TDEE) to maintain, lose or gain weight, based on age, sex, size and activity level.
How many calories do you need?
Your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is the number of calories you burn in a day. Eat about that many and your weight stays stable; eat less and you lose weight; eat more and you gain. The calculator estimates TDEE in two steps: it calculates your basal metabolic rate with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, then multiplies it by an activity factor.
| Activity level | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Sedentary: desk job, little exercise | 1.2 |
| Lightly active: exercise 1–3 days a week | 1.375 |
| Moderately active: exercise 3–5 days a week | 1.55 |
| Very active: hard exercise 6–7 days a week | 1.725 |
| Extra active: physical job plus training | 1.9 |
Calories for weight loss
A pound of body fat stores roughly 3,500 calories, so a daily deficit of 500 calories leads to about 1 lb (0.45 kg) of loss per week. Most guidelines recommend losing 0.5–2 lb a week. Faster loss tends to include more muscle and is harder to sustain. Real-world loss usually slows over time because a smaller body burns fewer calories, so recalculate every 5–10 lb.
A 30-year-old woman, 165 cm and 70 kg, who exercises lightly has a BMR of about 1,420 kcal and a TDEE of about 1,950 kcal. Eating around 1,450 kcal a day would be expected to produce roughly 1 lb of loss a week.
Making the numbers work
- Treat the result as a starting estimate. Track your weight for two to three weeks and adjust by 100–200 calories if it is not moving as expected.
- Prioritize protein (see the macro calculator) to protect muscle while losing fat.
- Most people overestimate activity. If unsure, choose the lower level.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
A common approach is to eat about 500 calories less than your TDEE, which leads to roughly 1 lb (0.45 kg) of weight loss per week.
What is the minimum number of calories I should eat?
General guidance is not to go below about 1,200 kcal a day for women or 1,500 kcal for men without medical supervision.
Why am I not losing weight on my calorie target?
Calorie estimates can be off by 10% or more, and food tracking is often imprecise. Weigh yourself over several weeks and lower your intake gradually if needed.
Last reviewed Oct 20, 2026. Results are estimates; check important decisions with a qualified professional.