Calorie
Calculate daily calorie needs for weight goals
These calculators provide general information only and are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider.
How to use Calorie
- 1Enter sex, age, height and weight to establish your basal metabolic rate.
- 2Pick your everyday activity level so the tool can estimate your total daily energy expenditure.
- 3Choose a goal, fat loss, maintenance or muscle gain, and read the suggested intake and macronutrient split.
How daily calorie needs are worked out
Total daily energy expenditure = BMR × activity factor (1.2 – 1.725)Total expenditure has four components. Basal metabolism accounts for 60% to 75%. The thermic effect of food is about 10%, since digesting and absorbing nutrients costs energy. Non-exercise activity thermogenesis, walking, housework and fidgeting, adds roughly 15%. Exercise contributes anywhere from 0% to 30% and is the most variable. The calculator derives basal metabolism with Mifflin-St Jeor and multiplies it by the activity factor you choose.
Fat loss comes down to a sustained deficit against that total. A reduction of 300 to 500 kcal a day corresponds to roughly 0.3 to 0.5 kg per week, a pace you can maintain while keeping muscle. Too large a deficit triggers metabolic adaptation, muscle loss and hunger that is hard to live with, which is why crash diets rebound. For muscle gain, a surplus of 200 to 400 kcal is enough; anything beyond that is stored as fat rather than built into tissue.
| Goal | Daily intake | Expected pace | Protein target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faster fat loss | 1,700 kcal | ≈ −0.5 kg per week | 1.6 – 2.2 g per kg |
| Gentle fat loss | 1,900 kcal | ≈ −0.3 kg per week | 1.6 – 2.2 g per kg |
| Maintenance | 2,200 kcal | Roughly stable | 1.2 – 1.6 g per kg |
| Muscle gain | 2,500 kcal | ≈ +0.2 kg per week | 1.6 – 2.2 g per kg |
Calorie targets by goal (for a TDEE of 2,200 kcal)
Frequently asked questions
Why am I not losing weight despite following the plan?
Three causes are common. Underestimating intake, because cooking oil, drinks and snacks easily add 300 to 500 kcal. Overestimating activity, because a desk worker selecting moderately active inflates expenditure. And early fat loss being masked by water retention. Log your food honestly for one or two weeks and adjust from there; that beats switching calculators.
How much protein during fat loss?
Aim for 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of bodyweight, roughly 25% to 35% of calories. Higher protein protects muscle in a deficit, increases satiety and has a larger thermic effect, since digesting protein burns about 20% to 30% of its calories. Take the upper end if you train with weights, the lower end if you are sedentary. Anyone with kidney disease should check with a doctor first.
Can I trust the calories burned from exercise?
Only loosely. Treadmills, bands and apps are typically off by 20% to 40%, usually high, and the body partly compensates by moving less for the rest of the day. Treat exercise figures as a guide and judge progress by the two-week trend in bodyweight and measurements.
Does metabolism slow down as I lose weight?
Yes. Every kilogram lost shaves roughly 20 to 30 kcal off basal metabolism, and rapid large losses add a further adaptive drop of 10% to 20%. Recalculate your needs after every 5 to 10 kilograms, keep lifting, keep protein high, and consider short maintenance phases along the way.