Calorie Calculator | Daily Needs for Weight Loss

Quick Start Guide

  1. Enter Personal Details: Input your age, gender, height, and current weight.
  2. Select Activity Level: Choose your typical daily activity level from sedentary to very active.
  3. Set Your Goal: Select maintenance, weight loss, or weight gain to see adjusted calorie targets.
  4. Optionally Set a Target Weight: Enter a target weight to see a projected timeline and target date.
  5. View TDEE Results: See your Total Daily Energy Expenditure and BMR.
  6. View Macro Breakdown: See your recommended protein, carbohydrate, and fat intake in grams per day.
  7. Explore Calorie Cycling: Use the calorie cycling feature to plan zig-zag calorie schedules.

Understanding Calorie Needs

BMR vs. TDEE

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the energy your body uses at complete rest just to keep organs running. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) multiplies BMR by an activity factor to estimate your true daily calorie burn — this calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, widely regarded as the most accurate BMR formula for the general population.

Why 500 calories for loss or gain

A 500 kcal/day deficit or surplus totals about 3,500 kcal/week. Using roughly 7,700 kcal per kilogram of body fat, that works out to about 0.45 kg (1 lb) of change per week — a widely used, moderate pace that is easier to sustain than a more aggressive deficit.

From calories to macros

Once your goal calorie target is set, it is split into protein, carbs, and fat using ratios suited to your goal (e.g. higher protein for weight loss to help preserve muscle). Protein and carbs provide about 4 calories per gram; fat provides about 9.

Setting a target weight

Entering a target weight (with a loss or gain goal) projects an estimated timeline based on the same weekly rate as the deficit or surplus. Treat this as a planning estimate — actual progress varies with metabolism, adherence, and water-weight fluctuations.

Features

Macro Visualization: See your daily macronutrient breakdown as an interactive pie chart.

Calorie Cycling: Use zig-zag calorie scheduling to prevent metabolic adaptation.

Goal Timeline Projection: Add a target weight to estimate weeks and projected target date.

Progress Tracking: Track your TDEE and BMR over time with an interactive chart.

Export Data: Export your calculations to JSON, CSV, or PDF format.

Common Use Cases

Diet Planning: get BMR and TDEE using Mifflin-St Jeor, choose activity level and goal, and see your daily calorie target and macro split in grams and calories.

Weight Management: set a weight loss or gain goal for a calorie target, and use calorie cycling (zig-zag) for high and low days.

Macro Tracking: view the macro breakdown in the pie chart and detailed grams per macro, then export to JSON, CSV, or PDF for meal plans or apps.

Metabolic Health: track BMR and TDEE over time with the chart.

Frequently Asked Questions

Use our Calorie Calculator to estimate your daily calorie needs. Enter your age, gender, height, weight, and activity level. The calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to calculate BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). TDEE is your maintenance calories - the amount you need to maintain your current weight.
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories your body burns at complete rest, just to keep vital functions running. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is your BMR plus calories burned from physical activity. TDEE is what you should eat to maintain your current weight.
To lose weight safely, subtract 500-750 calories from your TDEE. This creates a deficit of 3,500-5,250 calories per week, resulting in 1-1.5 lbs of weight loss per week. Never go below 1,200 calories (women) or 1,500 calories (men) without medical supervision.
To gain muscle, add 300-500 calories to your TDEE. This provides extra energy for muscle building while minimizing fat gain. Combine with strength training and adequate protein intake (see macronutrient breakdown) for best results.
Macronutrients are protein, carbohydrates, and fats - the three main nutrients your body needs. Our calculator provides a breakdown based on your fitness goal: weight loss (higher protein), maintenance (balanced), or muscle gain (higher carbs). Tracking macros alongside calories helps optimize body composition.
Calorie calculators provide estimates based on proven formulas like Mifflin-St Jeor. Individual metabolism varies, so use the results as a starting point and adjust based on your actual progress over 2-4 weeks.

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