Find your daily calorie needs based on age, weight, height & activity level
Health Calculator
Calorie / TDEE — Quick answer
A calorie calculator estimates daily calorie needs (TDEE = Total Daily Energy Expenditure) from BMR × activity factor, then adjusts for weight-loss / maintenance / weight-gain goals.
goal adjustment — ±500 kcal/day = ±1 lb (0.45 kg) per week
Worked example: Male, 30 y, 70 kg, 175 cm, moderately active, wants to lose weight. BMR = 1,649. TDEE = 1,649 × 1.55 = 2,556. Weight-loss target: 2,556 − 500 = 2,056 kcal/day.
Activity multipliers for TDEE
Activity level
Multiplier
Description
Sedentary
1.2
Desk job, little exercise
Lightly active
1.375
Light exercise 1–3 days/week
Moderately active
1.55
Moderate exercise 3–5 days/week
Very active
1.725
Hard exercise 6–7 days/week
Extra active
1.9
Athlete or physical labour daily
Standard / source: Mifflin-St Jeor (1990) recommended by Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; activity multipliers per Pennington Biomedical Research Center.
Most adults need between 1,600–2,500 kcal/day depending on gender, age, weight, height, and activity level. Use this calculator to get your personalised TDEE.
What is BMR?⌄
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body needs at complete rest to maintain basic functions like breathing and circulation.
What is TDEE?⌄
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is your BMR multiplied by an activity factor. It represents the total calories you burn in a day.
How many calories to lose 1 kg per week?⌄
A deficit of approximately 7,700 kcal is needed to lose 1 kg of fat, so a daily deficit of ~1,100 kcal would theoretically achieve this in a week. A safer rate is 0.5 kg/week (500 kcal deficit/day).
Which calorie formula is most accurate?⌄
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is widely considered the most accurate for estimating BMR in most adults.
Should I eat below BMR?⌄
Eating significantly below BMR is not recommended as it can slow metabolism, cause muscle loss, and lead to nutrient deficiencies.
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Accurate to about ±10% for roughly 70% of people. The activity multiplier is the largest source of error — most people over-estimate their activity level by a full category. This is general information, not medical advice — discuss any health decision with a qualified clinician.
Independently verified
12 July 2026 — Re-derived from the governing standard and checked numerically against worked reference cases from the standard itself — not merely tested for “returns a number”.
Results are for guidance. Verify against the current edition of the governing standard and have a qualified professional review before use in practice.