Calculate daily calorie needs with TDEE, macros, and weight goals
Enter your age, gender, weight, and height to calculate your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). Then add your activity level and goal to get your daily calorie target with macro breakdown.
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, widely considered the most accurate formula for estimating calorie needs. It calculates BMR first, then applies an activity multiplier to find your TDEE.
Pro tip: Be honest with your activity level. Most people overestimate how active they are. If you have a desk job and only exercise 2-3 times per week, "Lightly Active" (1.375) is probably accurate.
Let's calculate for a typical person:
If the same person wanted to lose weight:
Understanding your daily calorie needs is fundamental to reaching your health goals:
According to the National Institutes of Health, tracking calories leads to more successful weight loss than guessing. Our calculator gives you a personalized starting point.
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories your body burns at complete rest—just to keep you alive (breathing, heartbeat, cell production). Your BMR accounts for 60-70% of your total daily energy.
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is your BMR plus all physical activity. This is what you should eat to maintain weight.
| Activity Level | Multiplier | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | ×1.2 | Little or no exercise, desk job |
| 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 | Very hard exercise, physical job |
Your total daily energy expenditure comes from four sources:
Subtract 250-500 calories from your TDEE. A 500-calorie deficit yields approximately 1 lb/week loss. Don't go below 1,200 cal/day (women) or 1,500 cal/day (men) without medical supervision—eating too few calories slows metabolism and causes muscle loss.
Adults typically need 1,600-2,400 calories/day depending on age, gender, and activity level. This calculator provides personalized targets based on your specific stats and goals, which is much more accurate than generic recommendations.
Most fitness trackers overestimate calorie burn by 15-30%. If you exercise, add back only 50-75% of what your tracker claims. For example, if it says you burned 400 calories, eat an extra 200-300 calories. Otherwise, you might accidentally slow weight loss.
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is considered the most accurate for estimating calorie needs. However, individual metabolism varies by approximately ±15%. Track your weight for 2-3 weeks and adjust your calories up or down by 100-200 if you're not seeing expected results.
There's no one-size-fits-all answer. Higher protein (30-40%) helps preserve muscle and keeps you full. Low-carb diets work well for some people. The most important factor is that you can stick to your plan. Our calculator offers several preset ratios to try.