Calorie Calculator (TDEE)
Calculate daily calories needed to lose, maintain, or gain weight.
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Daily Calories to Maintain Weight
2,693
calories/day
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How Many Calories Do You Need Per Day?
Average guidelines suggest about 2,000 calories for women and 2,500 for men, but individual needs vary significantly based on body size, age, and activity level. Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is a personalized estimate that accounts for your basal metabolic rate plus your daily activity.
The Mifflin-St Jeor Equation
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is considered the most accurate BMR formula available without lab testing. BMR represents the calories your body burns at complete rest — just to keep your organs functioning, blood circulating, and cells regenerating. Your TDEE then accounts for your actual daily activity using conservative multipliers. Most people overestimate their activity level, so when in doubt, choose one level lower.
Calorie Deficit and Weight Loss
A 500-calorie daily deficit leads to approximately 1 pound of weight loss per week (since 3,500 calories equals roughly 1 pound of body fat). Don't go below 1,200 calories/day for women or 1,500 for men without medical supervision. Rapid weight loss often leads to muscle loss, not just fat loss.
Once you know your calorie target, use our macro calculator to determine how to distribute those calories across protein, carbs, and fat.
When to use this
You have decided to get intentional about your nutrition — whether that means losing fat, building muscle, or simply understanding how much fuel your body actually needs on a daily basis. The first step is knowing your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), the total number of calories your body burns in a day including all activity. This calculator estimates your TDEE using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which research has shown to be the most accurate predictive formula for most adults.
The process works in two stages. First, it calculates your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) — the calories your body would burn if you did absolutely nothing all day, just keeping your organs running and your temperature stable. Then it multiplies your BMR by an activity factor that accounts for your exercise habits and daily movement. The result is your estimated maintenance calories — eat that amount and your weight should stay roughly stable over time.
From there, the math is straightforward. To lose weight, eat below your TDEE. To gain weight, eat above it. A deficit or surplus of about 500 calories per day corresponds to roughly one pound of change per week. But these are estimates, not guarantees. Your actual TDEE varies with stress, sleep, hormonal fluctuations, and day-to-day activity. Use the number as a starting point, track your results for two to three weeks, and adjust based on what actually happens on the scale.
Good to know
Mifflin-St Jeor is the gold standard formula. Published in 1990 and validated in multiple studies since, it predicts BMR within about 10% for most adults. The older Harris-Benedict equation tends to overestimate by 5–15%, which is why most modern nutrition tools have moved to Mifflin-St Jeor.
Activity multipliers are the weakest link. The formula is only as accurate as your activity level selection. Most people overestimate how active they are. If you work a desk job and exercise three times a week, "Lightly Active" or "Moderately Active" is probably right — not "Very Active." When in doubt, choose the lower option and adjust upward if you are losing weight faster than expected.
Aggressive deficits backfire. Cutting calories dramatically (more than 1,000 below TDEE) can trigger metabolic adaptation — your body slows its calorie burn to conserve energy. A moderate deficit of 300–500 calories is sustainable, preserves muscle mass, and is less likely to lead to the restrict-binge cycle that derails many diet attempts.
TDEE changes as you do. Losing 20 pounds means your body now requires fewer calories to maintain itself. Recalculate every 10–15 pounds of change, or whenever your activity level shifts significantly. Plateaus are often just your TDEE catching up to your intake.
This is math, not medicine. Calorie calculators are useful planning tools, but they cannot account for medical conditions, medications, or individual metabolic variation. If you have a history of disordered eating, or if your results seem far off from reality, consult a registered dietitian who can provide personalized guidance.
Quick Reference
| Component | Formula (Mifflin-St Jeor) |
|---|---|
| BMR (Men) | (10 x weight in kg) + (6.25 x height in cm) - (5 x age) + 5 |
| BMR (Women) | (10 x weight in kg) + (6.25 x height in cm) - (5 x age) - 161 |
| Sedentary | BMR x 1.2 |
| Lightly Active | BMR x 1.375 |
| Moderately Active | BMR x 1.55 |
| Very Active | BMR x 1.725 |
| Extra Active | BMR x 1.9 |
| Mild weight loss | TDEE - 250 cal/day (~0.5 lb/week) |
| Standard weight loss | TDEE - 500 cal/day (~1 lb/week) |
| Weight gain | TDEE + 250 to 500 cal/day |