Calorie Calculator
Calorie Calculator
Accurate daily calorie estimate based on your activity level
Quick answer
A calorie calculator estimates how many calories you need each day by working out your BMR with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and multiplying it by your activity level. For example, a 30-year-old man who weighs 75 kg, is 175 cm tall and is moderately active needs about 2,633 calories a day to maintain his weight, or about 2,133 to lose roughly 0.5 kg a week.
Our free calorie calculator shows your daily maintenance calories, your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and calorie targets for mild weight loss, weight loss and weight gain. Choose your sex, enter your age, weight and height, select how active you are, and the calorie calculator does the rest.
Use it to set a realistic daily calorie goal for losing fat, gaining muscle or simply keeping your weight steady. It uses metric units (kg and cm) and runs privately in your browser.
What Are Calories?
A calorie is a unit of energy. Food calories (kilocalories, or kcal) measure how much energy food provides, and your body burns that energy to breathe, keep warm, digest food and move. Eating about as many calories as you burn keeps your weight stable; eating fewer leads to weight loss and eating more leads to weight gain. Read more about the calorie as a unit of energy.
Men: BMR = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age + 5
Women: BMR = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age − 161
Daily calories = BMR × activity factor
How to Use the Calorie Calculator
Follow these five quick steps:
Step 1: Select Male or Female
Tap Male or Female. The calorie calculator uses a slightly different BMR formula for each.
Step 2: Enter Your Age, Weight and Height
Type your age in years, your weight in kilograms and your height in centimetres. For example: 30 years, 75 kg and 175 cm.
Step 3: Choose Your Activity Level
Pick the option that best matches a normal week, from Sedentary to Extra Active. Be honest: most office workers who exercise a few times a week fit Lightly or Moderately Active.
Step 4: Click Calculate Calories
Press Calculate Calories to see your results instantly.
Step 5: Read Your Daily Calorie Targets
The big number is your maintenance calories. Below it you will see your BMR and daily targets for mild weight loss (about 0.25 kg a week), weight loss (about 0.5 kg a week) and weight gain (about 0.5 kg a week).
Calorie Calculation Example
- Details: male, 30 years, 75 kg, 175 cm, moderately active.
- BMR: 10 × 75 + 6.25 × 175 − 5 × 30 + 5 = 750 + 1,093.75 − 150 + 5 = 1,699 kcal.
- Maintenance: 1,699 × 1.55 = 2,633 kcal a day.
- Weight loss: 2,633 − 500 = 2,133 kcal for about 0.5 kg a week.
- Weight gain: 2,633 + 500 = 3,133 kcal for about 0.5 kg a week.
Activity Level Multipliers
| Activity level | Description | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | Little or no exercise, desk job | 1.2 |
| Lightly active | Exercise 1 to 3 days a week | 1.375 |
| Moderately active | Exercise 4 to 5 days a week | 1.55 |
| Very active | Hard exercise 6 to 7 days a week | 1.725 |
| Extra active | Physical job or training twice a day | 1.9 |
Calorie Needs by Example Profile
| Profile | BMR | Maintenance | Weight loss (−500) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Man, 30, 75 kg, 175 cm, moderate | 1,699 | 2,633 | 2,133 |
| Woman, 30, 60 kg, 165 cm, light | 1,320 | 1,815 | 1,315 |
| Man, 45, 90 kg, 180 cm, sedentary | 1,805 | 2,166 | 1,666 |
| Woman, 25, 55 kg, 160 cm, very active | 1,264 | 2,180 | 1,680 |
How Many Calories to Lose Weight?
A daily deficit of about 500 calories leads to roughly 0.5 kg (about 1 lb) of weight loss per week for many people, though real results vary. Avoid cutting too low: very low calorie intakes are hard to sustain and can leave you short of nutrients. As a general guide, many health services advise that women should not routinely go below about 1,200 kcal and men below about 1,500 kcal a day without medical supervision.
Tips for Using Your Calorie Target
- Track for a few weeks: if your weight does not change as expected, adjust by 100 to 200 kcal.
- Prioritise protein and fibre: they keep you full on fewer calories.
- Recalculate as you change: enter your new weight in the calorie calculator every few kilograms.
- Check your BMI: our BMI Calculator shows whether your weight is in a healthy range.
Who Should Use a Calorie Calculator?
A calorie calculator is useful for anyone starting a diet, a fitness plan or a muscle-building programme. Coaches and dietitians often begin with a calorie calculator to set a starting target, then adjust it based on progress. Because this calorie calculator shows maintenance, loss and gain targets together, you can choose the goal that suits you.
Health note
Results from this calorie calculator are estimates for healthy adults. They are not suitable during pregnancy or for people with medical conditions. Speak to a doctor or registered dietitian before making major diet changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories do I need a day?
It depends on your sex, age, weight, height and activity. Many adult women need roughly 1,800 to 2,400 kcal and many adult men roughly 2,200 to 3,000 kcal. Enter your details in the calorie calculator for a personal estimate.
Which formula does this calorie calculator use?
It uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to estimate BMR, then multiplies it by a standard activity factor from 1.2 to 1.9.
What is the difference between BMR and maintenance calories?
BMR is the energy your body uses at complete rest. Maintenance calories, also called TDEE, add the energy used for daily movement and exercise.
How many calories should I eat to lose 0.5 kg a week?
Eat about 500 calories less than your maintenance calories each day. The calculator shows this as the Weight Loss target.
Is the calorie calculator accurate?
It gives a good starting estimate for most adults, but individual metabolism varies. Track your weight for two to three weeks and adjust your intake if needed.
Is this calorie calculator free?
Yes. It is free, needs no sign-up and works on phones, tablets and computers.