Calorie calculator
Calculator
The calculator needs JavaScript. The tables below give the same numbers for common cases.
How it is worked out
- BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor) = 1,345; × activity 1.375 = maintenance 1,850.
- Goal adjustment of 0 kcal a day is about 0 lb a week by the common 3,500 kcal per pound approximation.
- An estimate: very low calorie intakes should only be used under medical supervision.
| Inputs | Answer |
|---|---|
| Units: Metric (cm, kg); Sex: Female; Age: 35; Height: 165; Weight: 65; Activity level: Light (exercise 1 to 3 days a week); Goal: Maintain weight | To maintain your weight, aim for about 1,850 calories a day. |
| Units: Metric (cm, kg); Sex: Male; Age: 30; Height: 180; Weight: 90; Activity level: Moderate (3 to 5 days a week); Goal: Lose about 0.5 kg (1 lb) a week | To lose weight steadily, aim for about 2,414 calories a day. |
| Units: Metric (cm, kg); Sex: Male; Age: 22; Height: 178; Weight: 65; Activity level: Very active (6 to 7 days a week); Goal: Gain about 0.25 kg (0.5 lb) a week | To gain weight steadily, aim for about 3,109 calories a day. |
How to use it
The calculator estimates your maintenance calories (BMR × activity) and then adjusts them for your goal: about 250 calories a day less or more for a gentle change, 500 for a faster one. Those adjustments are roughly 0.25 and 0.5 kg (0.5 and 1 lb) a week.
Do not go far below your BMR without medical supervision, and treat the result as a starting point to adjust from what happens to your weight over a few weeks. This is general information and an estimate, not medical advice; talk to a healthcare professional about your own situation.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories should I eat a day?
It depends on your size, age, sex, activity and goal; the calculator estimates it from those.
How many calories make a pound?
The common approximation is about 3,500 kcal per pound (7,700 per kg) of body weight, though real changes vary.
Is a bigger deficit better?
Not necessarily: large deficits are harder to sustain and can cost muscle and nutrition.
Method: standard arithmetic shown step by step; no outside data is used. Checked 2026-11-12.
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General information only. Results are plain arithmetic on the numbers you enter; check anything important (money, health, school work) against your own records or the official source.