Calorie Calculator
How many calories you need per day to maintain, lose, or gain weight. Pick a goal (cut / maintain / bulk) and get a daily calorie target plus the Mifflin-St Jeor maintenance and BMR estimates.
Examples
Maintain — 30-year-old male
70 kg, 175 cm, moderate activity, maintain
- Weight
- 154.324 lb
- Height
- 68.898 in
- Age
- 30 years
- Gender
- Male
- Activity Level
- Moderate (3–5 days/week)
- Goal
- Maintain
Daily calorie target
2,556 kcal
Maintenance calories
2,556 kcal
Basal metabolic rate
1,649 kcal
Estimated weekly change
0 kg/week
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How It Works
Formula
Variables, symbols and units
- Basal Metabolic Rate(kcal/day)
- Maintenance calories(kcal/day)
- Daily calorie target(kcal/day)
- Body weight(kg)
- Height(cm)
- Age(years)
- Sex offset (+5 male, −161 female)
- Activity multiplier (1.2 sedentary, 1.375 light, 1.55 moderate, 1.725 active, 1.9 very active)
- Goal adjustment (−500 cut, 0 maintain, +500 bulk)(kcal/day)
Calculation method explained
We estimate maintenance from your stats and activity, then adjust ±500 kcal/day for your goal. Mifflin-St Jeor under the hood.
References and source material
Examples
Maintain — 30-year-old male154.324 lb · 68.898 in → 2,556 kcal
70 kg, 175 cm, moderate activity, maintain
- Weight
- 154.324 lb
- Height
- 68.898 in
- Age
- 30 years
- Gender
- Male
- Activity Level
- Moderate (3–5 days/week)
- Goal
- Maintain
- Daily calorie target
- 2,556 kcal
Cut — sedentary office worker143.3 lb · 62.992 in → 1,119 kcal
65 kg female, 160 cm, sedentary, cut
- Weight
- 143.3 lb
- Height
- 62.992 in
- Age
- 28 years
- Gender
- Female
- Activity Level
- Sedentary (little or no exercise)
- Goal
- Cut (lose weight)
- Daily calorie target
- 1,119 kcal
Bulk — athlete in training187.393 lb · 72.835 in → 4,084 kcal
85 kg male, 185 cm, very active, bulk
- Weight
- 187.393 lb
- Height
- 72.835 in
- Age
- 25 years
- Gender
- Male
- Activity Level
- Very Active (intense daily)
- Goal
- Bulk (gain weight)
- Daily calorie target
- 4,084 kcal
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories do I need per day?
Pick a goal — cut, maintain, or bulk. The calculator uses your stats and activity level to estimate your maintenance calories, then subtracts 500 kcal/day for cutting or adds 500 kcal/day for bulking.
What is BMR?
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the number of calories your body needs at complete rest to maintain basic life-sustaining functions like breathing and circulation.
How fast will I lose or gain weight?
A 500 kcal/day adjustment is a common planning rule; for weight loss, that often corresponds to about 0.5 kg (1 lb) per week. For a surplus, treat it as a scenario rather than a promised gain rate. Real-world results vary with adherence, water weight, and individual metabolism.
What is the Mifflin-St Jeor equation?
It is a widely used formula for estimating BMR: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) + 5 for males (−161 for females).
How accurate is this calculator?
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is still an estimate. Individual metabolism, genetics, and body composition can cause variation.