Calorie calculator
Estimate your daily calorie needs from your size, age and activity.
Maintenance calories
Rounded for displayMaintenance calories: ≈ 2,556 kcal/day
- BMR (Mifflin–St Jeor)
- ≈ 1,649 kcal/day
- Maintenance − 500 kcal
- ≈ 2,056 kcal/day
- Maintenance − 250 kcal
- ≈ 2,306 kcal/day
- Maintenance + 250 kcal
- ≈ 2,806 kcal/day
- Maintenance + 500 kcal
- ≈ 3,056 kcal/day
How it works
Your basal metabolic rate is estimated with the Mifflin–St Jeor equation, then multiplied by an activity factor to give total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), the calories that keep your weight steady.
Eating less than this leads to weight loss over time and eating more to weight gain. The −250/−500 and +250/+500 figures are simple offsets often used as starting points; real changes vary from person to person.
This is a general estimate, not medical advice. For personal guidance, speak to a doctor or registered dietitian.
Formula
BMR = 10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age + 5 (men) or − 161 (women) TDEE = BMR × activity factor (1.2 to 1.9)
Worked example
A 30-year-old man, 70 kg and 175 cm, has a BMR of 1,648.75 kcal. With moderate activity, 1,648.75 × 1.55 = 2,556 kcal a day maintains his weight; 2,056 kcal is 500 below that.
Questions people ask
How accurate is this?
It is an estimate. Track your weight for a few weeks and adjust, because individual needs vary.
Which activity level should I choose?
Pick the level that matches a typical week. Most people with desk jobs and a few workouts a week fit light or moderate.