Calorie Calculator
Calculate your daily calorie needs based on your goals. Get personalized recommendations for weight loss, maintenance, or gain.
Personal Information
Daily Calorie Needs
Weekly Targets
Macronutrient Breakdown
Balanced Diet
High Protein
Low Carb
Nutrition Tips
Sustainable Weight Loss
Aim for 1-2 pounds of weight loss per week for sustainable results. Extreme calorie restrictions can lead to muscle loss and metabolic slowdown.
Track Your Intake
Use a food diary or app to track your daily calorie intake. This helps identify eating patterns and ensures you stay within your target range.
Quality Matters
Focus on nutrient-dense whole foods rather than just calorie counting. Vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains provide more satiety and nutrition.
Stay Hydrated
Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Sometimes thirst is mistaken for hunger, and proper hydration supports metabolism and overall health.
Understanding Your Calorie Needs
Figuring out how many calories you need each day isn't guesswork—there's actual science behind it. Your body burns calories constantly, even while you sleep. Understanding the difference between BMR and TDEE, and knowing how to adjust intake for your goals, is the foundation of successful weight management.
BMR: Your Baseline Calorie Burn
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body burns performing basic functions—breathing, circulating blood, producing cells, processing nutrients. Think of it as the calories needed to keep you alive if you stayed in bed all day doing absolutely nothing.
For most people, BMR accounts for 60-75% of total daily calories burned. A 30-year-old woman who's 5'6" and weighs 150 pounds has a BMR around 1,450 calories. A 30-year-old man who's 6'0" and weighs 180 pounds has a BMR around 1,800 calories.
We calculate BMR using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation—currently the most accurate formula for general populations. It factors in your weight, height, age, and biological sex. Men have higher BMRs than women at the same weight because they typically carry more muscle mass. Muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue.
Age affects BMR too. Metabolism slows about 2% per decade after age 30, primarily due to muscle loss rather than aging itself. A 50-year-old with the same stats as a 30-year-old burns roughly 100 fewer calories daily.
TDEE: What You Actually Burn Daily
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) takes your BMR and multiplies it by an activity factor accounting for everything you do beyond just existing. This includes walking to your car, typing at your desk, grocery shopping, intentional exercise—all movement throughout the day.
Here's how activity levels break down:
- Sedentary (1.2): Desk job, minimal movement, under 3,000 steps daily. TDEE is just 20% above BMR. Our 180-pound man with 1,800 BMR burns 2,160 calories total.
- Light Activity (1.375): Some walking, light household tasks, or 1-3 casual workouts weekly. TDEE is 37.5% above BMR. Same man now burns 2,475 calories.
- Moderate Activity (1.55): Regular movement, 8,000-10,000 steps, or 3-5 moderate workouts weekly. TDEE is 55% above BMR, so 2,790 calories.
- Active (1.725): Very active lifestyle, 10,000+ steps plus 5-6 intense workouts weekly. TDEE is 72.5% above BMR—3,105 calories.
- Very Active (1.9): Physical job plus daily intense training, or competitive athlete. TDEE is 90% above BMR, totaling 3,420 calories.
The biggest mistake people make is overestimating activity level. If you sit at a desk 8 hours daily, you're sedentary even with 3 gym sessions weekly. Be honest—your results depend on accuracy here.
The 3,500 Calorie Rule: Weight Loss Math
One pound of body fat stores approximately 3,500 calories. To lose 1 pound per week, you need a deficit of 500 calories daily (500 × 7 = 3,500). To lose 2 pounds weekly, you need a 1,000-calorie daily deficit.
Let's run through a practical example. Sarah is 35, weighs 165 pounds, stands 5'5", and has light activity. Her BMR is 1,480 calories and her TDEE is 2,035 calories. To lose 1 pound per week, she eats 1,535 calories daily. That 500-calorie deficit adds up to 3,500 weekly, producing 1 pound of fat loss.
For gaining weight, reverse the math. Mike wants to gain 0.5 pounds weekly for muscle building. His TDEE is 2,600 calories, so he eats 2,850 daily—a 250-calorie surplus. Over a week, that's 1,750 extra calories, producing 0.5 pounds of gain (ideally mostly muscle with proper training).
But the 3,500-calorie rule has limitations. It assumes your metabolism stays constant, but your body adapts to deficits. As you lose weight, your TDEE drops because smaller bodies burn fewer calories. That's why Sarah might lose 1 pound weekly initially, but after dropping 15 pounds, she's losing 0.6 pounds weekly on the same 1,535 calories. Her body now weighs less and burns fewer calories.
Metabolic Adaptation: Why Weight Loss Stalls
When you sustain a calorie deficit, your body adapts by reducing calorie expenditure. This happens through several mechanisms:
Lower body weight: Smaller bodies naturally burn fewer calories. Losing 20 pounds reduces your TDEE by roughly 150-200 calories.
Reduced NEAT: Non-exercise activity thermogenesis—fidgeting, posture maintenance, spontaneous movement—drops during dieting. Your body subconsciously conserves energy. This can account for 100-300 fewer calories burned daily.
Hormonal changes: Leptin (appetite suppression hormone) drops, ghrelin (hunger hormone) rises, thyroid hormone production can decrease slightly. These changes make you hungrier and burn 50-150 fewer calories.
Muscle loss: Extreme deficits cause muscle loss along with fat loss. Since muscle burns more calories at rest, losing muscle reduces your BMR.
Combined, metabolic adaptation can reduce your TDEE by 200-400 calories beyond what you'd expect from weight loss alone. Someone who lost 30 pounds might see their TDEE drop 450 calories when you'd predict only 250 based on the weight change.
This is why crash dieting backfires. Dropping to 1,000 calories daily when your TDEE is 2,200 triggers severe adaptation. You lose muscle, your metabolism tanks, and the moment you return to normal eating, rapid weight regain follows. Sustainable deficits of 300-600 calories (15-25% below TDEE) minimize adaptation while still producing steady fat loss.
Protein: The Most Important Macronutrient
While total calories determine weight change, protein intake determines whether you lose fat or muscle, and whether you gain muscle or just fat. Protein has three critical functions during dieting:
First, it's the most satiating macronutrient. Eating 150 grams of protein (600 calories) keeps you fuller longer than eating 150 grams of carbs or 67 grams of fat (both 600 calories). Studies show high-protein diets reduce hunger by 60% and increase feelings of fullness significantly.
Second, protein prevents muscle loss during weight loss. When you're in a calorie deficit, your body breaks down both fat and muscle for energy. Adequate protein (0.7-1 gram per pound of body weight) signals your body to preserve muscle and primarily burn fat instead.
Third, protein has a higher thermic effect than other macros—your body burns 20-30% of protein calories just digesting and processing it. Eating 100 calories from protein only nets you 70-80 usable calories. Carbs and fat have thermic effects of 5-10%.
For a 170-pound person, aim for 120-170 grams of protein daily. That's 480-680 calories from protein. Someone eating 2,000 calories should get 24-34% from protein. Good sources include chicken breast (31g per 4 oz), Greek yogurt (20g per cup), eggs (6g each), lean beef (25g per 4 oz), and fish (25-30g per 4 oz).
Carbs vs Fat: The Flexibility Factor
Once you've set your calories and protein, the remaining calories can come from carbs and fat based on personal preference. Some people thrive on higher-carb diets (45-50% of calories), while others prefer lower-carb, higher-fat approaches (20-30% carbs, 40-50% fat).
Carbohydrates fuel high-intensity exercise better than fat. If you're doing CrossFit, running, or heavy strength training 4-5 times weekly, you'll perform better with adequate carbs. Athletes often eat 3-5 grams of carbs per pound of body weight. A 160-pound runner might eat 480-800 grams of carbs daily (1,920-3,200 calories).
Fat is essential for hormone production, vitamin absorption, and cell membrane function. Don't drop below 0.3 grams per pound of body weight. A 150-pound woman needs at least 45 grams of fat daily (405 calories). Many people feel better with 50-70 grams (450-630 calories).
Low-carb diets (under 100 grams daily) can work well for sedentary people or those with insulin resistance. Your body adapts to burn more fat for energy. But performance in the gym suffers for the first 2-3 weeks while your body adapts.
The key? Total calories matter most. Someone eating 2,000 calories with 150g protein, 200g carbs, 78g fat will lose the same weight as someone eating 2,000 calories with 150g protein, 100g carbs, 111g fat. Pick the split that makes you feel best and sustains your activity.
Putting Calorie Counting Into Practice
Understanding the theory is one thing. Actually implementing it and seeing results requires practical strategies that work in the real world. Let's walk through how to use your calorie targets effectively.
Tracking Calories Accurately
The biggest reason people "fail" with calorie counting is underestimating intake. Research shows most people undercount by 20-40%, sometimes more. A woman who thinks she's eating 1,500 calories might actually be consuming 2,000-2,100.
Use a food scale. Not measuring cups—a scale. "One cup" of cooked rice varies wildly based on how tightly you pack it. The difference between 150 calories and 240 calories. A "medium" banana ranges from 90 to 130 calories. Eyeballing peanut butter? Most people pour 3-4 tablespoons (285-380 calories) thinking it's 2 tablespoons (190 calories).
Track cooking oils and condiments. That "light drizzle" of olive oil on your vegetables? Probably 2-3 tablespoons (240-360 calories). Salad dressings, ketchup, mayo—they add up fast. Two tablespoons of ranch dressing adds 140 calories.
Log everything before you eat it, not at the end of the day. This prevents the "I forgot what I ate" problem and helps you make better choices in the moment. You might decide that 400-calorie muffin isn't worth it when you see you only have 350 calories left for dinner.
Restaurants are calorie landmines. Listed calories are often 20-30% lower than actual portions. A "600-calorie" pasta dish might really be 800. When eating out frequently, either choose restaurants that publish nutrition info and stick to simple items (grilled protein, vegetables, plain starches) or assume restaurant meals are 25% higher than listed.
Adjusting Your Targets Over Time
Your calorie needs change as your body changes. Recalculate every 10-15 pounds of weight change or when progress stalls for 3-4 weeks.
Jake started at 220 pounds with a TDEE of 2,750 and ate 2,250 for a 500-calorie deficit. He lost 2 pounds weekly at first. After 12 weeks, he weighs 196 pounds. His new TDEE is 2,550. If he keeps eating 2,250, his deficit is only 300 calories—0.6 pounds weekly. To maintain 1-pound weekly loss, he drops to 2,050 calories.
Some people successfully "reverse diet" after extended cutting. Once at goal weight, they slowly add 50-100 calories weekly, allowing their metabolism to adapt upward. Starting at 1,600 maintenance calories, they might work back up to 1,900-2,000 over 8-12 weeks while maintaining weight. This rebuilds metabolic capacity after long deficits.
For muscle gain, expect to recalculate every 5-10 pounds gained. As your body weight increases, so does your TDEE. The surplus that worked at 165 pounds might no longer be sufficient at 180 pounds.
The Role of Exercise in Your Calorie Budget
Exercise has two effects on your calorie equation. First, it directly burns calories during the activity. Second, it increases muscle mass over time, which elevates your BMR.
A 160-pound person burns roughly:
- 300-400 calories running 3 miles in 30 minutes
- 200-300 calories during 60 minutes of strength training
- 250-350 calories cycling moderately for 45 minutes
- 180-240 calories walking briskly for 60 minutes
- 400-600 calories in a high-intensity CrossFit or bootcamp class
But here's the catch: fitness trackers and gym machines overestimate calorie burn by 20-40%. That treadmill saying you burned 450 calories? Probably more like 320-360. This is why you shouldn't eat back all exercise calories unless you're using a reliable heart rate monitor with personalized data.
If you selected your activity level accurately in the calculator, don't eat back exercise calories. They're already factored into your TDEE. A woman who chose "Moderate" accounting for her 4 weekly gym sessions should eat her calculated 1,800 calories every day, regardless of whether today is a workout day or rest day.
If you selected "Sedentary" and exercise is bonus activity, you could eat back 50-75% of tracked calories. Ran 5 miles and your watch says 500 calories burned? Eat an extra 250-375 calories if you're hungry.
Building muscle through strength training gradually increases your BMR. Gaining 10 pounds of muscle might add 50-100 calories to your daily burn. It's not dramatic, but it adds up over years. This is why maintaining muscle mass during weight loss is so important—it preserves your metabolic rate.
When the Scale Doesn't Match Your Deficit
You're eating 1,600 calories with a calculated 500-calorie deficit, but the scale hasn't budged in two weeks. What's happening?
Water retention masks fat loss. Starting a new exercise program causes muscle inflammation, which retains water. You could lose 2 pounds of fat but gain 3 pounds of water, showing a 1-pound gain on the scale. Women retain 2-5 pounds of water during certain phases of their menstrual cycle. High-sodium meals cause temporary water retention—that restaurant dinner could show 3 pounds higher the next morning.
Constipation adds weight. Your digestive system holds 2-5 pounds of food and waste at any time. If you're not regular, that's reflected on the scale but isn't fat.
Muscle gain offsets fat loss. Someone new to strength training might lose 2 pounds of fat and gain 1 pound of muscle in a month, showing only 1 pound of scale movement. Their body composition improved dramatically, but the scale doesn't reflect it. This is why progress photos and measurements matter.
Tracking errors. Most people undercount calories by 200-400 per day. Your "1,600 calories" might really be 1,900-2,000. Double-check portions with a scale. Are you forgetting cooking oils? Liquid calories? Weekend drinks? Bites while cooking?
Give it 3-4 weeks of consistent tracking before making changes. Weight fluctuates 2-5 pounds daily from water and food volume. If you're genuinely stuck after a month with accurate tracking, drop calories by 100-150 or add 2-3 cardio sessions weekly.
Meal Timing and Frequency: Does It Matter?
Short answer: not much. Total daily calories matter far more than when you eat them or how many meals you split them across.
Eating 2,000 calories in two large meals produces the same weight loss as eating 2,000 calories across six small meals. Early research suggested frequent meals "boosted metabolism," but that's been thoroughly debunked. Each time you eat, your metabolism increases slightly to digest food (thermic effect). But eating 500 calories causes the same total thermic effect whether it's from one 500-calorie meal or five 100-calorie snacks.
Meal frequency should match your preference and schedule. Some people love intermittent fasting—eating all their calories in an 8-hour window. Others get irritable and perform poorly if they skip breakfast. A busy professional might prefer two larger meals to reduce decision fatigue. An athlete training twice daily needs more frequent fueling.
There are minor considerations around training. Eating protein and carbs within a few hours after strength training may slightly improve recovery and muscle growth. Having some carbs before intense workouts can improve performance. But these are 5-10% optimization factors. Getting your total calories and protein right matters infinitely more than meal timing.
One exception: don't save all your calories for one massive evening meal after barely eating all day. This often leads to poor food choices, overeating beyond your target, and blood sugar crashes. Spreading intake across at least 2-3 meals helps regulate hunger and energy.
Real-World Calorie Scenarios
Let's look at how different people use calorie calculations to achieve their goals. These scenarios reflect patterns seen across thousands of users.
Weight Loss: Office Worker Looking to Drop 20 Pounds
Lisa, age 32
Height: 5'4"
Starting weight: 165 pounds
Activity: Sedentary (desk job, 3,000 steps daily)
Goal: Lose 1 pound per week
Her numbers:
BMR: 1,490 calories
TDEE: 1,788 calories (1,490 × 1.2)
Target intake: 1,288 calories daily
Macros: 130g protein, 120g carbs, 43g fat
Lisa tracks everything with a food scale and meal preps on Sundays. Breakfast is Greek yogurt with berries (250 calories), lunch is chicken breast with vegetables and quinoa (400 calories), afternoon snack is an apple with almonds (180 calories), and dinner is salmon with sweet potato and broccoli (458 calories). After 12 weeks, she's down 11 pounds—slightly slower than 1 pound weekly due to some weekend variance, but she's thrilled with the steady progress and doesn't feel deprived.
Muscle Gain: College Student Bulking for Strength
Marcus, age 21
Height: 5'11"
Starting weight: 165 pounds
Activity: Very active (strength training 6 days weekly, physical job)
Goal: Gain 0.5 pounds per week
His numbers:
BMR: 1,780 calories
TDEE: 3,382 calories (1,780 × 1.9)
Target intake: 3,632 calories daily
Macros: 180g protein, 455g carbs, 101g fat
Marcus eats four large meals daily. He prioritizes protein at each meal—eggs and oatmeal at breakfast, chicken and rice for lunch, protein shake post-workout, and steak with pasta for dinner. He adds calorie-dense foods like peanut butter, nuts, and whole milk to hit his high targets without feeling overstuffed. After 16 weeks, he's gained 7 pounds while his bench press increased 25 pounds and squat went up 40 pounds. His abs are still visible, confirming he's gaining mostly muscle, not fat.
Active Mom Balancing Weight Loss and Energy
Jennifer, age 38
Height: 5'6"
Starting weight: 178 pounds
Activity: Light (chasing kids, 3 weekly workout classes)
Goal: Lose 1 pound per week
Her numbers:
BMR: 1,515 calories
TDEE: 2,083 calories (1,515 × 1.375)
Target intake: 1,583 calories daily
Macros: 140g protein, 150g carbs, 52g fat
Jennifer struggled initially because she was chasing kids all day and felt constantly hungry at 1,583 calories. She switched to higher-volume, lower-calorie foods—replacing calorie-dense granola (400 calories per cup) with high-protein cereal (120 calories per cup), swapping pasta for zucchini noodles with her sauce, and eating larger portions of vegetables to feel full. She also moved to 140 grams of protein (up from 90) which dramatically reduced her hunger. After 14 weeks, she's down 13 pounds and her energy levels are actually better than before she started.
Older Adult Maintaining After Weight Loss
Robert, age 58
Height: 5'10"
Current weight: 175 pounds (lost from 210)
Activity: Moderate (walks daily, golfs 2x weekly)
Goal: Maintain weight
His numbers:
BMR: 1,610 calories
TDEE: 2,496 calories (1,610 × 1.55)
Target intake: 2,496 calories daily
Macros: 150g protein, 280g carbs, 83g fat
Robert spent eight months losing 35 pounds eating 1,900 calories. Now at his goal weight, he's slowly increased intake to maintenance levels. He tracks Monday through Friday and takes weekends off, having learned portion control through months of tracking. He weighs himself every Monday morning—if he's up 3+ pounds for two consecutive weeks, he tracks strictly for a week and drops back to 2,200 calories. This flexible approach has kept him at 173-177 pounds for six months after initially regaining 5 pounds when he stopped tracking completely.
Calorie Calculator Questions & Answers
How many calories should I eat per day to lose weight?
What's the difference between BMR and TDEE?
Should I eat back calories burned from exercise?
Why am I not losing weight at my calculated calorie deficit?
How accurate are online calorie calculators?
Should I use the same calorie target every day or adjust for workout days?
How many calories do I need to gain muscle?
Do I need to count calories forever?
Should I adjust calories as I lose weight?
How do I know which activity level to choose?
Can eating too few calories slow my metabolism?
How many calories should I eat on rest days vs training days?
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