Enter your details to calculate your recommended daily calorie intake
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to estimate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), then applies an activity multiplier to determine your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). From there, it adjusts based on your goal — creating a deficit for fat loss or a surplus for muscle gain.
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is considered the most accurate BMR formula for most people. For men: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) + 5. For women: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) − 161.
| Goal | Adjustment | Expected rate |
|---|---|---|
| Aggressive fat loss | TDEE − 500 cal | ~0.5 kg/week loss |
| Moderate fat loss | TDEE − 300 cal | ~0.3 kg/week loss |
| Maintenance | TDEE ± 0 | Weight stable |
| Lean bulk | TDEE + 250 cal | Slow muscle gain |
| Aggressive bulk | TDEE + 500 cal | Faster gain, some fat |
Whether you follow keto, paleo, Mediterranean, or any other eating pattern, total calorie intake determines whether you gain, lose, or maintain weight. All diets that produce weight loss do so by creating a calorie deficit — the specific food choices affect satiety, nutrient quality, and adherence, but not the fundamental energy balance equation.
Most nutrition authorities recommend not going below 1,200 calories per day for women and 1,500 for men without medical supervision. Very low calorie diets increase the risk of nutrient deficiencies, muscle loss, metabolic adaptation, and gallstone formation. A moderate deficit of 300–500 calories below TDEE is safer and more sustainable.
Food labels are allowed to be off by up to 20%, and most people underestimate their intake by 20–50%. For effective calorie tracking, weigh food with a kitchen scale rather than estimating portions, log everything including cooking oils and beverages, and be consistent with your tracking method. Even imperfect tracking is more effective than no tracking.
Subtract 300 to 500 calories from your TDEE. A 500 calorie daily deficit creates approximately 0.5 kg of fat loss per week. Never go below 1,200 calories (women) or 1,500 calories (men) without medical supervision.
Calorie counting is not strictly necessary but it is the most reliable method. Alternatives include portion control, the plate method (half vegetables, quarter protein, quarter carbs), or eliminating calorie-dense processed foods. However, all successful weight loss methods ultimately create a calorie deficit.
The most common reasons are: underestimating food intake (especially cooking oils, sauces, and snacks), overestimating exercise calories burned, metabolic adaptation from prolonged dieting, and water retention masking fat loss. Try tracking more precisely for two weeks before adjusting your target.
Generally, eat back about 50% of estimated exercise calories. Fitness trackers and machines overestimate calories burned by 15–80%. If you eat back all estimated exercise calories, you will likely eliminate most or all of your deficit.
Metabolism decreases approximately 1–2% per decade after age 20, primarily due to loss of lean muscle mass. A 50-year-old typically burns about 200 fewer calories per day than a 20-year-old of the same size. Resistance training helps preserve muscle and maintain metabolic rate.