Daily calorie intake calculator
Five numbers and you get the calories you burn a day, the target for losing or gaining, and the date you reach your goal weight.
0.4 kg
Steady pace — sustainable for most people.
How we got your number
Mifflin-St Jeor · NIH/NHLBICalculated with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, aligned with NIH/NHLBI weight loss guidelines. The same maths the BodyPal app uses.
Your BMR, BMI and healthy weight range
| BMR — what you burn at complete rest | — |
| BMI | — |
| Category | — |
| Healthy weight for your height | — |
What a 500 calorie deficit looks like in food
Your numbers will show up here as real food.
Which formula this uses
| Formula | BMR | When it fits |
|---|
The headline number uses Mifflin-St Jeor, the equation the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found most accurate for healthy adults. Harris-Benedict is the 1984 revision of the 1919 original and usually reads a little higher.
The headline number uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, rated the most accurate for healthy adults by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, with activity factors from the NIH. Nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere. How we verify our data →
Daily calorie FAQs
How many calories do I need a day?
For most adults it lands between 1,600 and 2,600 calories. Your own number depends on weight, height, age and how much you move: the calculator finds your resting rate with Mifflin-St Jeor, then multiplies it by an activity factor from 1.2 for a desk day to 1.725 for daily training.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
Eat about 500 calories under your maintenance number and you lose roughly 0.45 kg (1 lb) a week. Pick a goal weight above and the calculator shows the date you reach it at a gentle, steady or faster pace, and never goes below 1,200 calories for women or 1,500 for men.
Is BMR the same as the calories I need?
No. BMR is what your body burns at complete rest, usually 1,200 to 2,000 calories. The number you should eat is BMR times your activity level, so it is 20 to 70 percent higher.
Which formula is the most accurate?
Mifflin-St Jeor, which this page uses. Harris-Benedict is the 1919 equation revised in 1984 and reads a little high for most people today. The Katch-McArdle formula is better only if you know your body fat percentage.
Why does my weight loss stall when I eat the same?
A lighter body burns fewer calories, so a deficit that worked at 90 kg is smaller at 80 kg. Recalculate every 4 to 5 kg. The other usual reason is untracked calories: sauces, oils and drinks add 200 to 400 a day without changing what the plate looks like.
Do I need to eat back the calories I burn exercising?
Not if you chose your activity level honestly: those workouts are already inside your number. Add them back only for something unusual, like a long hike or a race day.
