Daily Calorie Calculator
Find out exactly how many calories you burn at rest (BMR), how many you burn all day (TDEE), and how many to eat to hit your goal. Calculations use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation — the most accurate formula for the general public.
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This calculator provides estimates for general fitness and nutrition planning. It is not medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional before starting a weight-loss or muscle-gain program.
Understanding Your Numbers: BMR, TDEE & Calorie Targets
Every weight-loss plan comes down to one question: how many calories should you actually eat? This calculator answers it in two steps — first your BMR (basal metabolic rate), then your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) — and turns that into a daily target you can build real meals around.
BMR is the number of calories your body burns at complete rest: keeping your heart beating, lungs breathing, and cells repaired. TDEE is what you burn once you add daily movement, work, and exercise on top of that baseline. TDEE is your true maintenance number — eat at it and your weight holds steady.
Why we use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation
The calculator estimates BMR with the Mifflin-St Jeor formula, the most accurate published equation for the general adult population. In modern validation studies it outperforms the older Harris-Benedict formula, especially for people with more body fat:
BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age + 5
Women
BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age − 161
Your TDEE is then BMR × activity factor — ranging from 1.2 (sedentary) up to 1.9 (hard daily training).
Choosing a calorie deficit
To lose fat you eat below TDEE. Bigger deficits mean faster loss — but also more hunger, more muscle-loss risk, and a higher chance of quitting. Here is how the goals map out:
| Goal | Daily change | Expected pace |
|---|---|---|
| Aggressive fat loss | −750 kcal | ~0.75 kg / 1.6 lb per week |
| Steady fat loss | −500 kcal | ~0.5 kg / 1.1 lb per week |
| Gentle fat loss | −250 kcal | ~0.25 kg / 0.55 lb per week |
| Maintenance | 0 kcal | Hold weight |
| Lean muscle gain | +250 kcal | ~0.25 kg / 0.55 lb per week |
As a rule of thumb, aim for roughly 0.5–1% of your body weight per week. Faster than that tends to burn muscle and backfire. The calculator also enforces a safety floor so your target never drops below 1,000 kcal/day.
Turning the number into meals
A calorie target is only useful if it becomes food. Here is the workflow we use with our own prep:
- Split it into macros. Take your daily target and open the Macro Calculator — it carries your number over automatically. Aim for about 1.6–2.2 g of protein per kg of body weight; protein protects muscle and keeps you full.
- Build each prep meal around protein + veg + a smart carb. That ratio naturally lands you near your macro targets without obsessive tracking.
- Scale a shopping list. Plug your target weight into the Grocery List Generator and it sizes a week of groceries to your household — no guesswork at the store.
- Re-check after two weeks. If the scale hasn't moved, drop ~100–200 kcal/day. If you're losing faster than 1% of body weight weekly, add a little back.
New to meal prep? Start with our beginner's guide to meal prep for weight loss.
Frequently asked questions
What is BMR and how is it different from TDEE?
BMR is the calories you burn at complete rest — your body's baseline. TDEE adds the energy from daily movement and exercise on top of that, so it reflects your real, active day rather than a couch-bound minimum.
Why does this calculator use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation?
It's the most accurate published formula for the general adult population. Validation studies show it beats the older Harris-Benedict equation, especially for people carrying more body fat.
How big a calorie deficit should I aim for?
Aim for roughly 0.5–1% of your body weight per week. That's about a 500 kcal/day deficit for steady loss — fast enough to see progress, slow enough to keep muscle and stay sane.
Do I need to hit the exact number every day?
No — treat your target as a daily average, not a rigid rule. Eat a bit more on training days, a bit less on rest days, and watch the weekly trend on the scale rather than any single day.