Daily calorie needs calculator with BMR, TDEE, goal-based targets and macronutrient breakdown in metric and imperial units.
Quick profiles
Daily calories to maintain
Based on your BMR and activity level.
BMR
1740
Basal metabolic rate
TDEE
2697
Total daily expenditure
BMR = 10×78 + 6.25×178 − 5×30 + 5 = 1747.5 kcal
All goal targets
Goal
Rate
Calories
Maintain
±0
2697
Mild loss
−250/day
2447
Moderate loss
−500/day
2197
Aggressive loss
−1000/day
1697
Mild gain
+250/day
2947
Moderate gain
+500/day
3197
Macronutrient breakdown
Protein
202 g
30% · 809 kcal
Carbs
304 g
45% · 1214 kcal
Fat
75 g
25% · 674 kcal
💧
Daily water intake
2600 mL · 88 fl oz
About the formulas
Mifflin-St Jeor (1990) is the default and most accurate equation for modern adults. It predicts basal metabolic rate within about 10% for most healthy people.
Men: BMR = 10·W + 6.25·H − 5·A + 5
Women: BMR = 10·W + 6.25·H − 5·A − 161
Harris-Benedict (revised, 1984) uses different constants and typically gives slightly higher numbers than Mifflin-St Jeor.
Katch-McArdle uses lean body mass and is the most accurate choice if you know your body-fat percentage:
BMR = 370 + 21.6 · lean mass (kg)
TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) = BMR × activity multiplier. Multipliers come from the Institute of Medicine activity-factor table.
Frequently asked questions
BMR (basal metabolic rate) is the number of calories your body burns to keep you alive at complete rest — to breathe, circulate blood, maintain body temperature, repair cells and run the brain. TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is BMR multiplied by an activity factor that covers everything else: moving around, working, exercising, digesting food. TDEE is the number you actually eat to maintain your current weight; BMR is the absolute minimum your body needs and should almost never be used as a calorie target on its own.
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation predicts measured BMR within roughly ±10% for the average healthy adult, and TDEE estimates carry an additional error from the activity multiplier because people overestimate how active they are. Treat the result as a starting point: track your weight for two to three weeks while eating your estimated TDEE, and adjust by ±100–200 kcal based on how your weight actually moves. Body composition, genetics, medications, thyroid function and recent dieting history all shift the real number.
Most dietitians and the US Centers for Disease Control recommend losing about 0.5 to 1 kg (1 to 2 lb) per week. That corresponds to a daily calorie deficit of 500 to 1000 kcal below maintenance. Larger deficits are hard to sustain, accelerate muscle loss and often backfire through rebound eating. Very aggressive deficits (more than 1000 kcal/day) are flagged with a warning in this calculator and should only be followed under medical supervision. Minimum safe intakes are usually quoted as about 1200 kcal/day for women and 1500 kcal/day for men.
There is no single correct split. A balanced default of roughly 30% protein, 45% carbohydrate and 25% fat works well for general health and body-recomposition goals. Higher-protein splits (35–40%) help when losing weight because protein is the most filling macronutrient and protects muscle. Endurance athletes benefit from more carbohydrate (50–60%). Low-carbohydrate or ketogenic approaches push fat to 50–70% of calories. Pick a pattern you can follow consistently — the total calorie number matters much more than the exact split.
The popular "eight 8-oz glasses" rule is a rough average, not an individualized number. Water needs scale with body size, activity level, climate and diet. This calculator uses roughly 33 mL per kg of body weight (about 0.5 fl oz per pound), a common guideline from sports-nutrition literature. A larger or more active person needs more fluid than a smaller or sedentary person. Food, tea, coffee and milk all contribute to total fluid intake — the figure shown here includes all sources, not only plain water.
Yes. BMR is driven largely by body mass, so as you lose or gain weight your calorie needs shift. A good practice is to recalculate every 3–5 kg (7–10 lb) of change, or every month during an active cut or bulk. If you stall for two or three weeks, drop calories by another 100–150 kcal rather than making a large cut all at once. If you gain unintentionally, recalculate with the new weight and take the new TDEE as your maintenance.
Results are estimates for educational purposes only and are not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian before starting any weight-loss, weight-gain or training program, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, under 18, over 65, or managing a medical condition.
This calorie calculator estimates daily energy needs from age, gender, height, weight and activity level, and recommends a calorie target for your goal. It reports Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation by default, with Harris-Benedict and Katch-McArdle as alternatives, then multiplies by an activity factor (1.2 sedentary to 1.9 extra active) to produce Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). From TDEE it derives six goal targets: maintenance, mild, moderate and aggressive loss (-250, -500, -1000 kcal/day), and mild or moderate gain (+250, +500 kcal/day). The selected target is broken down into protein, carbohydrate and fat in grams and percent, using a balanced 30/45/25 default or alternate presets for high-protein, low-carb or endurance diets. A water intake estimate based on body weight is also shown. Example: a 30-year-old male, 178 cm, 78 kg, moderately active gets BMR 1748 kcal, TDEE 2709 kcal/day.