Calorie Calculator

Calculate your daily calorie needs based on the Mifflin-St Jeor equation

Your Details

Gender

Male Female

Age (years)

Weight (kg)

Height (cm)

Activity Level

Your Daily Calorie Needs

Maintenance Calories

—

Lose 0.5 kg/week

—

Lose 1 kg/week

—

Gain 0.5 kg/week

—

Gain 1 kg/week

Macro Breakdown (Maintenance)

Protein (30%)—

Carbs (40%)—

Fat (30%)—

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)—

How the Calorie Calculator Works

This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, widely considered the most accurate formula for estimating Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which is then multiplied by your activity level to determine Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).

Mifflin-St Jeor Formula

Men: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) - 5 × age(years) + 5
Women: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) - 5 × age(years) - 161

Activity Multipliers

Sedentary: BMR × 1.2
Lightly Active: BMR × 1.375
Moderately Active: BMR × 1.55
Very Active: BMR × 1.725
Extra Active: BMR × 1.9

Calorie Deficit & Surplus

To lose 0.5 kg per week, you need a deficit of ~550 calories/day. To lose 1 kg per week, aim for ~1,100 calories/day deficit. For weight gain, add a similar surplus. Never go below 1,200 calories/day (women) or 1,500 calories/day (men) without medical supervision.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories should I eat per day?

Daily calorie needs vary based on age, gender, weight, height, and activity level. On average, adult women need 1,600-2,400 calories and adult men need 2,000-3,000 calories per day to maintain weight. Use this calculator for a personalized estimate.

What is the Mifflin-St Jeor equation?

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is considered the most accurate formula for calculating BMR. For men: BMR = 10 x weight(kg) + 6.25 x height(cm) - 5 x age - 5. For women: BMR = 10 x weight(kg) + 6.25 x height(cm) - 5 x age - 161.

How many calories to lose 1 kg per week?

To lose 1 kg per week, you need a daily calorie deficit of approximately 1,100 calories (since 1 kg of body fat equals about 7,700 calories). This should be achieved through a combination of diet and exercise.

What are macros and why do they matter?

Macros (macronutrients) are protein, carbohydrates, and fat. They matter because the ratio of these nutrients affects body composition, energy levels, and overall health beyond just total calories.

Go deeper

Read the SnoopTool guide behind this tool

The calculator gives you the number. These SnoopTool guides explain the method, the assumptions and the decision — with worked examples, data tables and FAQs.

Best Free Health Calculators (2026)Free BMI, calorie, body fat, macro, water intake and pregnancy due date calculators. What each number means, and the limits of BMI nobody mentions.

Browse all SnoopTool guides →

Answers, not just a number

Questions this calculator answers, worked out in full — the number first, then the table and the formula behind it.

How many calories do I need to burn to lose 1 kg?About 7,700 kcal of cumulative deficit.

For teams, not just visitors

Want this calculator on your own site?

We build the calculators on SnoopTool as embeddable widgets in your branding, wired to your own lead form — the same maths, your colours, your domain, your leads. Tell us which one and we will send back a working demo you can put in front of your team.