This calorie calculator estimates how many calories you need each day to stay at your current weight, and how many to eat to lose or gain at a safe pace. Enter age, sex, height, weight and how active you are; the result shows maintenance calories and three goal targets.
The estimate comes from the Mifflin St Jeor equation, which predicts resting energy use within about 10 percent for most healthy adults. Treat the number as a first guess: track your weight for two to three weeks and adjust by 100 to 200 calories if it moves the wrong way.
Quick numbers
Method
Mifflin St Jeor BMR × activityWoman, 30, 60 kg, 160 cm, moderate
about 1,998 kcalMan, 30, 70 kg, 175 cm, moderate
about 2,556 kcalTo lose about 0.5 kg a week
eat 500 kcal below maintenanceLowest without supervision
about 1,200 kcal women, 1,500 kcal men
What the calorie calculator works out
Your body spends energy in three ways. The biggest share, usually 60 to 70 percent, is basal metabolic rate: the calories needed to keep the heart, brain, liver and lungs running at rest. About 10 percent goes on digesting food. The rest is movement, from walking to the kitchen to a workout.
The calculator first finds your BMR, then multiplies it by an activity factor to give total daily energy use. That makes it a daily calorie requirement calculator and a BMI calorie calculator in one, since height and weight feed both numbers. That total is your maintenance figure. Eating below it makes you lose weight; eating above it makes you gain.
Calorie intake calculator formula, step by step
BMR for men = 10 × weight in kg + 6.25 × height in cm − 5 × age + 5
BMR for women = 10 × weight in kg + 6.25 × height in cm − 5 × age − 161
Daily calories = BMR × activity factor
A woman aged 30, 160 cm, 60 kg: 600 + 1,000 − 150 − 161 = 1,289 kcal BMR. With moderate exercise (× 1.55) she needs about 1,998 kcal a day to stay at 60 kg.
Want the BMR part on its own, or a choice of three formulas? Use the BMR calculator. To see the full energy picture with exercise, use the TDEE calculator.
Pick the right activity level
| Your week | Factor | Example: woman above | Example: man 30, 70 kg, 175 cm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desk job, little exercise | × 1.2 | 1,547 kcal | 1,978 kcal |
| Light exercise 1 to 3 days | × 1.375 | 1,772 kcal | 2,267 kcal |
| Moderate exercise 3 to 5 days | × 1.55 | 1,998 kcal | 2,556 kcal |
| Hard exercise 6 to 7 days | × 1.725 | 2,224 kcal | 2,844 kcal |
| Physical job plus training | × 1.9 | 2,449 kcal | 3,133 kcal |
Most people overrate how active they are. An hour at the gym three times a week is moderate only if you also move during the day. If you sit for eight hours and drive home, pick light even if you train. Counting steps helps: under 5,000 a day is a desk level, 7,500 to 10,000 is light to moderate.
Daily calorie requirement for weight loss, upkeep and gain
| Goal | Daily target | Expected change |
|---|---|---|
| Keep weight | Maintenance | Stable within 1 kg |
| Slow fat loss | Maintenance − 250 | About 0.25 kg a week |
| Steady fat loss | Maintenance − 500 | About 0.5 kg a week |
| Lean gain | Maintenance + 250 | About 1 kg a month |
| Faster gain | Maintenance + 500 | About 2 kg a month, some as fat |
Each goal has its own page with more detail: the calorie deficit calculator for fat loss, the maintenance calorie calculator for holding steady and the weight gain calculator for bulking.
How many calories are in your usual Indian meals
Knowing your target is half the job; the other half is knowing what you eat. A medium roti from whole wheat flour is about 70 to 80 kcal before ghee, a katori of cooked dal around 120 to 150, and a cup of cooked white rice about 200. Fried snacks, sweets and drinks add up fastest.
The food calorie calculator lists common Indian dishes so you can add up a day's plate, and the protein in food calculator shows which foods help you reach your protein goal.
Why your real number can differ
- Formulas are built on averages. Two people with the same height and weight can differ by 200 kcal or more a day.
- Muscle burns more than fat at rest, so very muscular people need more than the formula says.
- Thyroid problems, some medicines and poor sleep can lower energy use.
- After a long diet, the body spends a little less energy than predicted.
- Food labels and home portions are rarely exact, so intake counts drift too.
This is why the best calorie calculator is your own scale over time. Weigh yourself three mornings a week, take the weekly average and compare it with the week before.
Calorie calculator for women and men
Women usually need fewer calories than men of the same size because they carry less muscle; the formula subtracts 161 for women and adds 5 for men, a gap of 166 kcal before activity. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, needs rise, so speak to your doctor rather than cutting calories.
Teenagers are still growing and should not diet on adult numbers. The calculator is meant for adults aged 18 to 80.
Hub: every calories and nutrition tool
This page is the hub for food, energy and body composition. Tools in this group:
- BMR calculator
- TDEE calculator
- Calorie deficit calculator
- Maintenance calorie calculator
- Calories to gain weight
- Protein calculator
- Protein in food
- Food calorie calculator
- Body fat calculator
- Heart rate zone calculator
Once you know your target, any calorie count calculator or a simple notebook helps you stay near it. Planning a big change in diet with diabetes, kidney disease, a heart condition or an eating disorder history? Talk to a doctor or a registered dietitian first. If food or weight feels out of control, reaching out for help is a strong step.
Frequently asked questions
What is my daily calorie need?
It depends on size, age, sex and activity. As a rough guide, a moderately active woman of 60 kg needs about 1,998 kcal and a moderately active man of 70 kg about 2,556 kcal. Use the calculator for your own number.
What is a daily calorie intake calculator?
It is a calorie requirement calculator: a tool that estimates the calories you burn in a day from your body details and activity, then gives targets for keeping, losing or gaining weight.
Which formula does this calorie calculator use?
The Mifflin St Jeor equation, which most dietitians use today because it tested closest to measured energy use in healthy adults.
Is 1,200 calories a day enough?
For most adult women it is the lowest intake to try without medical help, and for men the floor is higher at about 1,500. Going lower risks missing protein, iron and other nutrients.
Why am I not losing weight on my calorie target?
Intake is often higher than logged, or activity lower than chosen. Check portions, pick a lower activity level, and give it three weeks before changing again.
Can I use the calorie calculator for my child?
No. Children need energy to grow, and their needs change quickly. A paediatrician or dietitian should guide any change in a child's diet.
Sources
- Mifflin St Jeor equation
- ICMR-NIN Nutrient Requirements for Indians