What are daily calorie needs?

A calorie is a unit of energy. Your body uses energy all day long, even when you sit still, because breathing, circulation, digestion and temperature control all take fuel. On top of that, every walk, workout and chore uses more. The total is called your total daily energy expenditure, or TDEE. If the calories you eat match your TDEE, your weight tends to stay about the same. Eat more and you tend to gain weight, and eat less and you tend to lose it.

This calculator estimates your TDEE from a few facts about you. It is meant for healthy adults who want a realistic starting number for planning meals, whether the goal is to keep weight steady, lose a little or gain a little.

How the calculator works

The calculation has two steps. First it estimates your basal metabolic rate, or BMR, which is the energy your body uses at complete rest. It uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, published in 1990 and widely used because it predicts resting energy use well for most adults.

• Men: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age in years) + 5.
• Women: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age in years) − 161.

Second, it multiplies your BMR by an activity factor to get your TDEE. The factors below are the standard ones used with this equation.

Activity level	Typical week	Factor
Sedentary	Little or no exercise, desk job	1.2
Light	Exercise 1 to 3 days a week	1.375
Moderate	Exercise 3 to 5 days a week	1.55
Very active	Hard exercise 6 to 7 days a week	1.725
Extra active	Very hard exercise or a physical job	1.9

The activity factor already includes your exercise, so you should not add your workout calories on top of the result.

How to use this calculator

1. Choose US or metric units.
2. Pick your sex and enter your age, height and weight.
3. Choose the activity level that best matches a normal week. Most people overestimate, so be honest.
4. Press Calculate. The numbers also update as you change your answers.

Worked examples

Example 1. A 40-year-old woman is 165 cm tall, weighs 65 kg and exercises lightly one to three days a week. Her BMR is (10 × 65) + (6.25 × 165) − (5 × 40) − 161 = 650 + 1,031.25 − 200 − 161, which is about 1,320 calories. Multiplying by 1.375 gives a TDEE of about 1,815 calories a day. If she moved to moderate exercise, her TDEE would be about 2,046.

Example 2. A 30-year-old man is 175 cm tall, weighs 70 kg and has a desk job with little exercise. His BMR is (10 × 70) + (6.25 × 175) − (5 × 30) + 5 = 700 + 1,093.75 − 150 + 5, which is about 1,649 calories. Multiplying by 1.2 gives a TDEE of roughly 1,980 calories a day.

Calories for losing or gaining weight

The calculator also shows sample targets. They come from simple changes to your maintenance calories:

Goal	Change per day	Expected pace
Mild loss	250 fewer calories	About 0.5 lb (0.25 kg) per week
Loss	500 fewer calories	About 1 lb (0.5 kg) per week
Mild gain	250 more calories	About 0.5 lb (0.25 kg) per week

These paces use the old rule of thumb that a pound of body fat stores about 3,500 calories. It is a useful rule, but it is only an approximation. The U.S. National Institutes of Health has pointed out that it does not account for the way your metabolism slows as you lose weight, so real progress is usually a little slower over time. The CDC describes about 1 to 2 pounds a week as a gradual and steady pace that people are more likely to maintain.

Aim for a small change that you can keep up. Dropping calories very low can leave you tired, hungry and short of important nutrients. If a target on this page is marked with an asterisk, it is below the minimum many health professionals suggest without medical supervision, and you should speak to a doctor or dietitian first.

Why your result may be off

• It is an estimate. The equation is usually within about 10 percent of measured resting energy use, and individual differences can be larger.
• Muscle matters. Muscle uses more energy than fat, so a very muscular person burns more than the formula predicts.
• Activity is hard to judge. Daily movement outside the gym, such as walking, standing and fidgeting, varies a lot between people.
• Bodies change. Weight, age and long periods of eating less can all change your needs over time.

The best way to check your result is to try it. Eat near the estimate for two to three weeks, watch your weight trend, and adjust by about 100 to 200 calories if the scale does not move the way you expect.

Who should not use this calculator

This calculator is for healthy adults age 18 and older. It is not suitable if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition that affects your metabolism or diet, take medicines that affect your weight, or have had weight loss surgery. It is also not meant for children and teens, whose needs depend on growth. If thinking about food, calories or your weight causes you distress, please talk to a doctor or another health professional.

Habits that help whatever your goal

• Build meals around vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans and lean proteins.
• Choose water and other low-calorie drinks more often than sugary ones.
• Move in ways you enjoy. Adults are encouraged to get about 150 minutes of moderate activity a week.
• Sleep well. Poor sleep can change hunger and energy.
• Look at your trend over weeks, not one day on the scale.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories do I need per day?

It depends on your age, sex, height, weight and activity. This calculator estimates your BMR with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and multiplies it by an activity factor. The result is the number of calories that should keep your weight about steady.

What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?

BMR is the energy your body uses at rest to breathe, pump blood and keep your organs working. TDEE, or total daily energy expenditure, adds the energy you use moving around and exercising. TDEE is the number to use for planning your food.

How many calories should I cut to lose weight?

A common starting point is 250 to 500 calories a day below your maintenance level, which is expected to lead to about half a pound to one pound of loss per week. The CDC describes 1 to 2 pounds per week as a gradual and steady pace. Very low-calorie plans should only be followed with a doctor.

How accurate is this calculator?

It is an estimate. The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is usually within about 10 percent of measured resting energy use for healthy adults, and the activity factor adds more uncertainty. Use the result as a starting point and adjust based on what your weight actually does.

Is my information saved?

No. All calculations happen in your browser. Your age, height and weight are never sent to our server or stored.

Helpful resources

• About Healthy Weight and Growth from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Steps for losing weight from the CDC
• Body Weight Planner from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH)
• Our BMI Calculator and Percentage Calculator

This calculator is for general information only. It is not medical or nutrition advice and cannot diagnose any condition. Talk to a qualified health professional before you change your diet or exercise. See our Terms & Disclaimer.