Free calorie calculator. Find out exactly how many calories you need per day based on your age, weight, height, activity level and fitness goal. Get personalised calorie targets for weight loss, weight maintenance or muscle gain — plus recommended daily macros.
How to Use This Calorie Calculator
Select your unit system — metric for kilograms and centimetres or imperial for pounds and feet. Select your biological sex and enter your age, weight and height. Choose your activity level from the five options. Select your goal — lose weight, maintain weight or gain muscle. Then click Calculate My Calories.
What This Calculator Shows You
This calculator shows your daily calorie target based on your goal, all three calorie targets so you can compare, your BMR which is the number of calories your body burns at complete rest, your TDEE which is your total daily energy expenditure including activity, your weekly calorie target, and your recommended daily macros for protein, carbs and fat in both percentages and grams.
What Is BMR
BMR stands for Basal Metabolic Rate. It is the number of calories your body needs to perform basic life functions such as breathing, circulation and cell repair while at complete rest. Your BMR is the minimum number of calories your body needs just to survive. This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor formula which is the most accurate BMR formula for most people.
What Is TDEE
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It is your BMR multiplied by your activity level. TDEE represents the total number of calories your body burns in a full day including all physical activity. To maintain your current weight you should eat close to your TDEE. To lose weight eat below your TDEE. To gain muscle eat above your TDEE.
How Many Calories Should I Eat to Lose Weight
To lose weight this calculator recommends eating 500 calories below your TDEE per day. A 500 calorie daily deficit results in approximately 0.5 kilograms or 1 pound of fat loss per week. This is considered a safe and sustainable rate of weight loss by most nutrition experts.
How Many Calories Should I Eat to Gain Muscle
To gain lean muscle this calculator recommends eating 300 calories above your TDEE per day. This moderate surplus provides enough energy for muscle growth without excessive fat gain. Combined with regular strength training this is the most effective approach for building muscle.
What Are Macros
Macros are macronutrients — protein, carbohydrates and fat. Each macro provides a different amount of energy per gram. Protein provides 4 calories per gram and is essential for muscle repair and growth. Carbohydrates provide 4 calories per gram and are your body’s primary energy source. Fat provides 9 calories per gram and is essential for hormone production and brain function. This calculator shows your recommended macro split based on your goal.
Activity Levels Explained
Sedentary means little or no exercise and a desk job. Lightly active means light exercise one to three days per week. Moderately active means moderate exercise three to five days per week. Very active means hard exercise six to seven days per week. Extra active means very hard daily exercise or a physically demanding job.
Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate is this calorie calculator? This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor formula which is considered the most accurate equation for calculating BMR for the general population. Results are estimates and individual metabolism varies. Use the result as a starting point and adjust based on your actual progress over two to four weeks.
What is the difference between calories and kilocalories? When people say calories in the context of food and nutrition they almost always mean kilocalories or kcal. The numbers shown in this calculator are kilocalories which is the standard unit used on food labels worldwide.
Should I eat less than 1200 calories to lose weight faster? No. Eating below 1200 calories per day for women or 1500 calories per day for men is generally not recommended without medical supervision. Very low calorie diets can cause muscle loss, nutritional deficiencies and metabolic slowdown.
How often should I recalculate my calories? Recalculate every four to six weeks or whenever your weight changes by more than three kilograms, your activity level changes significantly, or you change your fitness goal.
Is this calorie calculator free? Completely free. No sign up, no login, no limits.
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Last updated: March 2026 · Free tool by AllTheTools.com