Skip to content
ToolQivo

Calorie Calculator

Daily calories to maintain, lose or gain weight at your own pace.

Calculators Reviews Free · no sign-up

Most people should pick one level lower than they first think.

Maintenance calories

—

Eat this to stay at your current weight.

BMR (at rest)—
Mild loss — 0.25 kg/week—
Steady loss — 0.5 kg/week—
Fast loss — 1 kg/week—
Mild gain — 0.25 kg/week—
Steady gain — 0.5 kg/week—

An estimate from a population formula, not medical advice. Real expenditure varies by ten percent or more between individuals. Eat at the estimate for two to three weeks, then adjust based on what the scale actually does, and speak to a clinician or dietitian before making significant changes.

Quick Tool Overview

The Calorie Calculator estimates the calories you burn in a day from your age, sex, height, weight and activity level, then gives intake targets for maintaining, losing and gaining at several rates. It uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the formula most dietitians reach for.

What it does
Estimates daily calorie needs for maintenance, loss and gain
You give it
Age, sex, height, weight, activity level and a goal
You get back
A maintenance figure and targets at several rates of change
Best for
Weight goals, meal planning and setting a starting point
Calculators Free, unlimited use No sign-up Runs in your browser

About the Calorie Calculator

Enter your age, sex, height, weight and activity level to estimate the calories you burn in a day, then choose a goal to see the intake that goes with it. Targets are given for maintaining, losing and gaining at several rates rather than a single number.

The estimate uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which is the formula most dietitians reach for because it tracks measured expenditure better than the older Harris-Benedict revision. Treat the output as a starting point to test, not a fact: real expenditure varies with body composition, genetics, sleep, medication and non-exercise movement, so the sensible approach is to eat at the estimate for two or three weeks and adjust based on what the scale actually does.

Key features of the Calorie Calculator

Mifflin-St Jeor equation

The modern default, which tracks measured expenditure better than the older Harris-Benedict revision.

Several rates, not one number

Targets for losing or gaining at different paces, so you can pick a rate you will actually sustain.

Activity level included

Daily movement is factored in rather than assumed, since it is the largest variable after body size.

Presented as a starting point

Real expenditure varies with body composition, genetics, sleep and medication — the tool says to eat at the estimate for two or three weeks and adjust.

Metric and imperial

Enter your measurements in whichever units you think in.

How to use the Calorie Calculator

  1. 1

    Enter your details

    Age, sex, height and weight, in metric or imperial units.

  2. 2

    Pick your activity level

    Be honest here — most people overestimate. Desk work with a few gym sessions is lightly active, not very active.

  3. 3

    Choose a goal

    See maintenance calories alongside targets for losing or gaining at different rates.

  4. 4

    Adjust after two weeks

    Track your weight over a fortnight and adjust the target if the trend is not what you expected.

Frequently asked questions

A deficit of around 500 calories a day is a common target for losing roughly half a kilogram or one pound a week. Larger deficits work faster but are harder to sustain and risk losing muscle alongside fat.

Reviews of the Calorie Calculator

What people who use the Calorie Calculator think of it. Reviews come from visitors and are posted as written.

No ratings yet

Yours would be the first.

  • 5 0 reviews rated 5 stars
  • 4 0 reviews rated 4 stars
  • 3 0 reviews rated 3 stars
  • 2 0 reviews rated 2 stars
  • 1 0 reviews rated 1 star

Write a review

Used this tool? Your rating helps the next person decide.

Your rating

Plain text only — links, email addresses and HTML are not accepted. Your name and review are shown publicly; nothing else is collected. See the privacy policy.

0 reviews

Newest first

No reviews yet

Be the first to rate the Calorie Calculator. It takes half a minute and no account.

Write the first review

More calculators