Calculate total daily calorie needs and set practical deficit or surplus targets.
A calorie calculator estimates your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), then adjusts intake for your goal: maintain, lose, or gain weight.
Effective calorie targets combine realistic weekly rate goals with protein intake, training consistency, and regular progress checks.
Use Mifflin-St Jeor from sex, age, height, and weight.
Choose sedentary, light, moderate, very active, or athlete.
Multiply BMR by activity factor to get TDEE.
Use deficit for fat loss or surplus for gain.
Assign protein, fat minimums, and remaining carbs.
Adjust 100 to 200 kcal after 2 to 3 weeks if needed.
TDEE = BMR x Activity Factor; Goal Calories = TDEE +/- Adjustment
Maintenance calories are estimated by scaling BMR to activity level, then shifted up or down to match your target rate of change.
TDEE = 1,500 x 1.55 = 2,325
Maintenance calories: 2,325 kcal/day
Goal = 2,325 - 500 = 1,825
Weight-loss target: 1,825 kcal/day
Goal = 2,600 + 250 = 2,850
Muscle-gain target: 2,850 kcal/day