Calorie Calculator
Calculate your daily calorie needs, BMR and TDEE to maintain, lose or gain weight. Personalised for age, height, weight and activity.
Not medical advice — these are estimates. Consult a doctor or dietitian before making major diet changes.
Daily calories to maintain weight
2,507 kcal
Based on TDEE of 2,507 kcal/day
Lose/gain uses a ±500 kcal adjustment, roughly 0.5 kg per week.
BMR
1,618 kcal
Resting energy needs
TDEE
2,507 kcal
With your activity
Suggested macros at 2,507 kcal
Protein
188 g
30% of calories
Carbs
251 g
40% of calories
Fat
84 g
30% of calories
Estimates use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, considered one of the most accurate for adults. These are guidance, not medical advice — talk to a doctor or dietitian before major diet changes.
How it works
Mifflin-St Jeor: male BMR = 10W + 6.25H − 5A + 5; female BMR = 10W + 6.25H − 5A − 161. TDEE = BMR × activity.
Example: male 70 kg / 170 cm / 30 yr, moderate activity → TDEE ≈ 2,507 kcal.
Last updated: September 2026
How this calculator is verified
Checked by True Calculator automated test suite on
- Formula verified against a published worked example in the automated test suite
- Edge cases (zero, negative, boundary and unit-mismatch inputs) covered by unit tests
The full verification method is on our how we verify page. Found an error? Tell us and we will re-check it.
When to Use This Calculator
Use the calorie calculator when you need a daily calorie target that actually matches your goal — losing, maintaining or gaining weight. In India, where portion sizes and eating patterns vary widely, starting from your BMR and activity level is more reliable than copying a friend's plan or a generic chart. Enter your age, height, weight and activity to see maintenance calories, then adjust down for weight loss or up for muscle gain. Trainers use it to build diet plans, people starting a fitness journey use it to understand why the scale moves, and anyone tracking food in an app needs this number as the daily budget. Recalculate after every 4–5 kg change, since a lighter body burns fewer calories.
How to Use This Calculator
- Step 1: Choose metric or imperial units, then enter your weight, height, age and sex.
- Step 2: Pick the activity level that matches your typical week, from sedentary to very active.
- Step 3: Choose a goal: maintain, lose or gain weight.
- Step 4: Read your BMR, TDEE and daily calorie target, plus the protein, carb and fat gram suggestions that go with the target.
Worked Example
Consider a 30-year-old man in Delhi who is 170 cm tall, weighs 70 kg and works at a desk. With the sedentary activity option selected, the Mifflin-St Jeor equation puts his BMR at about 1,618 calories. Multiplying by the sedentary factor of 1.2 gives a TDEE of about 1,941 calories, and choosing the lose-weight goal subtracts 500, so the calculator suggests roughly 1,441 calories a day. The same page shows protein, carb and fat gram targets based on a 30/40/30 split to help plan meals.
Tips and Common Mistakes
- •Tip 1: Be honest about your activity level; office workers in India usually sit for most of the day, so sedentary or light is often the right pick.
- •Tip 2: Recalculate after any 5 kg weight change, because the equation depends directly on your current body weight.
- •Tip 3: Treat the calorie target as a starting point and adjust after two weeks based on how the scale actually moves.
- ✗Mistake 1: Choosing the very active level and then eating back every exercise calorie, which usually stalls weight loss.
- ✗Mistake 2: Entering age in years but height in inches while the calculator is set to metric, which mixes units and corrupts the result.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories should I eat a day?
It depends on your age, sex, weight, height and activity level. The calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to find your BMR, multiplies it by an activity factor to get your daily maintenance calories, then adjusts by ±500 kcal for weight loss or gain.
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR (basal metabolic rate) is the energy your body needs at complete rest just to stay alive. TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) adds the calories you burn through daily activity and exercise. Your maintenance calories equal your TDEE.
How much weight can I lose with a 500 calorie deficit?
Roughly 0.5 kg per week, since 0.5 kg of body fat holds about 3,500 calories. Faster weight loss is possible but harder to sustain and should be done carefully.
Is the calorie estimate accurate?
Mifflin-St Jeor is one of the most accurate equations for adults, but it is still an estimate. Your real needs vary with muscle mass, hormones and daily activity. Use the result as a starting point and adjust based on your actual results.
Are the macros percentages right for me?
The suggested split of 30% protein, 40% carbs and 30% fat is a balanced general starting point. Individual needs differ, especially for athletes or people with specific health conditions.
Compare these tools
- BMI Calculator — Calculate your Body Mass Index instantly and see your WHO weight category
- Soup Calculator — Scale soup recipes to any number of servings and estimate the broth you need, so your pot always matches the number of people you are feeding
You might also need
Related calculators from other categories
Construction
Brick Calculator
Calculate the number of bricks, mortar volume and cost for a wall using Indian standard brick size, in feet and inches.
Date
Business Days Calculator
Count working days between two dates (weekends excluded) or add business days to a date to plan deliveries and deadlines.
Date
Day of Week Calculator
Find the weekday of any date, plus day of year, ISO week number, Julian day and month facts. Great for historical dates and event planning.
Everyday
Gas Mileage Calculator
Calculate your car's fuel economy in mpg or L/100km from distance and fuel used. See cost per mile, annual fuel cost and CO2 emissions.