Estimate the calories your body needs each day from your age, sex, size and activity level.
How this calculator arrives at its answer
Daily calorie need is your resting metabolic rate scaled up by how much you move. The Mifflin-St Jeor equation handles the resting part and the activity multiplier does the rest.
Treat the result as a starting estimate. Individual metabolism varies by several hundred calories, so adjust based on what actually happens to your weight over two or three weeks.
Worked example
Take the starting scenario, a activity level of Moderate (3–5 days/wk). That gives a maintenance of 2,556. Underneath, BMR comes out at 1,649 kcal and Maintain weight at 2,556 kcal. Change any field and every figure updates as you type.
How to use it
- Enter sex, age, height and weight.
- Pick the activity level that matches your week.
- Read your maintenance calorie figure.
The maths behind it
BMR = 10×kg + 6.25×cm − 5×age + s
maintenance = BMR × activity factor
Common questions
Why does my calculated need differ from apps?
Different equations and activity multipliers produce different figures. Consistency over time matters more than which formula you use.
Should I eat back exercise calories?
If your activity multiplier already accounts for training, adding exercise calories on top double-counts them.