Calorie Calculator

Calorie calculator: daily calories to maintain your weight, from your BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor) and activity level.

Editorial review: Farrow (pseudonym; identity and professional credentials are not disclosed). This page is for educational purposes, not professional advice.

Your inputs

Results update as you type. Nothing you enter leaves your device.

Daily calories

2,630 kcal

BMR: 1,696 kcal
Mild weight loss: 2,130 kcal

Example with the starting values

These results use the calculator's initial inputs. Change the values above to calculate your own estimate.

Inputs

Sex: Male
Age: 35 yrs
Weight: 170 lb
Height (feet): 5 ft
Height (inches): 9 in
Activity: Moderate (3-5 days/wk)

Results

Daily calories: 2,630 kcal
BMR: 1,696 kcal
Mild weight loss: 2,130 kcal

How does the Calorie Calculator work?

A calorie is a unit of food energy, and your daily calorie need is the energy you burn in a day (TDEE). BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor) = 10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age, then +5 for men or −161 for women. Daily calories = BMR × activity factor.

Activity factors range from 1.2 for sedentary to 1.9 for very active. For example, a 35-year-old man who weighs 170 lb at 5 ft 9 in has a BMR of about 1,697 kcal, or about 2,630 kcal a day with moderate exercise.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories should I eat a day?

It depends on size, age, sex and activity. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans estimate about 1,600 to 2,400 a day for adult women and 2,000 to 3,000 for adult men.

What is BMR?

BMR (basal metabolic rate) is the calories your body burns at complete rest to stay alive. A 35-year-old, 170 lb man at 5 ft 9 in has a BMR of about 1,697 kcal a day.

What is TDEE?

TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is your BMR times an activity factor. A BMR of 1,700 kcal with moderate activity (1.55) gives a TDEE of about 2,635 kcal a day.