Calorie Calculator
Your daily calories (BMR and TDEE) from the Mifflin-St Jeor equation.
About this calculator
Enter sex, age, height, weight and how active you are; get your BMR (what your body burns at complete rest) and TDEE (your real daily burn), plus calorie targets for gentle or standard weight change. It uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation โ the one dietitians default to since it out-predicted the older Harris-Benedict formula in validation studies. Free, no account, and nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere.
How to actually use the number
Treat the TDEE as a well-informed starting guess, not a verdict โ individuals genuinely vary by ยฑ10% or more around any formula. The method that works: eat near the suggested target for two or three weeks, watch the scale's weekly average (daily weight is noise), and adjust by 100โ200 calories if it's not moving as intended. The classic deficit of 500/day corresponds to roughly half a kilogram (one pound) a week โ steeper than that gets hard to sustain and harder to fuel workouts through. This is arithmetic, not medical advice; large changes deserve a professional. Pairs naturally with the BMI calculator for context and its honest limitations.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR is what you'd burn lying still all day โ the body's idle cost. TDEE multiplies it by your activity level to estimate your true daily burn, and it's the number to plan eating around.
How accurate is the calculation?
Mifflin-St Jeor is the best-validated general equation, but individuals still vary by ยฑ10% or more. Use it as a starting point and calibrate against what the scale's weekly average actually does.
How many calories to lose half a kilo a week?
About 500 below your TDEE per day โ the classic sustainable deficit, roughly a pound a week. Steeper deficits work briefly but are hard to sustain and to fuel training through.
Which activity level should I pick?
Most desk workers who exercise a few times a week are "light" or "moderate" โ people consistently overestimate. When in doubt pick the lower level and let the scale correct you.
Is my data stored?
No โ the calculation runs in your browser and nothing you enter is saved or transmitted. Free, no account.