TRENES

Calorie Calculator

Calculate your daily calorie needs based on your activity level.

Written by Kübra Yıldız · Reviewed by Furkan Tur · Updated

Your result will appear here

Fill in the fields and press Calculate.

Maintaining, losing or gaining weight all come down to one number: your daily maintenance calories — the energy you need to keep your current weight with no change. Eat below it and you lose, above it and you gain; that's the whole logic of calorie counting.

Enter your age, height, weight, sex and activity level, and your basal metabolism, daily maintenance calories and loss/gain targets are calculated together.

Calorie Calculator: step-by-step worked example

Example inputs
Sex
Male
Age
35
Weight (kg)
80
Height (cm)
178
Activity level
Moderately active (3-5 workouts/week)
  1. 1

    Basal metabolic rate (Mifflin-St Jeor)

    BMR = 10×kg + 6.25×cm − 5×age + (male +5 / female −161)

    10 × 80 + 6.25 × 178 − 5 × 35 + 5 = 1,742.5 kcal

  2. 2

    Activity factor (PAL)

    Sedentary 1.2 · Lightly active 1.375 · Moderately active 1.55 · Active 1.725 · Very active 1.9

    = 1.55

  3. 3

    Maintenance calories

    Maintenance = round(BMR × PAL)

    1,742.5 × 1.55 = 2,701 kcal

  4. 4

    Gentle weight-loss target

    Target = Maintenance − 300

    2,701 − 300 = 2,401 kcal

  5. 5

    Gentle weight-gain target

    Target = Maintenance + 300

    2,701 + 300 = 3,001 kcal

Result · Daily calorie needs2,701 kcal
Daily calories by activity level
  • Sedentary2,091 kcal
  • Lightly active2,396 kcal
  • Moderately active2,701 kcal
  • Active3,006 kcal
  • Very active3,311 kcal
Daily calories by goal
  • Lose weight2,401 kcal
  • Maintain2,701 kcal
  • Gain weight3,001 kcal

Good to know: BMR uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and the usual PAL multipliers. Treat the result as a starting point: track your weight for 2–3 weeks and adjust by 100–200 kcal. ±300 kcal/day is roughly 0.25–0.3 kg per week; see a dietitian if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or have a chronic condition.

Calorie Calculator — how it works

A two-layer calculation

1. Basal metabolic rate (BMR): the energy burned just to stay alive — breathing, circulation, organ function — with no movement. The tool uses the widely accepted Mifflin-St Jeor formula:

  • Men: 10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age + 5
  • Women: 10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age − 161

2. Activity multiplier (PAL): BMR is multiplied by how active you are.

Activity levelMultiplier
Sedentary (desk job)1.20
Lightly active (1-3 days/week)1.375
Moderately active (3-5 days)1.55
Very active (6-7 days)1.725
Extremely active (hard job/2× training)1.90

Targets by goal

  • Maintain: eat at your maintenance calories.
  • Lose: aim for a ~300-500 kcal deficit per day; ~0.3-0.5 kg per week is a healthy pace. Extreme deficits (1000+ kcal/day) cost muscle and aren't sustainable.
  • Gain: aim for a ~300-500 kcal surplus; pair with training to build muscle.

Calorie quality matters too: within the same calories, protein is decisive for satiety and preserving muscle. For a macro split use a protein calculator and a macro calculator.

Worked example

A 30-year-old man, 180 cm, 82 kg: BMR = 10×82 + 6.25×180 − 5×30 + 5 = 1,800 kcal. If moderately active (3-5 days of exercise a week) his maintenance is 1,800 × 1.55 = 2,790 kcal. To lose weight he'd target roughly a 300 kcal deficit at 2,490 kcal, losing about half a kilo a week. If sedentary, his maintenance would drop to 1,800 × 1.20 = 2,160 kcal — showing that activity alone accounts for a 630 kcal difference per day.

Daily calorie needs — male, 30 years, 175 cm

WeightSedentaryLightModerateActive
55 kg1,799 kcal2,061 kcal2,323 kcal2,585 kcal
60 kg1,859 kcal2,130 kcal2,401 kcal2,672 kcal
65 kg1,919 kcal2,198 kcal2,478 kcal2,758 kcal
70 kg1,979 kcal2,267 kcal2,556 kcal2,844 kcal
75 kg2,039 kcal2,336 kcal2,633 kcal2,930 kcal
80 kg2,099 kcal2,405 kcal2,711 kcal3,017 kcal
85 kg2,159 kcal2,473 kcal2,788 kcal3,103 kcal
90 kg2,219 kcal2,542 kcal2,866 kcal3,189 kcal
95 kg2,279 kcal2,611 kcal2,943 kcal3,275 kcal
100 kg2,339 kcal2,680 kcal3,021 kcal3,362 kcal

Daily calorie needs — female, 30 years, 165 cm

WeightSedentaryLightModerateActive
55 kg1,524 kcal1,747 kcal1,969 kcal2,191 kcal
60 kg1,584 kcal1,815 kcal2,046 kcal2,277 kcal
65 kg1,644 kcal1,884 kcal2,124 kcal2,364 kcal
70 kg1,704 kcal1,953 kcal2,201 kcal2,450 kcal
75 kg1,764 kcal2,022 kcal2,279 kcal2,536 kcal
80 kg1,824 kcal2,090 kcal2,356 kcal2,622 kcal
85 kg1,884 kcal2,159 kcal2,434 kcal2,709 kcal
90 kg1,944 kcal2,228 kcal2,511 kcal2,795 kcal
95 kg2,004 kcal2,297 kcal2,589 kcal2,881 kcal
100 kg2,064 kcal2,365 kcal2,666 kcal2,967 kcal

Maintenance calories via Mifflin-St Jeor; subtract roughly 300-500 kcal to lose weight.

Frequently asked questions

How are daily calorie needs calculated?+

First the basal metabolic rate (BMR) is found with the Mifflin-St Jeor formula, then multiplied by an activity factor (1.2–1.9). The result is the calories needed to maintain your weight.

How many calories should I eat to lose weight?+

About 300-500 kcal below your maintenance per day. That gives a healthy, sustainable loss of roughly 0.3-0.5 kg per week. Very large deficits cost muscle mass.

Is BMR the same as daily calorie needs?+

No. BMR is the energy burned at complete rest; daily needs are BMR multiplied by an activity factor to reflect your real life. Daily needs are always higher than BMR.

How do I choose my activity level?+

Consider how many days and how intensely you move: a desk job with little walking is "sedentary," 3-5 training days is "moderately active." If unsure, choosing one level lower is safer.

Why do calorie needs differ between men and women?+

The formula adds +5 for men and −161 for women, reflecting average differences in muscle mass and body composition. At the same height, weight and age, a man's needs are somewhat higher.

How much should I trust the calculated figure?+

Formulas give a good starting estimate, but metabolism varies. Follow the figure for 2-3 weeks and track your weight; if the change differs from expected, adjust by 100-200 kcal.

Sources

About this page

Publisher:
Kalkoro — Teknolojig Bilişim Teknolojileri A.Ş., İstanbul
Written by:
Kübra Yıldız — Editor (Health, nutrition, pregnancy, education, exam scores)
Reviewed by:
Furkan Tur — Editor

Parameters come from official sources; the last update date is shown at the bottom of the page.

Spotted a wrong result? Use the "Report a bug" button at the top of the page; every report is reviewed.

How we calculate and our accuracy policy →

This tool is for general information only and is not medical diagnosis, treatment or advice. Consult a physician for decisions about your health.

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