Calculate your daily calorie needs online free - no login. Enter your age, gender, weight (kg), height (cm), and activity level to get your BMR, TDEE, and a 500-calorie deficit/surplus estimate. Not medical advice.
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Health & Wellness Disclaimer
Calculations and estimates provided by this tool are for informational and educational purposes only. They are not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified physician or healthcare professional regarding any health condition or medical decision.
Generic advice like 'eat 2,000 calories' ignores that a 90kg active man and a 55kg sedentary woman have completely different calorie needs. This calculator gives you a personalized estimate based on your actual measurements and lifestyle - a reasonable starting point for planning, not a medical or clinical determination.
Enter your age, gender, weight (kg), height (cm), and activity level to get your BMR, TDEE, and calorie targets for a 500-calorie deficit or surplus - calculated using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, entirely in your browser. This is an estimate for general planning, not medical advice - see the safety notes below before using the deficit number, especially if you're pregnant, under 18, or have a history of disordered eating.
Input your age, gender, weight (kg), and height (cm).
Choose from 5 fixed activity levels, from sedentary to extra active.
Click Calculate to see all four results at once - no separate goal selection.
View your BMR, TDEE, and calorie targets for a 500-calorie deficit and surplus.
Age, gender, weight in kg, and height in cm - metric units only.
Choose from 5 fixed levels, from sedentary to extra active.
See all four numbers at once: BMR, TDEE, a 500-calorie deficit target, and a 500-calorie surplus target.
This tool doesn't warn you if the deficit number is unsafely low for your situation - check the guidance on this page, especially around minimum calorie floors and who shouldn't use a deficit without medical supervision.
Best For
Input
Male, age 25, weight 70kg, height 175cm, Lightly ActiveResult
BMR ≈ 1,674 kcal, TDEE ≈ 2,302 kcal, Loss target ≈ 1,802 kcal, Gain target ≈ 2,802 kcalBMR = 10×weight + 6.25×height − 5×age + 5 (men) or −161 (women); TDEE = BMR × the selected activity multiplier (1.2 to 1.9); both loss and gain targets are always exactly ±500 from TDEE, not adjustable.
Input
Any set of inputsResult
"Weight Loss (−500 kcal)" and "Weight Gain (+500 kcal)" - always this exact numberThere's no slow/moderate/fast rate selector - only one fixed deficit and one fixed surplus amount are ever calculated.
Input
Inputs that produce a deficit target below common minimum-calorie guidanceResult
The number is shown with no warning, flag, or disclaimer in the tool's own UIThe calculator has no built-in floor or population check - the safety guidance on this page exists specifically because the tool itself doesn't provide it.
More specific than generic "eat 2,000 calories" advice, based on your actual stats.
See both fixed targets alongside your TDEE in one view.
Recalculate with a different activity level to see the effect on TDEE.
Problem
Solution
It's a formula-based estimate for general planning - not a substitute for advice from a doctor or registered dietitian, especially if you have a medical condition.
Problem
Solution
The tool has no minimum-calorie floor or population warnings built in - see the safety notes on this page, particularly if you're pregnant, under 18, or have a history of disordered eating.
Problem
Solution
There isn't one - the deficit and surplus are always fixed at exactly 500 calories.
Problem
Solution
The calculator only accepts kilograms and centimeters - there's no unit toggle or conversion.
Problem
Solution
None of these are calculated here - only BMR, TDEE, and the two fixed ±500 targets.
Track your actual weight for 2-3 weeks and adjust by 100-200 calories if results don't match expectations.
General guidance suggests not going under roughly 1,200 calories/day for most women or 1,500 for most men without a doctor's involvement - this tool won't stop you from seeing a lower number, so apply this floor yourself.
TDEE drops as you lose weight and changes with age - the original number won't stay accurate indefinitely.
Most people over-pick "Moderately" or "Very" active - a desk job plus a few weekly workouts is usually "Lightly active," not higher.
This is a formula-based estimate for general planning - consult a doctor or registered dietitian before using it to guide a medical condition, pregnancy, or significant dietary change.
The tool will show a deficit number regardless of how low it is - it doesn't warn you or stop you. This matters most for anyone under 18, pregnant, or with a history of disordered eating, who should not use this tool's deficit number without professional guidance.
There's no Harris-Benedict or Katch-McArdle option, and no lean-mass-based calculation for athletic users.
No slow/moderate/fast rate options - just one deficit number and one surplus number, always exactly 500 calories from TDEE.
Weight in kg, height in cm - no imperial input or conversion.
Only BMR, TDEE, and the two ±500 targets are calculated.
The tool doesn't warn you if you've likely over-selected your activity level - the single most common input error for this type of calculator.
Both estimate calorie needs, but only one includes built-in safety guardrails.
| This Tool (Formula Only, No Guardrails) | A Full YMYL-Compliant Calculator | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum-calorie floor / warning | None - shown regardless of how low | Often flagged or capped |
| Goal-rate options (slow/moderate/fast) | Fixed ±500 only | Often selectable |
| Population warnings (pregnancy, age, etc.) | Not in the tool - stated as page content only | Sometimes built into the input flow |
Most calorie calculator questions come from people confused about the gap between BMR, TDEE, and their actual goal. The general idea: eat around your TDEE for maintenance, or below it for a deficit - but read the safety notes on this page first, since this tool has no built-in floor on how low that deficit number can go.
No. This is a formula-based estimate (Mifflin-St Jeor) for general planning, not medical or clinical guidance, and the tool has no way to account for your medical history. Consult a doctor or registered dietitian before using it to guide a medical condition, pregnancy, an eating disorder history, or any significant change to your diet - especially if you're under 18.
This tool doesn't enforce a minimum - it will show a deficit number regardless of how low it is. General guidance suggests not going under roughly 1,200 calories/day for most women or 1,500 for most men without medical supervision, since lower intakes are linked to muscle loss, fatigue, and hormonal disruption. If your calculated deficit target falls below this, that's a signal to talk to a healthcare provider rather than proceed on your own - this applies with extra caution for pregnant users, minors, and anyone with a history of disordered eating.
No. It always shows a single fixed 500-calorie deficit and a single fixed 500-calorie surplus alongside your BMR and TDEE - there's no rate selector. If you want a gentler or more aggressive rate, you'll need to adjust the number yourself using your own judgment or a professional's guidance.
This is the most common input error with calculators like this one: most people over-estimate and pick "Moderately active" or "Very active" when their actual weekly activity is closer to "Lightly active." A desk job plus a few weekly workouts is usually "Lightly active," not higher - picking too high an activity level can overstate your TDEE by a few hundred calories.
A calorie deficit of 500 calories per day produces approximately 0.45 kg (1 lb) of fat loss per week. Calculate your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) first, then subtract 500 from that number. For example, if your TDEE is 2,200 calories, eating 1,700 calories per day will result in roughly 2 kg of fat loss per month. Avoid deficits larger than 1,000 calories per day, which increases muscle loss risk.
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the number of calories your body burns at complete rest - just to keep organs functioning. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is BMR multiplied by an activity factor that accounts for how much you move each day. Your calorie intake should be compared against TDEE, not BMR. BMR for a sedentary adult typically sits between 1,300–1,800 calories; TDEE for the same person is usually 1,600–2,200.
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is accurate within ±10% for most adults. It is more accurate than the older Harris-Benedict formula. Individual variation - from genetics, gut microbiome, and hormonal factors - means no formula is perfectly precise. Use the output as a starting point, track your actual weight for 2–3 weeks, and adjust by 100–200 calories if results don't match expectations.
Maintenance calories equal your TDEE - the total calories your body burns daily including activity. For a lightly active adult woman this is typically 1,800–2,200 calories. For a lightly active adult man it is typically 2,200–2,800 calories. Use this calculator with your actual weight, height, age, and activity level to get a personalized number.
Yes - calorie counting is a tool, not a requirement. Strategies like eating whole foods, reducing ultra-processed food, eating slowly, and tracking hunger signals can produce similar results. However, a calorie calculator gives you a concrete number to understand your baseline, which is useful even if you don't count daily.
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