Calorie Calculator
Find your daily calorie target for any goal.
Calorie Target Calculator
Takes your TDEE and a body-composition goal to output a daily calorie target with the right surplus or deficit.
Use the TDEE Calculator above, or enter manually.
0.5 kg ≈ 3,500 kcal. A 500 kcal/day deficit creates roughly 0.5 kg loss per week. Track your actual weight weekly for 4 weeks and adjust intake by ±100–200 kcal based on the trend — real-world tracking beats any formula.
About this calculator
Daily calorie needs depend on your metabolic rate, body size, age, and how active you are. This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation — the most validated formula for estimating BMR in the general population — then applies an activity multiplier to estimate TDEE. From that baseline, a goal-specific adjustment is applied: typically a 500-calorie deficit for fat loss (≈0.5 kg/week) or a 250–500 calorie surplus for lean muscle gain. Tracking calories does not need to be permanent; even a few weeks of data can calibrate your intuitive understanding of portion sizes and energy balance.
How to interpret your results
Use your result as a starting calorie target for 2 weeks. Weigh yourself each morning and calculate a 7-day rolling average. If your average weight is stable, the target equals your true maintenance. If it is dropping faster or slower than intended, adjust by 100–200 kcal increments. A loss of 0.5–0.75% of body weight per week is the ideal fat-loss rate for most people — enough to lose fat while preserving muscle. For muscle gain, aim for 0.25–0.5% body weight per week to minimise excess fat accumulation alongside muscle.
The science and formula
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation (1990) was derived from a study of 498 healthy adults aged 19–78 and consistently outperforms older equations in validation studies. BMR is calculated then multiplied by a Harris-Benedict activity factor. Goal adjustments are based on the 7,700 kcal/kg fat theorem (3,500 kcal/lb): a 500 kcal/day deficit creates a ~3,500 kcal weekly deficit, approximating 0.45 kg/week of fat loss. The surplus recommendation for muscle gain (250–500 kcal) is based on research showing that trained individuals can only synthesise approximately 0.5–1 kg of new muscle per month, limiting the surplus needed before it is stored as fat.
Important limitations
Calorie calculators produce estimates, not precise measurements. Food label accuracy is typically ±20% (FDA-allowed error margin), so even perfect tracking has inherent error. Metabolic rates vary significantly between individuals — some people have naturally higher or lower NEAT that is not captured by activity multipliers. Additionally, the thermic effect of food (the calories burned digesting food) varies by macronutrient: protein has a TEF of 20–30%, carbohydrates 5–10%, and fat 0–3%. A high-protein diet therefore burns slightly more calories in digestion than an equal-calorie high-fat diet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories should I eat to lose 1 kg per week?
One kilogram of body fat contains approximately 7,700 calories. To lose 1 kg per week requires a daily deficit of around 1,100 calories, which is aggressive for most people and risks muscle loss. A more sustainable target is 0.5 kg per week (550-calorie daily deficit).
Should I eat the same calories every day?
Total weekly calories matter more than hitting the same number every day. Many people find it practical to eat slightly less on rest days and more on training days, while keeping the weekly total consistent. Weekday uniformity with weekend flexibility often works well long-term.
Why am I not losing weight at a calorie deficit?
Common causes: underestimating food intake (tracking errors add up to 20–50% in studies), overestimating exercise burn, water retention masking fat loss (often from high sodium or carbohydrate changes), or a starting calorie estimate that was too high. Weigh food and track for 2 weeks to identify the discrepancy.
What is the minimum safe calorie intake?
General guidelines suggest no less than 1,200 kcal/day for women and 1,500 kcal/day for men to meet micronutrient minimums and prevent metabolic adaptation. Very low calorie diets (below 800 kcal) require medical supervision. In practice, most people do best staying above 1,500 (women) and 1,800 (men) to support training performance and hormonal health.
Do calories from different foods matter equally?
For body weight, a calorie is essentially a calorie — total energy balance determines weight change. For body composition and health, food quality matters enormously. Protein calories support muscle retention. Whole foods provide micronutrients, fibre, and hormonal satiety signals that processed foods do not. Meeting your calorie target with high-quality food is far better than hitting it with processed food.
How many calories do I need to maintain muscle while losing fat?
Keep protein high (1.8–2.5 g/kg body weight) and limit the deficit to 300–500 kcal/day maximum. Continue resistance training at maintained or slightly reduced volume. This combination consistently preserves 90–95% of lean mass during a cut. Deeper deficits increase muscle loss risk, even with adequate protein.
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