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Calorie Calculator
Calculate your daily calorie needs, Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), and macronutrient breakdown. Get weight-loss and muscle-gain goals with three scientific formulas — all free and private.
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Understanding Your Daily Calorie Needs
You want to lose weight, gain muscle, or simply maintain a healthy body composition, but you have no idea how many calories you actually burn in a day. You've heard about "calories in, calories out" but the math feels impossible without knowing your baseline. Maybe you've tried a crash diet that left you exhausted because the calorie target was too low, or you've been eating more than you realized and can't figure out why the scale won't budge.
Our Calorie Calculator takes the guesswork out of nutrition planning. Enter your age, height, weight, gender, and activity level, and instantly see your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) — the calories your body burns at rest — and your total daily calorie needs including activity. Compare results across three scientifically validated formulas (Mifflin-St Jeor, Harris-Benedict, Katch-McArdle). See calorie targets for weight loss, maintenance, and muscle gain with safety floors built in. Get macronutrient breakdowns with five preset diets — balanced, low-carb, high-protein, high-carb, and keto.
How to Calculate Your Daily Calories
01
Enter Your Measurements
Input your gender, age, height, and weight using your preferred units — metric (cm, kg) or imperial (feet/inches, pounds). If you know your body fat percentage, enter it to unlock the Katch-McArdle formula for greater accuracy.
02
Select Your Activity Level
Choose the activity level that best describes your typical week. Be honest — overestimating activity is the most common mistake. Sedentary means a desk job with no exercise. Moderately active is 3-5 sessions per week.
03
Review Your Results
See your daily calories, BMR, and BMI instantly. Review calorie targets for six different goals — from extreme loss to weight gain. Compare results across all three formulas.
04
Plan Your Macros and Track
Choose a macro preset (Balanced, Low-Carb, High-Protein, High-Carb, or Keto) to see exactly how many grams of protein, carbs, and fat to eat. Save results to history and export as CSV.
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Calculator Features
BMR & Daily Calories
Calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate and total daily calorie needs using scientifically validated formulas.
Three BMR Formulas
Compare Mifflin-St Jeor, Harris-Benedict, and Katch-McArdle side by side for the most accurate estimate.
Calorie Goal Targets
Six calorie targets from extreme weight loss to moderate weight gain with built-in safety floors.
Macro Breakdown
Five preset macro splits with exact gram amounts for protein, carbs, and fat at your calorie level.
Five Activity Levels
Standard activity multipliers from sedentary (1.2x) to extremely active (1.9x) with clear descriptions.
Flexible Units
Switch between cm, meters, feet+inches for height and kg or pounds for weight with auto-conversion.
History Tracking
Save calculations to local history. Track changes over time and export as CSV for personal records.
Privacy-First
All health data stays on your device in browser storage. Nothing is sent to our servers.
BMI & Body Fat Integration
Enter your body fat percentage to unlock the most accurate Katch-McArdle formula.
BMR Formulas and Activity Multipliers
Your daily calories are calculated by finding your BMR (calories burned at rest) and multiplying by an activity factor. Here's how the three formulas compare:
BMR Formula Comparison
| Formula | Year | Inputs | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mifflin-St Jeor | 1990 | Weight, Height, Age, Gender | General population — most accurate for average body types |
| Harris-Benedict | 1984 (revised) | Weight, Height, Age, Gender | Classic formula, well-studied over decades |
| Katch-McArdle | 1996 | Lean Body Mass (needs body fat %) | Athletes and those who know their body fat percentage |
Activity Level Multipliers
| Level | Multiplier | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | 1.2x | Office job, little or no exercise |
| Lightly Active | 1.375x | Light exercise 1-2 days per week |
| Moderately Active | 1.55x | Moderate exercise 3-5 days per week |
| Very Active | 1.725x | Hard exercise 6-7 days per week |
| Extremely Active | 1.9x | Athlete, physical job, or 2x daily training |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between BMR and daily calories (TDEE)?
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the number of calories your body burns at complete rest — just to keep you alive. Your daily calories (TDEE) is your BMR multiplied by an activity factor, representing the total calories you burn in a day including physical activity and digestion.
Which formula should I use?
For most people, Mifflin-St Jeor is the best choice — it's the most widely recommended by nutritionists. If you know your body fat percentage, Katch-McArdle may be more accurate as it accounts for lean body mass. Harris-Benedict is a solid classic alternative.
How accurate is the calorie calculation?
Calorie calculations provide an estimate with roughly +/-10% accuracy. The biggest source of error is activity level selection. Start with the calculated value, track your weight for 2-3 weeks, and adjust by 100-200 calories if needed.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
A deficit of 500 calories per day below your daily needs results in roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) of weight loss per week. Never go below 1,200 calories (women) or 1,500 calories (men) per day without medical supervision.
What macro split should I choose?
Balanced (30P/40C/30F) works for most goals. Choose High Protein (40P/30C/30F) if you're building muscle. Low Carb (40P/20C/40F) may help with blood sugar management. Keto (25P/5C/70F) is for strict ketogenic diets. High Carb (25P/50C/25F) suits endurance athletes.
Is this calculator free?
Yes, completely free with unlimited calculations. No registration required. Your data is stored locally on your device for privacy — we never send personal measurements to our servers.