Calorie calculator
Find how many calories a day you need to lose, maintain or gain weight. Pick a goal and the calculator does the rest.
Calorie calculator examples
Sample people, made up to show how the numbers change. Load one into the calculator to tweak it.
Maya, losing slowly
Maya, 29, 165 cm (5'5"), 68 kg (150 lb), lightly active, wants to lose 0.25 kg a week
Lose about 0.25 kg (0.5 lb) a week
1,680 cal
calories a day
- Maintenance (TDEE)
- 1,930 cal
- Change from maintenance
- −250 cal
| Goal | calories a day |
|---|---|
| Lose about 1 kg (2 lb) a week | 1,200 cal (floor) |
| Lose about 0.5 kg (1 lb) a week | 1,430 cal |
| Lose about 0.25 kg (0.5 lb) a week | 1,680 cal |
| Maintain my weight | 1,930 cal |
| Gain about 0.25 kg (0.5 lb) a week | 2,180 cal |
| Gain about 0.5 kg (1 lb) a week | 2,430 cal |
- Calories in a pound or kilo of body weight are an average. Real progress wobbles week to week.
Dev, building
Dev, 34, 178 cm (5'10"), 84 kg (185 lb), works out 3-5 days a week, wants to gain 0.25 kg a week
Gain about 0.25 kg (0.5 lb) a week
3,020 cal
calories a day
- Maintenance (TDEE)
- 2,770 cal
- Change from maintenance
- +250 cal
| Goal | calories a day |
|---|---|
| Lose about 1 kg (2 lb) a week | 1,770 cal |
| Lose about 0.5 kg (1 lb) a week | 2,270 cal |
| Lose about 0.25 kg (0.5 lb) a week | 2,520 cal |
| Maintain my weight | 2,770 cal |
| Gain about 0.25 kg (0.5 lb) a week | 3,020 cal |
| Gain about 0.5 kg (1 lb) a week | 3,270 cal |
- Calories in a pound or kilo of body weight are an average. Real progress wobbles week to week.
Lin, losing
Lin, 52, 162 cm (5'4"), 92 kg (203 lb), desk job, wants to lose 0.5 kg a week
Lose about 0.5 kg (1 lb) a week
1,320 cal
calories a day
- Maintenance (TDEE)
- 1,820 cal
- Change from maintenance
- −500 cal
| Goal | calories a day |
|---|---|
| Lose about 1 kg (2 lb) a week | 1,200 cal (floor) |
| Lose about 0.5 kg (1 lb) a week | 1,320 cal |
| Lose about 0.25 kg (0.5 lb) a week | 1,570 cal |
| Maintain my weight | 1,820 cal |
| Gain about 0.25 kg (0.5 lb) a week | 2,070 cal |
| Gain about 0.5 kg (1 lb) a week | 2,320 cal |
- Calories in a pound or kilo of body weight are an average. Real progress wobbles week to week.
How the calorie calculator works
We start with your maintenance calories (TDEE) from the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and your activity level.
Then we add or subtract calories for your goal. About 500 calories a day under maintenance works out to roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) a week.
We never go below 1,200 calories a day for women or 1,500 for men. Going lower is something to do with a doctor.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories should I eat a day?
It depends on your size, age and activity. Most adults land between 1,600 and 3,000. The calculator gives your number.
How many calories to lose 1 lb a week?
About 500 calories a day below your maintenance. That is an average; real loss varies week to week.
Do I need to count calories forever?
No. Many people track for a few weeks to learn portions, then go by feel. Knowing your number makes takeout choices easier.
Sources
- Mifflin et al. (1990), a new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure
- Hall (2008), what is the required energy deficit per unit weight loss?
These tools give estimates for healthy adults. They are not medical advice. If you are pregnant, under 18 or managing a health condition, check with your doctor or a registered dietitian.