How many calories should I eat per day?

Daily calorie needs vary based on age, sex, weight, height, and activity level. The average adult needs 1,600–2,400 kcal/day (women) or 2,000–3,000 kcal/day (men). This calculator provides a personalized estimate based on your specific characteristics.

Is a 1,000 calorie deficit safe?

A 1,000 calorie/day deficit (targeting ~1 kg/week loss) is generally safe for people with significant excess weight but may be too aggressive for lighter individuals. It can lead to muscle loss, nutrient deficiencies, and metabolic adaptation. Most health professionals recommend a 500 calorie deficit for sustainable loss.

Why do I need protein?

Protein is essential for muscle repair and growth, immune function, enzyme production, and satiety. During weight loss, adequate protein (1.6-2.2g/kg) helps preserve muscle mass. During muscle gain, it provides the building blocks for new muscle tissue.

Why am I not losing weight at a calorie deficit?

Common reasons include: inaccurate calorie tracking (underestimating food intake), metabolic adaptation (body reduces BMR in response to restriction), water retention masking fat loss, or the calorie estimates being inaccurate for your individual metabolism. Track consistently for 4+ weeks before adjusting.

Should I eat back exercise calories?

This depends on how you calculated your TDEE. If you used an activity factor that already accounts for your exercise, do not eat back calories. If you used 'sedentary' and exercise separately, eating back 50-75% of estimated exercise calories is a reasonable approach to account for calorie tracking inaccuracies.

Health

Calorie Calculator

Calculate daily calorie needs for weight loss, maintenance, or muscle gain based on your goals and activity level.

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Enter Values

Age(years)*

Biological Sex

Current Weight(kg)*

Height(cm)*

Activity Level

Goal

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Results

Enter values above to see results

Target = TDEE + Calorie Adjustment (based on goal)

Variables

TDEETotal Daily Energy Expenditure

−500 kcalDeficit for ~0.5 kg/week loss

+250 kcalSurplus for ~0.25 kg/week gain

Explanation

One kilogram of body fat contains approximately 7,700 calories. A daily deficit of 500 calories creates a weekly deficit of 3,500 calories, theoretically resulting in 0.5 kg of fat loss per week. Protein targets are set at 1.6-2.2g per kg of body weight to support muscle maintenance and growth.

What is the Calorie Calculator?

Calorie management is the cornerstone of body weight control. While nutrition quality matters enormously for health, the fundamental principle of energy balance - calories in versus calories out - determines whether you lose, maintain, or gain weight. A personalized calorie calculator bridges the gap between general guidelines and your specific needs.

How to Use This Calculator

Enter your personal details and select your goal. The calculator computes your BMR using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, adjusts for activity level to get TDEE, then applies the appropriate calorie adjustment for your goal. It also provides a protein target to support your body composition goals.

Worked Examples

Man, 80 kg, 180 cm, 30, moderately active — losing weight slowly

Activity factor 1.55, goal a slow 0.5 kg/week loss.

BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor): 1,780 kcal/day
TDEE = 1,780 × 1.55: 2,759 kcal/day
Adjustment for goal: −500 kcal/day
Daily target: 2,259 kcal/day
Protein target (1.8 g/kg): 144 g/day

Eat about 2,259 kcal/day for roughly 0.5 kg of loss a week.

1 kg of body fat ≈ 7,700 kcal, so a 500 kcal daily deficit works out to about 0.5 kg a week in theory.

Why Use MyCalculatorsHub's Calories Calculator?

Unlike generic calorie recommendations, this calculator accounts for your individual characteristics and specific goal, providing a personalized starting point for your nutrition plan. The protein target helps ensure you preserve muscle while losing fat or build muscle effectively.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The biggest mistake is treating the calorie target as exact. These are estimates - individual metabolisms vary by up to 15%. Start with the calculated target, track your actual weight change over 2-4 weeks, and adjust by 100-200 kcal if results differ from expectations.