The Calorie Calculator helps you estimate how many calories your body may need each day. It calculates your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), and calorie targets for maintaining, losing or gaining weight.
This free online calorie calculator uses your age, gender, height, weight and activity level to estimate daily calorie intake. You can use metric units such as centimetres and kilograms, or imperial units such as feet, inches and pounds.
What is a Calorie Calculator?
A Calorie Calculator is an online tool that estimates your daily energy needs. It helps you understand how many calories you may need to maintain your current weight, create a calorie deficit for weight loss, or create a calorie surplus for weight gain.
The result is an estimate, not a fixed medical target. Your actual calorie needs can vary based on body composition, health condition, sleep, stress, food quality, hormones and daily movement.
What is BMR?
BMR stands for Basal Metabolic Rate. It is the estimated number of calories your body needs at complete rest to support basic functions such as breathing, blood circulation, cell repair and body temperature control.
BMR does not include calories burned through walking, exercise, work, digestion or daily activity. That is why TDEE is calculated separately.
What is TDEE?
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It is the estimated total number of calories your body burns in a full day, including your BMR and your activity level.
If your goal is to maintain weight, your daily calorie intake is usually close to your TDEE. If your goal is weight loss, you may need to eat below your TDEE. If your goal is weight gain, you may need to eat above your TDEE.
Mifflin-St Jeor BMR Formula
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to estimate BMR. It is widely used because it considers age, gender, height and weight.
For men:
For women:
Activity Level Table
Your activity level affects your TDEE. Selecting the right activity level is important because overestimating activity can make your calorie target too high.
| S.No | Activity Level | Multiplier | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sedentary | 1.2 | Little or no exercise |
| 2 | Lightly Active | 1.375 | Exercise 1-3 days per week |
| 3 | Moderately Active | 1.55 | Exercise 4-5 days per week |
| 4 | Very Active | 1.725 | Hard exercise 6-7 days per week |
| 5 | Extra Active | 1.9 | Physical job or intense daily training |
How to Use the Calorie Calculator
- Select Metric or Imperial units.
- Enter your age, gender, height and weight.
- Choose the activity level that matches your normal routine.
- Click the Calculate Calories button.
- Check your BMR, maintenance calories and calorie targets.
Calorie Targets for Weight Goals
After calculating your maintenance calories, this tool shows estimated calorie targets for mild weight loss, regular weight loss and weight gain.
| S.No | Goal | Daily Calorie Adjustment | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maintenance | No change | Eat near your TDEE to maintain weight |
| 2 | Mild Weight Loss | About -250 kcal/day | Small calorie deficit for gradual progress |
| 3 | Weight Loss | About -500 kcal/day | Moderate calorie deficit for fat loss |
| 4 | Weight Gain | About +500 kcal/day | Calorie surplus for gaining weight |
Example Calorie Calculation
Suppose a 25-year-old male weighs 70 kg, has a height of 175 cm and follows a sedentary lifestyle. His BMR using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation will be around 1,674 calories per day.
If his activity multiplier is 1.2, his estimated maintenance calories will be:
This means he may need around 2,009 calories per day to maintain his current weight. For weight loss, his intake may be lower than this. For weight gain, his intake may be higher.
Calories for Weight Loss
Weight loss usually happens when you consume fewer calories than your body burns. This is called a calorie deficit. A smaller deficit is usually easier to follow and may support more sustainable progress.
Very low calorie intake can make it harder to get enough protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant, breastfeeding, under 18, or recovering from illness, speak with a healthcare professional before changing your calorie intake.
Calories for Weight Gain
Weight gain usually happens when you consume more calories than your body burns. This is called a calorie surplus. A steady surplus, combined with strength training and enough protein, may support healthy weight and muscle gain.
For healthy weight gain, focus on nutrient-dense foods instead of only increasing sugar or highly processed foods.
Why Your Calorie Needs Can Change
Your calorie needs are not fixed forever. They can change when your weight, muscle mass, activity level, sleep, stress, age or health status changes.
If your weight goal progress stops for several weeks, you may need to review your calorie intake, physical activity and consistency. Use calculator results as a starting point and adjust based on real progress.
Why Use CalcuPortal Calorie Calculator?
- Free online calorie calculator
- Calculates BMR and TDEE
- Supports metric and imperial units
- Uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation
- Shows maintenance, weight loss and weight gain targets
- Works on mobile, tablet and desktop
- No sign-up or installation required
- Calculations run directly in your browser
Related Health Calculators
You can also try our BMI Calculator, Calorie Burn MET Calculator, and Ideal Weight Calculator for related fitness and health estimates.
Important Health Note
This Calorie Calculator is for general information only. It should not replace advice from a doctor, dietitian or qualified healthcare professional. Calorie needs are estimates and may vary from person to person.