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Calorie Calculator

Enter your sex, age, height, weight and activity level to see your estimated maintenance calories, plus a table of daily calorie targets for weight loss and weight gain at different paces.

Your details

Sex
years
Maintenance calories
2,740 kcal/day
Estimated BMR
1,770 kcal/day
Daily calorie target by goal
GoalCaloriesWeekly change
Fast weight lossNot shownPersonalised advice
Weight loss2,240 kcal/day−0.45 kg/week
Mild weight loss2,490 kcal/day−0.23 kg/week
Maintain weight2,740 kcal/dayNo change
Mild weight gain2,990 kcal/day+0.25 kg/week
Weight gain3,240 kcal/day+0.50 kg/week
Fast weight gain3,740 kcal/day+1.00 kg/week

Estimate only. Calorie needs vary with body composition, daily movement, health and other factors. For a deeper dive on one goal — pace presets, a safety check and a rough timeframe — use the weight loss or weight gain calorie calculator instead. Very-low-calorie targets and faster weight-loss plans may not be suitable for everyone, especially older adults or people with health conditions.

†This pace would result in a very low calorie target. Choose a slower pace, or seek personalised advice from a healthcare professional or registered dietitian.

How to use this calculator

  1. Pick your sex, enter your age, height and weight.
  2. Choose the activity level that best reflects your typical week.
  3. Read your estimated maintenance calories and BMR, then find your goal in the table for its daily calorie target and estimated weekly change.

Nothing is submitted anywhere. The calculation runs in the page as you type, and the link in your address bar carries your figures, so it can be shared or bookmarked.

How are the calorie targets calculated?

Calorie target = BMR × Activity multiplier + Goal adjustment
  • Fast weight loss −1,000 · Weight loss −500 · Mild weight loss −250 kcal/day
  • Mild weight gain +250 · Weight gain +500 · Fast weight gain +1,000 kcal/day

Worked example. A 30-year-old, 178 cm, 80 kg man with moderate activity has a BMR of 1,770 kcal/day and estimated maintenance calories of 2,740 kcal/day. His weight loss target (−500 kcal/day) is 2,240 kcal/day, for an estimated 0.45 kg/week loss. His weight gain target (+500 kcal/day) is 3,240 kcal/day, for an estimated 0.50 kg/week gain.

A loss row shows Not shown instead of a figure when that target would fall below a commonly used calorie floor (1,500 kcal/day for men, 1,200 kcal/day for women), below your estimated BMR, or when it is the fast weight loss pace for someone aged 65 or over. This calculator gives an estimate, not a prescription — a target that low needs personalised advice from a healthcare professional or registered dietitian, not a number on a page.

Related tools

For a single-goal tool with pace presets and a rough timeframe, use the weight loss calorie calculator or the weight gain calorie calculator. To split a target into protein, carbohydrate and fat, use the macro calculator.

Frequently asked questions

What is a calorie calculator?

It estimates how many calories you need each day, from your sex, age, height, weight and activity level, then shows that figure adjusted for seven common goals — from fast weight loss to fast weight gain — in one table.

How are the calorie targets calculated?

BMR comes from the Mifflin–St Jeor equation, scaled by your activity level to estimate maintenance calories (TDEE). Each goal in the table adds or subtracts a fixed daily amount from that figure: 250, 500 or 1,000 kcal/day for mild, standard or fast paces, in either direction. A loss target is withheld — shown as "Not shown" — when it would fall below a commonly used calorie floor, below your estimated BMR, or when it is the fast-loss pace for someone aged 65 or over.

How is the weekly weight change estimated?

Weight loss uses 7,700 kcal per kilogram, the commonly used planning figure for fat loss. Weight gain uses 7,000 kcal per kilogram, since gained tissue is a mix of muscle and fat and is less energy-dense than the fat lost in a deficit — the same two figures the weight loss and weight gain calorie calculators use.

Which row should I use?

Maintain weight if you want your weight to stay the same. Mild weight loss or mild weight gain for a slower, easier-to-sustain change. The fast weight loss and fast weight gain rows move quicker but are harder to sustain and more likely to affect muscle mass — most people are better served by a mild or standard pace. If a loss row shows "Not shown", that pace would set too low a calorie target to display as a standard recommendation — choose a slower pace or seek personalised advice instead.

How is this different from the other calorie calculators on this site?

This one is the quick overview — every common goal in a single table. For a deeper single-goal tool with pace presets, a safety check and a rough timeframe to a target weight, use the weight loss calorie calculator or the weight gain calorie calculator instead.

Is this medical or nutritional advice?

No. It is an estimate for general information only. Calorie needs vary between people and this tool does not account for medical conditions, medication, pregnancy or a history of disordered eating. For a plan built around your circumstances, speak to a GP or a registered dietitian.