Daily Calorie Calculator
How many calories should you eat a day? Enter your age, sex, height, weight and activity level, and this calorie calculator shows your maintenance calories plus safe daily targets for losing or gaining weight at different speeds.
Your daily calorie needs depend on your basal metabolism and movement. To maintain weight, match your TDEE. To lose around 0.5 kg (1 lb) per week, subtract about 500 kcal per day, never dropping below 1,200 kcal for women or 1,500 kcal for men.
Daily Maintenance Calories
TDEE IntakeThis is your baseline daily calorie expenditure. To lose weight sustainably, eat 250 to 500 kcal less than this number.
Basal Metabolism
1710 kcal
At complete rest
Safety Floor
1710 kcal
Minimum advised intake
Daily Calorie Goals
| Goal | Deficit / Surplus | Daily Target |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum safe loss (1.0 kg / 2.2 lb per week) | -940 kcal | 1710 kcal/day |
| Faster loss (0.75 kg / 1.6 lb per week) | -820 kcal | 1830 kcal/day |
| Standard weight loss (0.5 kg / 1.1 lb per week) | -550 kcal | 2100 kcal/day |
| Mild weight loss (0.25 kg / 0.55 lb per week) | -270 kcal | 2380 kcal/day |
| Maintain weight | 0 kcal | 2650 kcal/day |
| Mild weight gain / lean bulk (0.25 kg / 0.55 lb per week) | +280 kcal | 2930 kcal/day |
| Standard weight gain (0.5 kg / 1.1 lb per week) | +550 kcal | 3200 kcal/day |
Targets reflect metabolic floors: intake is clamped to never recommend eating below 1,200 kcal (women) or 1,500 kcal (men) or your BMR.
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Clinical Equations
WHO, CDC, ACSM & Mifflin-St Jeor
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How to use Calorie Calculator
- 1Enter your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level.
- 2Select your goal: maintain, mild weight loss, moderate loss, or muscle gain.
- 3View your customized daily calorie targets and recommended macronutrient splits.
How calorie targets work
Your baseline energy requirement is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). Eating below this number creates a caloric deficit causing your body to burn stored body fat for energy. Eating above it produces a surplus enabling tissue and muscle growth.
A safe, sustainable rate of fat loss is 0.25 to 0.75 kg (0.5 to 1.5 lb) per week. We enforce clinical safety floors of 1,200 kcal for women and 1,500 kcal for men to safeguard endocrine and metabolic health.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories should a woman eat a day?
Most adult women need about 1,800 to 2,400 kcal/day depending on height, weight, age, and activity level. Use the calculator above for your exact number.
How many calories should a man eat a day?
Most adult men need between 2,200 and 3,000 kcal/day for weight maintenance, depending on size and physical exertion.
Is 1,200 calories a day enough?
It represents a strict clinical lower bound for small sedentary women and is usually too aggressive for active adults. A moderate deficit of 300 to 500 kcal below TDEE is much more sustainable.
Do I need to count calories to lose weight?
Not strictly, but calculating and tracking your intake for several weeks builds awareness of portion sizes, calorie density, and nutritional balance.
Related Calculators
Calorie Deficit Calculator
Calculate a safe, sustainable calorie deficit to reach your goal weight on schedule.
TDEE Calculator
Estimate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure and discover your true maintenance calories.
Macro Calculator
Calculate your daily macronutrients (protein, carbs, and fat) for weight loss or muscle building.
Protein Calculator
Calculate your daily protein requirements based on body weight, fitness goals, and training intensity.
Weight Loss Timeline Calculator
Project your realistic week-by-week weight loss timeline with adaptive metabolic rate tracking.
Scientific Sources & Evidence
- World Health Organization (WHO) — Body Mass Index Classification
- CDC Growth Charts — BMI-for-age LMS Percentiles
- Mifflin et al. (1990) — Basal Metabolic Rate Predictive Equations
- NICE Guideline NG246 — Identification and Management of Overweight and Obesity
- American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) — Exercise Testing & Prescription
- European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) — Dietary Reference Values for Water