Calorie Calculator.

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the number of calories your body burns at complete rest to maintain vital functions. The Mifflin-St Jeor formula calculates it as: Men: 10×weight(kg) + 6.25×height(cm) − 5×age + 5. Women: 10×weight(kg) + 6.25×height(cm) − 5×age − 161.

TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is your total calorie burn including all activity. It is calculated by multiplying your BMR by an activity multiplier (1.2 for sedentary to 1.9 for extra active). Your TDEE is the number you adjust to lose, gain, or maintain weight.

A deficit of 500 kcal/day below your TDEE leads to approximately 0.5 kg of fat loss per week. A 250 kcal deficit gives 0.25 kg/week. Women should generally not go below 1,200 kcal/day and men not below 1,500 kcal/day without medical supervision.

A caloric surplus of 250–500 kcal/day above TDEE, combined with resistance training, supports muscle gain. A 500 kcal surplus theoretically adds about 0.5 kg/week, though much of this is lean mass, glycogen, and water when training effectively.

Macronutrients are protein, carbohydrates, and fat. A common split is: Protein at 2g per kg of bodyweight (4 kcal/g), Fat at 25% of total calories (9 kcal/g), and Carbs making up the remainder (4 kcal/g). Athletes may increase protein to 2.2–2.5g/kg.

The Mifflin-St Jeor formula (1990) is considered most accurate for the general population, validated in multiple clinical studies. The revised Harris-Benedict (1984) is a close second but tends to slightly overestimate BMR. Neither accounts for body composition; the Katch-McArdle formula is best when body fat percentage is known.

Online calculators are estimates with a margin of error of ±10–15%. Individual variation in metabolism, gut microbiome, and non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) all affect actual calorie needs. Track your weight for 2–3 weeks and adjust by 100–200 kcal if progress stalls.

NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) is all calorie burn from non-workout movement: walking, fidgeting, household chores. NEAT can vary by 2,000 kcal/day between individuals at similar weights, making it a huge factor in fat loss success — and why 'just move more' is genuinely good advice.

If you selected the correct activity level in the calculator, exercise is already factored into your TDEE — do not eat back calories. Only eat back exercise calories if you used a sedentary setting and exercised on top of that.

Recalculate every 4–6 weeks, or whenever your weight changes by more than 3–4 kg. As you lose weight, your BMR drops slightly, so your calorie target must also decrease to continue progressing.

A calorie deficit means eating fewer calories than your TDEE, causing your body to use stored fat for energy. A surplus means eating more than TDEE, providing extra energy for muscle repair and growth. Both should be moderate (250–500 kcal) to avoid muscle loss or excessive fat gain.

Approximately 7,700 kcal equals 1 kg of body fat. This is why a 500 kcal daily deficit leads to roughly 0.5 kg of fat loss per week (500 × 7 = 3,500 kcal ≈ 0.45 kg). The commonly cited 3,500 kcal per pound figure is the imperial equivalent.

1,200 kcal/day is generally considered the safe minimum for women. Below this, it becomes difficult to meet micronutrient needs and muscle loss accelerates. For most men, 1,500 kcal is the practical floor. Very low calorie diets should be medically supervised.

Not inherently. Total daily calorie intake is what determines weight change, not meal timing. However, late-night eating can lead to excess calories if it adds to (rather than replaces) earlier meals. Some research suggests morning-weighted eating slightly benefits weight management through circadian rhythm alignment.

BMR declines approximately 1–2% per decade after age 20, primarily due to loss of muscle mass (sarcopenia). Strength training is the most effective way to counteract this decline by preserving and building metabolically active muscle tissue.

TEF is the energy cost of digesting and metabolising food. Protein has the highest TEF at 20–30% of its calories, meaning 100 kcal of protein 'costs' 20–30 kcal to process. Carbs have 5–10% TEF and fat 0–3%. This is one reason high-protein diets are effective for fat loss.

For general health, 0.8g per kg of bodyweight is the minimum. For muscle building, 1.6–2.2g/kg is optimal. Our calculator uses 2g/kg as a practical target that covers both muscle preservation during a deficit and growth during a surplus.

Not necessarily. Calorie counting is most useful as a temporary educational tool to build portion awareness. Many people transition to intuitive eating once they have an accurate mental model of food quantities and nutritional content. Periodic tracking during plateau-breaking phases can be helpful.

HQCalc uses the gold-standard Mifflin-St Jeor formula with a choice of Harris-Benedict for comparison. It provides TDEE, target calories, and a full macro split in one place, is completely free, and stores no personal data.

This calculator is designed for non-pregnant adults. Caloric needs during pregnancy are significantly different and vary by trimester. Always consult an OB-GYN or registered dietitian for nutritional guidance during pregnancy.