Our Calorie Calculator helps estimate how many calories your body needs each day based on age, gender, weight, height, and activity level. It also provides calorie goals for maintaining, gaining, or losing weight safely.

⚖️ Understanding BMR and TDEE

Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body burns at rest. Once physical activity is added, this becomes your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) — the total calories you need daily to maintain your current weight.

This calculator uses three proven formulas:

1. Mifflin-St Jeor Equation (Most Accurate)

• • Men: BMR = 10W + 6.25H – 5A + 5

  • Women: BMR = 10W + 6.25H – 5A – 161

2. Revised Harris-Benedict Equation

• • Men: BMR = 13.397W + 4.799H – 5.677A + 88.362

  • Women: BMR = 9.247W + 3.098H – 4.330A + 447.593

3. Katch-McArdle Formula (For Lean Individuals)

• • BMR = 370 + 21.6 × (1 – F) × W
    Where F is body fat percentage, W is weight (kg), and H is height (cm).

🏋️ Calorie Adjustment for Goals

• • Maintain weight: Eat at your TDEE.

  • Lose weight: Subtract ~500 calories/day to lose about 0.5 kg (1 lb) per week.

  • Gain weight: Add 250–500 calories/day for gradual muscle or mass gain.

Avoid reducing intake by more than 1,000 calories daily to prevent muscle loss or nutrient deficiency. Balanced nutrition with proper exercise remains the healthiest approach.

🔁 Zigzag Calorie Cycling

Zigzag calorie cycling alternates high- and low-calorie days to prevent metabolic slowdown and plateauing. For example, if your weekly target is 14,000 calories, you might eat 2,300 calories on active days and 1,700 on rest days — still averaging the same weekly total. This method allows flexibility for social events or rest days while maintaining progress.

🥗 Calories and Nutrition

Calories mainly come from carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

• • Focus on whole, unprocessed foods like vegetables, fruits, grains, and lean proteins.

  • Avoid empty calories from sugary drinks, fried snacks, and processed foods.

  • Drink plenty of water, and limit high-sugar beverages.

Quality matters: 500 calories of vegetables nourish your body better than 500 calories of junk food.

💡 Tips for Sustainable Weight Management

• • Use the calculator to set realistic calorie goals.

  • Track your intake using a food app or journal.

  • Weigh yourself consistently (same time, same conditions).

  • Prioritize balanced meals with enough fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

  • Be patient — healthy results take time.