Health

Calorie Needs Calculator

Calculate your daily calorie needs based on the Mifflin-St Jeor equation with activity level adjustments for weight loss, maintenance, or gain.

CALCULATOR

Enter your numbers

Instant results
2556 kcal
Total Daily Energy Expenditure
Basal Metabolic Rate1649 kcal/day
Weight Loss2056 kcal/day
Weight Maintenance2556 kcal/day
Weight Gain3056 kcal/day

THE NUMORIX GUIDE

How to use the Calorie Needs Calculator

Last reviewed September 14, 2026

What this calculator does

The engine applies Mifflin-St Jeor in metric units: 10 * weightKg + 6.

Formula and method

The engine applies Mifflin-St Jeor in metric units: 10 * weightKg + 6.25 * heightCm - 5 * age + 5 for male, or -161 for female. It multiplies BMR by 1.2, 1.375, 1.55, 1.725, or 1.9 for sedentary through very active, rounds TDEE, and adds or subtracts 500 kcal/day for gain or loss displays.

Variables and inputs

Enter age in years, gender, weight in kilograms, height in centimeters, and one of the UI activity values: sedentary, light, moderate, active, or very active. The engine's last key is `veryActive`; an unknown key silently falls back to the moderate factor of 1.55.

Worked example

For age 30, male, 70 kg, 175 cm, and moderate activity: BMR = 10 * 70 + 6.25 * 175 - 5 * 30 + 5 = 1,648.75, rounded to 1,649; TDEE = 1,648.75 * 1.55 = 2,555.56, rounded to 2,556; loss and gain displays are 2,056 and 3,056 kcal/day.

How to interpret the result

TDEE is a model-based estimate of average daily energy use. The loss, maintenance, and gain rows are scenario targets around that estimate, not clinical prescriptions or guarantees of a specific weight change.

Common mistakes to avoid

Use kg and cm as labeled, distinguish the moderate and active options, and do not confuse BMR with a full-day energy need. Keep the activity selection aligned with a typical week rather than a single workout.

Assumptions and limitations

The route has no input validation for age, height, weight, or percentage-like activity values and silently uses moderate activity for an unrecognized key. It does not account for body composition, illness, pregnancy, breastfeeding, medications, or adaptive changes.

Sources and references

COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently asked questions

Does maintenance calories mean my weight will stay fixed?

No. It is an estimate based on an equation and activity multiplier. Actual maintenance changes with behavior, body composition, health, and measurement error.

What happens if the activity value is not recognized?

The engine uses the moderate factor of 1.55 as a fallback. The visible select normally supplies one of the supported values.

Why is BMR lower than TDEE?

BMR represents estimated resting energy use. TDEE multiplies it by an activity factor to represent a full day with movement and other energy demands.

FROM THE NUMORIX GUIDES

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