Free Calorie Calculator
Your BMR, TDEE (maintenance calories), and a daily calorie target for weight loss or muscle gain — using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation dietitians trust.
BMR
—
calories at rest
TDEE · Maintenance
—
calories/day to maintain
Protein target
—g
≈1.6 g per kg bodyweight
| Goal | Calories/day | ≈ Weekly change |
|---|---|---|
| Mild weight loss | — | −0.25 kg / −0.5 lb |
| Standard weight loss | — | −0.5 kg / −1 lb |
| Aggressive weight loss | — | −1 kg / −2 lb |
| Lean muscle gain | — | +0.25 kg / +0.5 lb |
Estimates from the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. Not medical advice — consult a professional before major diet changes, and never eat below 1,200 (women) / 1,500 (men) calories without supervision.
Now track it automatically
MyPlate logs your meals by photo or barcode and tracks this exact calorie target daily — free.
Calorie calculator questions
How many calories should I eat a day? +
It depends on your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level. Use the calculator above: it computes your BMR with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, multiplies by your activity level to get your TDEE (maintenance calories), and then adjusts for your goal. As rough averages, women maintain around 2,000 calories a day and men around 2,500 — but your personal number can differ by hundreds of calories.
What is TDEE and how is it calculated? +
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total calories you burn per day: your BMR (calories burned at rest) multiplied by an activity factor from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (athlete). Eating at your TDEE maintains your weight; eating below it creates a calorie deficit for weight loss; above it, a surplus for muscle gain.
How big should my calorie deficit be to lose weight? +
A deficit of 500 calories per day yields roughly 0.45 kg (1 lb) of weight loss per week — the widely recommended sustainable pace. Larger deficits (750-1,000) lose faster but are harder to sustain and risk muscle loss; the calculator shows mild, standard, and aggressive targets so you can choose.
What is the Mifflin-St Jeor equation? +
It's the BMR formula most dietitians use today: for men, 10×weight(kg) + 6.25×height(cm) − 5×age + 5; for women, the same minus 161 instead of plus 5. Studies show it predicts resting energy expenditure more accurately than the older Harris-Benedict equation for most people.
How do I track the calories I actually eat? +
That's the hard part — and what the MyPlate app automates. Snap a photo of any meal or scan a barcode and the AI logs calories, protein, carbs, and fats instantly, then tracks your daily target from this calculator automatically. Free on iOS and Android.