About the Calorie Calculator
A calorie calculator estimates the number of calories you should consume each day to maintain, lose, or gain weight. It combines BMR (the energy needed at rest) with an activity multiplier to produce TDEE (total daily energy expenditure).
Formula
TDEE = BMR × activity factor
- BMR = Basal metabolic rate (Mifflin–St Jeor)
- activity factor = 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (very active)
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is this estimate?
TDEE formulas are typically within ±10% for healthy adults. Track your actual weight trend over 2–3 weeks and adjust intake by ±200–300 kcal/day if weight changes aren't matching your goal.
How many calories to lose weight?
A safe loss is 0.5–1 lb per week, requiring a ~500 kcal daily deficit from maintenance. Cutting more than 20% below TDEE risks muscle loss and adherence issues.
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