Daily calorie calculator
Estimate the calories you'd eat to maintain, lose, or gain weight at a steady pace.
Maintain
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Lose 0.5 lb/wk
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Lose 1 lb/wk
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Gain 0.5 lb/wk
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Gain 1 lb/wk
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A pound of body weight is roughly 3,500 calories, so a 500-calorie daily deficit or surplus works out to about a pound a week. These are averages — real-world results depend on metabolism, sleep, and consistency.
How this is calculated
We estimate your basal metabolic rate with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, then multiply by an activity factor to get total daily calorie needs. It's one of the more accurate equations available for estimating resting metabolism in non-clinical settings. Want the fuller picture including macros? Try the TDEE calculator.
These are estimates based on population averages. A registered dietitian can tailor targets to your medical history and goals.