Calculate your estimated daily calorie needs based on your personal information and activity level.
Male
Female
Sedentary (little or no exercise)
Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week)
Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week)
Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week)
Extra Active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job)
Your Estimated Daily Calorie Needs:
— kcal
Understanding Your Daily Calorie Needs
Calculating your daily calorie needs is a fundamental step towards managing your weight, whether your goal is to lose, maintain, or gain. Your body requires a certain amount of energy (calories) each day to perform basic functions like breathing, circulation, and cell production, as well as to fuel physical activity. This calculator estimates your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).
The Science Behind the Calculation
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which is widely considered one of the most accurate formulas for estimating Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). BMR is the number of calories your body burns at rest.
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) Calculation:
For Men: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) + 5
For Women: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) – 161
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE):
Once your BMR is calculated, it's multiplied by an activity factor to estimate your TDEE, which accounts for the calories burned through daily activities and exercise.
TDEE = BMR × Activity Level Multiplier
The activity level multipliers used in this calculator are standard estimations:
Sedentary: 1.2
Lightly Active: 1.375
Moderately Active: 1.55
Very Active: 1.725
Extra Active: 1.9
How to Use This Calculator
Gender: Select your biological sex.
Age: Enter your current age in years.
Weight: Input your body weight in kilograms.
Height: Enter your height in centimeters.
Activity Level: Choose the option that best describes your typical weekly physical activity.
Clicking "Calculate My Calories" will provide your estimated daily calorie requirement.
Interpreting Your Results
The result shows the approximate number of calories you need to consume daily to maintain your current weight.
To lose weight, you generally need to consume fewer calories than your TDEE (a deficit).
To gain weight, you generally need to consume more calories than your TDEE (a surplus).
To maintain weight, aim to consume calories close to your TDEE.
Disclaimer: This calculator provides an estimation. Individual metabolic rates can vary. For personalized dietary advice, consult a healthcare professional or a registered dietitian.
function calculateCalories() {
var gender = document.getElementById("gender").value;
var age = document.getElementById("age").value;
var weight = document.getElementById("weight").value;
var height = document.getElementById("height").value;
var activityLevel = document.getElementById("activityLevel").value;
var bmr = 0;
var tdee = 0;
// Validate inputs
if (age === "" || weight === "" || height === "" || isNaN(age) || isNaN(weight) || isNaN(height) || age <= 0 || weight <= 0 || height <= 0) {
alert("Please enter valid positive numbers for Age, Weight, and Height.");
return;
}
age = parseFloat(age);
weight = parseFloat(weight);
height = parseFloat(height);
activityLevel = parseFloat(activityLevel);
// Calculate BMR using Mifflin-St Jeor Equation
if (gender === "male") {
bmr = (10 * weight) + (6.25 * height) – (5 * age) + 5;
} else { // female
bmr = (10 * weight) + (6.25 * height) – (5 * age) – 161;
}
// Calculate TDEE
tdee = bmr * activityLevel;
// Display the result
document.getElementById("result-value").innerHTML = Math.round(tdee) + " kcal";
}