MyFitnessPal Calorie Calculator
Estimate your daily calorie needs for weight management.
Your Estimated Daily Calories
Understanding Your Daily Calorie Needs
Calculating your daily calorie needs is a fundamental step towards achieving your health and fitness goals, whether it's weight loss, weight gain, or weight maintenance. MyFitnessPal and similar platforms use established formulas to provide these estimates. The most commonly used and generally accepted formula for estimating Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the Mifflin-St Jeor equation.
The Mifflin-St Jeor Equation
This equation estimates the number of calories your body burns at rest to maintain basic life functions. It's considered more accurate than older formulas like Harris-Benedict for the general population.
The formulas are:
- 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)
Your BMR is just the calories you burn at rest. To find out how many calories you need throughout the day, we multiply your BMR by an "Activity Factor" (also known as Total Daily Energy Expenditure or TDEE). This factor accounts for your daily physical activity.
The typical activity factors are:
- Sedentary: 1.2 (little to no exercise)
- Lightly Active: 1.375 (exercise 1-3 days/week)
- Moderately Active: 1.55 (exercise 3-5 days/week)
- Very Active: 1.725 (exercise 6-7 days/week)
- Extra Active: 1.9 (very intense exercise & physical job)
So, the formula for your estimated daily calorie needs (TDEE) is:
TDEE = BMR * Activity Factor
How to Use This Calculator
Enter your gender, age, current weight in kilograms, height in centimeters, and select your general activity level. The calculator will then apply the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and your chosen activity factor to estimate your daily calorie needs for weight maintenance.
Important Note: This calculator provides an *estimate*. Individual metabolisms can vary. For precise nutritional planning, especially if you have specific health conditions, consult a registered dietitian or healthcare professional.
Example Calculation
Let's consider a 35-year-old male who weighs 80 kg and is 180 cm tall, and exercises moderately 3-5 days a week.
- Calculate BMR (Men): BMR = (10 * 80) + (6.25 * 180) – (5 * 35) + 5 BMR = 800 + 1125 – 175 + 5 BMR = 1755 calories
- Determine Activity Factor: Moderately Active = 1.55
- Calculate TDEE: TDEE = 1755 * 1.55 TDEE = 2720.25 calories
Therefore, this individual would need approximately 2720 calories per day to maintain his current weight. To lose weight, he would need to consume fewer calories than this; to gain weight, he would need to consume more.