How many calories do you need per day? Our Calorie Needs Calculator will tell you! This tool calculates your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) โ€“ the total number of calories you burn in a day when activity is accounted for. It starts with your BMR and multiplies by an activity factor to estimate calories for maintaining weight. Simply input your personal data and select your typical activity level, and youโ€™ll get an instant result of how many calories you need per day to maintain your current weight.

Calculate Your Daily Calorie Needs






Understanding TDEE: TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is essentially your maintenance calories โ€“ consume this amount and youโ€™ll neither lose nor gain weight. It is calculated by taking your BMR and factoring in your daily activities and exercise. For example, someone with a BMR of 1500 kcal who is moderately active (exercises a few times a week) will have a higher TDEE than someone with the same BMR who is sedentary. This calculator uses standard activity multipliers (ranging from ~1.2 for little exercise to ~1.75 for very active) to adjust your BMR into a daily calorie estimate.

Using the calculator for goals: Once you know your TDEE, you can set caloric goals:

  • To lose weight: eat fewer calories than your TDEE. A common approach is a 20% calorie reduction or about 500 kcal less than maintenance per day for ~1 lb/week loss.
  • To gain weight: eat more than your TDEE. A surplus of 300โ€“500 kcal/day can support slow, steady muscle gain.
  • To maintain weight: aim to eat roughly your TDEE in calories each day.

Our calculator not only displays your TDEE but also suggests a basic calorie deficit and surplus number for losing or gaining weight. This gives you a concrete starting point for meal planning. Remember that individual needs vary โ€“ factors like muscle mass, exact workout intensity, or metabolic adaptations can affect actual needs. Use this result as a guideline and adjust based on your real-world results. Combine this tool with our BMR Calculator and Macro Calculator for a comprehensive understanding of your nutritional needs.