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Calorie calculator: how much should you eat?
See how many calories your body uses in a day, and how much to eat to lose, keep or gain weight.
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This calculator is not a medical or health product and does not replace advice from a doctor or dietitian. For health concerns, eating disorders, or special dietary needs, please talk to a qualified professional. Nutrition values are for general guidance, not medical advice.
How it works
Resting calories use the Mifflin-St Jeor formula: 10 × weight in kg + 6.25 × height in cm − 5 × age, then −161 (female version) or +5 (male version). Studies found it the most accurate of the common formulas.
Maintenance calories are resting calories times your activity level: 1.4 mostly sitting, 1.6 light movement, 1.8 active, 2.0 very active.
About 7,700 kcal equal 1 kg of body weight. So 0.5 kg a week means about 550 kcal less a day. Weight-loss goals never go below 1,200 kcal (female formula) or 1,500 kcal (male formula). The pace gets slower instead.
Sources
Maintenance calories by weight and activity
Calories a day for two examples, rounded to 10 kcal.
| Weight | Mostly sitting (PAL 1.4) | Light movement (PAL 1.6) | Active (PAL 1.8) | Very active (PAL 2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg (110 lb) | 1,720 kcal | 1,960 kcal | 2,210 kcal | 2,450 kcal |
| 60 kg (132 lb) | 1,860 kcal | 2,120 kcal | 2,390 kcal | 2,650 kcal |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 2,000 kcal | 2,280 kcal | 2,570 kcal | 2,850 kcal |
| 80 kg (176 lb) | 2,140 kcal | 2,440 kcal | 2,750 kcal | 3,050 kcal |
| 90 kg (198 lb) | 2,280 kcal | 2,600 kcal | 2,930 kcal | 3,250 kcal |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 2,420 kcal | 2,760 kcal | 3,110 kcal | 3,450 kcal |
| 110 kg (243 lb) | 2,560 kcal | 2,920 kcal | 3,290 kcal | 3,650 kcal |
| 120 kg (265 lb) | 2,700 kcal | 3,080 kcal | 3,470 kcal | 3,850 kcal |
| 130 kg (287 lb) | 2,840 kcal | 3,240 kcal | 3,650 kcal | 4,050 kcal |
| Weight | Mostly sitting (PAL 1.4) | Light movement (PAL 1.6) | Active (PAL 1.8) | Very active (PAL 2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg (110 lb) | 1,950 kcal | 2,230 kcal | 2,510 kcal | 2,790 kcal |
| 60 kg (132 lb) | 2,090 kcal | 2,390 kcal | 2,690 kcal | 2,990 kcal |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 2,230 kcal | 2,550 kcal | 2,870 kcal | 3,190 kcal |
| 80 kg (176 lb) | 2,370 kcal | 2,710 kcal | 3,050 kcal | 3,390 kcal |
| 90 kg (198 lb) | 2,510 kcal | 2,870 kcal | 3,230 kcal | 3,590 kcal |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 2,650 kcal | 3,030 kcal | 3,410 kcal | 3,790 kcal |
| 110 kg (243 lb) | 2,790 kcal | 3,190 kcal | 3,590 kcal | 3,990 kcal |
| 120 kg (265 lb) | 2,930 kcal | 3,350 kcal | 3,770 kcal | 4,190 kcal |
| 130 kg (287 lb) | 3,070 kcal | 3,510 kcal | 3,950 kcal | 4,390 kcal |
Questions & answers
What does BMR mean?
BMR stands for basal metabolic rate. It is the calories your body uses at full rest, for things like breathing, your heartbeat and keeping warm.
What does TDEE mean?
TDEE stands for total daily energy expenditure. It is your BMR plus everything you do in a day, like work, walking and sport. If you eat about your TDEE, your weight stays the same.
What does PAL mean?
PAL stands for physical activity level. It says how active your typical day is, from 1.4 (mostly sitting) to 2.0 (very active). Your maintenance calories are your resting calories times your PAL.
What does kcal mean?
kcal is short for kilocalorie, the unit for energy in food. In everyday language people just say calories.
How accurate is this?
For most adults the formula is within about 10%. Use the result as a starting point, track for two to three weeks, then adjust if needed.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
Eating 250 to 750 kcal less than your maintenance calories means about 0.25 to 0.75 kg less a week. A slower pace is easier to keep up.
Why is there a minimum?
Below 1,200 or 1,500 kcal it gets hard to get enough nutrients from food. The AI Calorie Count app never sets a lower goal on its own, and neither does this calculator.
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