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Calorie Calculator

Estimate the daily calories you need to maintain, lose, or gain weight.

How to use this calculator How your calorie numbers work ↓
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Exercise = 15–30 min of elevated heart rate Intense = 45–120 min Very intense = 2+ hrs Pick the level that matches a typical week; when unsure, round down.
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BMR formula
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Fill in your details and hit Calculate to see your daily calorie targets.

Maintain weight

0Calories/day

Based on Mifflin-St Jeor. These are estimates — your real needs vary day to day.

For general information only — not medical or nutritional advice. Calorie needs vary by individual; consult a doctor or registered dietitian before making significant changes, and don't drop below recommended minimums (≈1,500 cal/day for men, ≈1,200 for women) without professional supervision.

The Guide

How many calories do I need a day?

Your daily calorie target starts with two numbers. Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is what your body burns at complete rest just to keep you running. Multiply that by how active you are and you get your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) — your maintenance calories, the amount you can eat to hold your current weight. The calorie calculator above estimates both for you in seconds.

From there the math is simple: eat below maintenance to lose weight, above it to gain. A calorie deficit of about 500 calories a day works out to roughly one pound of fat loss per week, since a pound of fat stores about 3,500 calories. A calorie surplus of the same size does the reverse. Treat these as estimates, not guarantees — your real needs shift with age, muscle mass, sleep, and stress.

How to use this calorie calculator

Enter your age, sex, height, and weight, then choose the activity level that best matches a typical week. Hit Calculate and you'll see your maintenance number up top, followed by daily calorie targets for mild, moderate, and faster weight loss or weight gain. Open Settings to switch between the Mifflin-St Jeor, Harris-Benedict, and Katch-McArdle formulas, or to show results in kilojoules. If you know your body-fat percentage, the Katch-McArdle formula tends to be the most accurate.

Example: how many calories to lose weight

Take a 35-year-old man, 5 ft 10 in and 185 pounds, who trains four to five days a week. Using Mifflin-St Jeor, his BMR lands around 1,800 calories, and a moderate activity level puts his maintenance near 2,600 calories a day. To lose about a pound a week he'd aim for roughly 2,100 calories — a 500-calorie deficit — while keeping protein high to protect muscle. Enter your own numbers in the calculator above to see your version of this.

How many calories to build muscle

Building muscle calls for the opposite of a cut: a modest calorie surplus, usually 250 to 500 calories above your maintenance number, paired with progressive strength training and plenty of protein — roughly 0.7 to 1 gram per pound of bodyweight. A bigger surplus doesn't build muscle faster; it mostly adds fat. Lean, steady gains come from consistency in the gym and patience at the table, not from eating as much as possible.

Know your number. Now build the space.

Hitting your goals is easier in a space built for it. US Fitness Products designs, equips, installs, and services your gym.

Whether you're starting with a single piece for the home or outfitting a full commercial gym, our team will help you build it right.

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Frequently asked questions

How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
Start from your maintenance (TDEE) number above and subtract about 500 calories a day for roughly a pound of loss per week, or 250 for a slower, easier-to-sustain half-pound. Avoid cutting more than about 1,000 below maintenance — faster isn't better, and very low intakes tend to cost you muscle and stall progress. As a floor, most adults shouldn't drop below about 1,500 calories (men) or 1,200 (women) without guidance from a doctor or dietitian.
How many calories should I eat to maintain my weight?
Your maintenance calories are your TDEE — your BMR multiplied by your activity level, which the calculator estimates for you. Eat around that figure day to day and your weight should stay steady. The further you drift above or below it, the faster you gain or lose.
How many calories do I need to build muscle?
Eat in a modest surplus — about 250 to 500 calories above your maintenance number — and train with progressively heavier resistance. Keep protein high, around 0.7 to 1 gram per pound of bodyweight. A larger surplus won't speed muscle growth; it mostly adds fat, so lean, steady gains beat aggressive bulking for most people.
What's the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is what your body burns at complete rest just to keep you alive — breathing, circulation, organ function. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is your BMR multiplied by an activity factor that accounts for movement, exercise, and daily living. TDEE is the number you actually eat around to maintain weight.
Which formula should I use — Mifflin-St Jeor, Harris-Benedict, or Katch-McArdle?
Mifflin-St Jeor is the modern standard and the most accurate for most people, so it's selected by default. If you know your body-fat percentage, Katch-McArdle can be more accurate because it factors in lean body mass. Revised Harris-Benedict is an older equation kept for comparison. For everyday use, the default is the right call.
How accurate is a calorie calculator?
It's a well-validated estimate, not a precise measurement. Your real needs shift with muscle mass, genetics, sleep, stress, and day-to-day activity. Use the number as a starting point, hold to it for two to three weeks, and adjust based on what the scale and the mirror actually do.
What is zigzag calorie cycling?
Instead of eating the same amount every day, you alternate higher and lower days that add up to the same weekly total. The goal is to keep your body from settling into a low-calorie rut and to give you flexibility around social meals. The calculator builds two weekly schedules for you automatically.
Can US Fitness Products help me build a gym around these numbers?
That's exactly what we do. Whether it's a home setup or a full commercial facility, our team handles design, equipment selection, installation, and ongoing service across the Carolinas and nationwide. Knowing your targets is step one — we'll help you build the space that gets you there. Reach out anytime and we'll take it from your first call to long after install.