Calculator Calories

Daily Calorie Needs Calculator

Estimate your daily calorie requirements to maintain, lose, or gain weight based on your personal data 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/physical job/training twice a day)

Maintain Weight Lose Weight Gain Weight

function calculateCalories() { var age = parseFloat(document.getElementById('age').value); var weight = parseFloat(document.getElementById('weight').value); // kg var height = parseFloat(document.getElementById('height').value); // cm var genderMale = document.getElementById('genderMale').checked; var activityLevelMultiplier = parseFloat(document.getElementById('activityLevel').value); var goalMaintain = document.getElementById('goalMaintain').checked; var goalLose = document.getElementById('goalLose').checked; var goalGain = document.getElementById('goalGain').checked; if (isNaN(age) || isNaN(weight) || isNaN(height) || age <= 0 || weight <= 0 || height <= 0) { document.getElementById('calorieResult').innerHTML = 'Please enter valid positive numbers for age, weight, and height.'; return; } var bmr; // Basal Metabolic Rate // Mifflin-St Jeor Equation if (genderMale) { bmr = (10 * weight) + (6.25 * height) – (5 * age) + 5; } else { // Female bmr = (10 * weight) + (6.25 * height) – (5 * age) – 161; } var tdee = bmr * activityLevelMultiplier; // Total Daily Energy Expenditure var finalCalories; if (goalLose) { finalCalories = tdee – 500; // Aim for ~1 lb (0.45 kg) weight loss per week } else if (goalGain) { finalCalories = tdee + 500; // Aim for ~1 lb (0.45 kg) weight gain per week } else { // Maintain finalCalories = tdee; } // Ensure calories don't go too low for safety if (finalCalories < 1200 && !goalGain) { // Arbitrary safe minimum, adjust as needed finalCalories = 1200; document.getElementById('calorieResult').innerHTML = 'Your estimated daily calorie needs are approximately ' + Math.round(finalCalories) + ' calories. Please note: For safety, the calculated value was adjusted to a minimum of 1200 calories.'; } else { document.getElementById('calorieResult').innerHTML = 'Your estimated daily calorie needs are approximately ' + Math.round(finalCalories) + ' calories.'; } } .calorie-calculator-container { font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif; background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 25px; border-radius: 10px; box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); max-width: 700px; margin: 20px auto; border: 1px solid #e0e0e0; } .calorie-calculator-container h2 { color: #333; text-align: center; margin-bottom: 20px; font-size: 28px; } .calorie-calculator-container h3 { color: #555; margin-top: 25px; font-size: 22px; border-bottom: 1px solid #eee; padding-bottom: 10px; } .calorie-calculator-container p { color: #666; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 15px; } .calculator-form label { display: inline-block; margin-bottom: 8px; font-weight: bold; color: #444; width: 150px; /* Align labels */ vertical-align: top; padding-top: 5px; } .calculator-form input[type="number"], .calculator-form select { width: calc(100% – 160px); /* Adjust width considering label */ padding: 10px; margin-bottom: 15px; border: 1px solid #ccc; border-radius: 5px; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; } .calculator-form input[type="radio"] { margin-right: 5px; margin-left: 10px; vertical-align: middle; } .calculator-form input[type="radio"] + label { margin-right: 15px; } .calculator-form button { display: block; width: 100%; padding: 12px 20px; background-color: #007bff; color: white; border: none; border-radius: 5px; font-size: 18px; cursor: pointer; transition: background-color 0.3s ease; margin-top: 20px; } .calculator-form button:hover { background-color: #0056b3; } .calculator-result { margin-top: 30px; padding: 20px; background-color: #e9f7ef; border: 1px solid #d4edda; border-radius: 8px; text-align: center; } .calculator-result p { font-size: 20px; color: #28a745; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; } .calculator-result p strong { color: #0056b3; } /* Responsive adjustments */ @media (max-width: 600px) { .calculator-form label { width: 100%; margin-bottom: 5px; } .calculator-form input[type="number"], .calculator-form select { width: 100%; } .calculator-form input[type="radio"] { margin-left: 0; } }

Understanding Your Daily Calorie Needs

Calories are units of energy that your body uses to perform all its functions, from breathing and thinking to exercising and digesting food. The number of calories you need daily depends on several factors, including your age, gender, weight, height, and activity level. Understanding your daily calorie needs is crucial whether you're aiming to maintain your current weight, lose weight, or gain muscle mass.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body burns at rest to maintain basic life-sustaining functions. This includes processes like breathing, circulation, cell production, nutrient processing, and organ function. Even if you were to lie in bed all day, your body would still burn a significant number of calories to keep you alive. Our calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which is widely considered one of the most accurate formulas for estimating BMR:

• 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

As you can see, factors like age, weight, and height directly influence your BMR. Generally, a higher weight and height lead to a higher BMR, while BMR tends to decrease with age.

Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)

While BMR accounts for the calories burned at rest, your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) includes the calories you burn through all activities throughout the day. This includes your BMR, the thermic effect of food (calories burned during digestion), and the energy expended during physical activity. To calculate TDEE, your BMR is multiplied by an activity factor:

• Sedentary (little or no exercise): BMR × 1.2
• Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week): BMR × 1.375
• Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week): BMR × 1.55
• Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week): BMR × 1.725
• Extra Active (very hard exercise/physical job/training twice a day): BMR × 1.9

The TDEE is the number of calories you need to consume daily to maintain your current weight given your activity level.

Adjusting for Weight Goals

Once you know your TDEE, you can adjust your calorie intake based on your weight goals:

• To Maintain Weight: Consume calories equal to your TDEE.
• To Lose Weight: To lose approximately 0.5 kg (1 pound) per week, you generally need to create a deficit of about 500 calories per day. So, you would aim for TDEE – 500 calories. This is a sustainable and healthy rate of weight loss for most individuals.
• To Gain Weight: To gain approximately 0.5 kg (1 pound) per week, you generally need to consume an extra 500 calories per day. So, you would aim for TDEE + 500 calories. This surplus provides the energy needed for muscle growth or overall weight gain.

Example Calculation:

Let's consider a 30-year-old male, weighing 75 kg, standing 180 cm tall, with a moderately active lifestyle, aiming to lose weight.

1. BMR Calculation (Mifflin-St Jeor for Men):
   BMR = (10 × 75 kg) + (6.25 × 180 cm) – (5 × 30 years) + 5
   BMR = 750 + 1125 – 150 + 5
   BMR = 1730 calories
2. TDEE Calculation (Moderately Active):
   TDEE = BMR × 1.55
   TDEE = 1730 × 1.55
   TDEE = 2681.5 calories
3. Adjust for Weight Loss Goal:
   Daily Calories for Weight Loss = TDEE – 500
   Daily Calories for Weight Loss = 2681.5 – 500
   Daily Calories for Weight Loss = 2181.5 calories

So, this individual would need approximately 2182 calories per day to achieve a sustainable weight loss of about 0.5 kg per week.

Important Considerations:

• Individual Variation: These calculations are estimates. Metabolic rates can vary slightly between individuals due to genetics, body composition, and other factors.
• Nutrient Quality: While calorie count is important, the quality of your calories matters significantly. Focus on whole, unprocessed foods.
• Professional Advice: For personalized dietary advice, especially if you have underlying health conditions or specific fitness goals, consult with a registered dietitian or healthcare professional.
• Minimum Calorie Intake: It's generally not recommended to go below 1200 calories per day for women or 1500 calories per day for men without medical supervision, as it can lead to nutrient deficiencies and other health issues.

Use this calculator as a guide to start understanding your body's energy needs, and remember that consistency and a balanced approach are key to achieving your health and fitness goals.