Calculate your daily calorie needs for weight loss, maintenance or muscle gain.
Daily calorie needs based on your goals
Your daily calorie needs are calculated using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the most accurate formula currently available for estimating Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Your BMR is then adjusted for activity level to give your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).
To lose weight safely, aim for a deficit of 500–750 calories per day — this produces 1–1.5 lbs of weight loss per week. Never go below 1,200 calories (women) or 1,500 calories (men) without medical supervision. Track calories for just 2–3 weeks to build awareness.
Weight loss comes down to a calorie deficit — burning more than you consume — but the size of that deficit matters enormously for both results and sustainability. A moderate deficit of 500 calories/day produces about 1 pound of fat loss per week, which is widely considered the sustainable sweet spot.
Aggressive deficits backfire more often than they help. Cutting 1,000+ calories/day can trigger muscle loss, nutrient deficiencies, and metabolic slowdown — and the extreme hunger usually leads to rebound overeating. Slower, sustained weight loss has consistently better long-term success rates in research than crash dieting.
Never go below 1,200 calories (women) or 1,500 calories (men) without medical supervision — below these thresholds it becomes very difficult to meet basic nutrient needs, and your body starts prioritizing survival over fat loss.
Use the calculator above to find your personalized maintenance calories (TDEE), then apply a 250-500 calorie deficit depending on how quickly you want results versus how sustainable you need the plan to feel. Track for 2-3 weeks and adjust based on actual results — everybody's metabolism responds slightly differently.