Calorie Calculator
Estimates how many calories a day keep your weight steady.
Share sends a link that reopens these numbers. Copy details pastes the full breakdown as a list.
The formula
BMR = 10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age + 5 (men) or − 161 (women) maintenance = BMR × activity factor
BMR is the energy you use at rest. The activity factor scales it up to a full day.
What to watch out for
This uses the equation from Mifflin, St Jeor and colleagues (1990), which Frankenfield and colleagues (2005) found the most reliable of the common equations for healthy adults, though it can still be well out for an individual. The activity factors from 1.2 to 1.9 are the usual rough multipliers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories do I need a day?
It depends on your size, age and activity. A 35-year-old woman, 168 cm and 80 kg, with light activity, comes to about 2,082 kcal a day.
What are maintenance calories?
The calories that balance what you use in a day, so that your weight stays about the same.
Why does the estimate not match my experience?
Equations work from averages. Muscle mass, genetics and how you rate your activity all shift the real figure. If your weight holds steady on a different intake, that intake is your maintenance.