Your daily need = basal metabolic rate (Mifflin-St Jeor equation) × an activity factor. Subtract about 500 kcal to lose roughly 1 lb (0.5 kg) a week, or add 300 to build muscle. Enter your details and the result updates instantly.
How it's calculated
We use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the most accurate of the common equations for adults:
- Men: 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age + 5
- Women: 10 × weight + 6.25 × height − 5 × age − 161
Then we multiply by an activity factor: 1.2 sedentary, 1.375 light, 1.55 moderate, 1.725 very active.
Example
A 30-year-old man, 172 cm (5 ft 8 in) and 84 kg (185 lb): BMR = 840 + 1,075 − 150 + 5 = 1,770 kcal. With light activity (× 1.375) he needs about 2,434 kcal to maintain, and about 1,934 to lose 1 lb a week.
Limits
We never go below 1,500 kcal for men or 1,200 for women. It's an estimate for the average person; pregnancy, breastfeeding, chronic conditions and elite athletes need a professional's estimate. Protein is set at 1.4–1.8 g per kg depending on the goal, fat at 27% of calories.
General information only, not a substitute for advice from your doctor or a registered dietitian.
