Calorie Calculator
Sex
Height
Goal
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How to use
- 1 Choose units: metric or US (lb / ft / in).
- 2 Enter your sex, age, height, and current weight — these determine your BMR.
- 3 Pick the activity level that matches your typical week (sedentary, lightly, moderately, very, extra active).
- 4 Click Calculate to see daily calories for maintenance, weight loss, and weight gain.
- 5 Stay above 1,200 kcal/day (women) or 1,500 kcal/day (men) without a doctor's supervision, per CDC guidance.
About Calorie Calculator
FAQ
Q How many calories should I eat to lose weight as a 5'4" 160 lb woman?
A 35-year-old woman, 5'4" (163 cm), 160 lb (72.6 kg), lightly active, has a TDEE around 1,920 kcal/day. To lose roughly 1 lb/week, target 1,420 kcal/day. To lose 0.5 lb/week (more sustainable), target 1,670 kcal/day.
Q Is a 1,200-calorie diet safe?
For most adult women, 1,200 kcal/day is the lower bound the CDC and registered dietitians consider safe without medical supervision. For men, the floor is 1,500 kcal/day. Below those amounts, it becomes hard to meet protein, fiber, vitamin, and mineral targets, and metabolic adaptation accelerates.
Q How do I calculate calories to gain muscle?
Eat 250–500 kcal above TDEE while doing progressive resistance training and consuming 1.6–2.2 g of protein per kg of body weight. The lower end of this surplus produces a "lean bulk" with more muscle, less fat. Going higher than 500 surplus increases fat gain without proportionally more muscle gain in most adults.
Q Do I need to track calories perfectly to lose weight?
No. Tracking improves awareness but is not required. Most people lose weight successfully by reducing portion sizes, eliminating sugar-sweetened beverages, increasing protein, and walking more — without ever logging a meal. The CDC and USDA emphasize sustainable patterns over precise tracking.
Q How accurate are restaurant menu calorie counts?
FDA-mandated restaurant calorie labels (chains with 20+ locations) are required to be reasonable estimates but commonly vary ±20% from actual. Combined with restaurant portion drift, you may be eating 30–40% more calories than the menu states. For tracking accuracy, prefer home-prepared food.
Q Why am I not losing weight at my calculated calorie target?
Three common reasons: (1) underestimating intake — most adults underreport by 20–40%; (2) overestimating activity multiplier — moderately active is rarer than people think; (3) metabolic adaptation after several weeks of dieting. Recheck portions, drop one activity level, or take a 1–2 week diet break.
Q Should I eat the same calories every day?
Not necessarily. Calorie cycling — higher calories on training days, lower on rest days, or a weekly average — produces the same weight result as a flat target. Pick whichever is easier to sustain. The total weekly deficit/surplus is what matters.
Q How does pregnancy change my calorie needs?
The USDA Dietary Guidelines recommend an additional 340 kcal/day in the second trimester and 452 kcal/day in the third trimester for singleton pregnancy with normal pre-pregnancy BMI. For breastfeeding, add roughly 330 kcal/day in the first 6 months. Always confirm targets with your obstetrician.
Official resources
USDA — Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Official US Dietary Guidelines (2025–2030) including calorie reference ranges by age and sex.
NIH NIDDK — Body Weight Planner
NIH/NIDDK Body Weight Planner using the Hall et al. dynamic energy balance model.
CDC — Healthy Weight Loss
CDC guidance on safe rates of weight loss and minimum calorie thresholds.
USDA MyPlate — Calorie Reference Tables
USDA MyPlate calorie reference tables and meal-planning tools for adults.