Calculate your daily calorie needs for weight loss, maintenance, or gain based on your activity level and goals.
Calories are units of energy that fuel your body's functions. Your daily calorie needs depend on three main factors:
The calories your body burns at complete rest for basic functions like breathing and circulation. Accounts for 60-70% of total calories burned.
Calories burned digesting and processing food. Accounts for about 10% of total calories.
Calories burned through exercise and daily movement. Accounts for 20-30% of total calories for most people.
The most accurate method for calculating your basal metabolic rate:
For Men: BMR = 88.362 + (13.397 × weight in kg) + (4.799 × height in cm) - (5.677 × age in years)
For Women: BMR = 447.593 + (9.247 × weight in kg) + (3.098 × height in cm) - (4.330 × age in years)
Your TDEE is your BMR multiplied by an activity factor:
| Activity Level | Description | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | Little or no exercise | BMR × 1.2 |
| Lightly active | Light exercise 1-3 days/week | BMR × 1.375 |
| Moderately active | Moderate exercise 3-5 days/week | BMR × 1.55 |
| Very active | Hard exercise 6-7 days/week | BMR × 1.725 |
| Extremely active | Very hard exercise & physical job | BMR × 1.9 |
To change your weight, you need to adjust your calorie intake:
Note: Very aggressive deficits or surpluses may lead to muscle loss or excessive fat gain respectively. Moderate changes are more sustainable.
For optimal health and body composition, balance your calories across three macronutrients:
| Macronutrient | Calories/gram | Recommended % | Primary Functions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 4 | 20-35% | Muscle repair, enzyme production |
| Carbohydrates | 4 | 45-65% | Primary energy source |
| Fats | 9 | 20-35% | Hormone production, nutrient absorption |
A: Common reasons include: underestimating food intake, overestimating activity, metabolic adaptation, water retention, or medical conditions. Track accurately for 2-3 weeks before adjusting.
A> Every 5-10 lbs of weight change, or if your activity level changes significantly. Your BMR decreases as you lose weight and increases as you gain muscle.
A> For pure weight loss, a calorie is a calorie. However, different foods affect satiety, hormones, and metabolism differently, making some calories "better" than others for adherence and health.
A> Only if you're highly active or trying to maintain/gain weight. Most people overestimate exercise calories burned, so eating them back can erase your deficit.
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