Calorie Calculator for Weight Loss
Calculate your personal daily calorie target for weight loss using the Mifflin-St Jeor and Katch-McArdle formulas. Get your BMR, TDEE, and recommended calorie deficit.
By Jonas Lindemann · Updated · How we build our calculators
Little to no exercise, desk job
Light exercise 1-3 days per week
Moderate exercise 3-5 days per week
Hard exercise 6-7 days per week
Very hard exercise, physical job, or training twice a day
Enable if you know your body fat %
Daily Calorie Target
1,766kcal
1,424kcal
BMR (Resting)
2,207kcal
TDEE (Maintenance)
Calculated using Mifflin-St Jeor formula
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About the Author
Jonas
I'm a software developer and multi-sport athlete: cycling since 2014, running since 2016 and triathlon since 2020. I built this calculator to help athletes like you and me.
Learn more about meFrequently Asked Questions
For safe weight loss, aim for a 500-1000 calorie daily deficit, which typically results in 0.5-1 kg (1-2 lbs) loss per week. Our calculator determines your maintenance calories and applies your chosen deficit intensity.
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories your body burns at complete rest. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is your BMR multiplied by your activity level - it's your maintenance calories.
Mifflin-St Jeor is accurate for most people. If you know your body fat percentage, Katch-McArdle can be more precise as it accounts for lean body mass - especially useful for athletes or those with unusual body composition.
Generally, women should not go below 1,200 kcal/day and men should not go below 1,500 kcal/day without medical supervision. Our calculator enforces these safety floors.
These formulas are accurate to within 10% for most people. Individual metabolism varies, so use results as a starting point and adjust based on your actual progress over 2-4 weeks.