"How many calories do I need per day?" is the question almost every nutrition plan starts with. Let's look at where that number comes from and how to calculate it for yourself.
This is general information, not medical advice. If you have health concerns, consult a doctor.
Two concepts: BMR and TDEE
- BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) — the number of calories your body burns at complete rest: breathing, circulation, organ function. It's the "cost of being alive," even if you spend the whole day lying down.
- TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) — this is BMR multiplied by an activity factor. TDEE is your maintenance calorie level: eat this much, and your weight stays stable.
How the norm is calculated
The current standard is the Mifflin-St Jeor formula:
- men: 10 x weight(kg) + 6.25 x height(cm) - 5 x age + 5
- women: 10 x weight(kg) + 6.25 x height(cm) - 5 x age - 161
The resulting BMR is then multiplied by an activity factor — ranging from 1.2 (sedentary lifestyle) to 1.9 (heavy physical labor). There's no need to calculate it by hand: the calorie calculator does it instantly and shows targets for both weight loss and weight gain right away.
Deficit and surplus
- Weight loss — eat 10-20% below your maintenance level (the calculator shows a -15% option). Aggressive deficits are unhealthy and hard to sustain.
- Muscle gain — eat 10-15% above your maintenance level.
- Maintenance — eat at your calculated norm.
The main thing to track is how your weight changes over 2-3 weeks. If your weight isn't moving but you're aiming to lose it, adjust your calorie target.
What about macros
Calories are the "budget," while protein, fat, and carbs are how you spend it. A common baseline is 30% protein, 30% fat, 40% carbs of total calories. The calculator shows the breakdown in grams.
Useful next steps
- Check your weight relative to your height with the BMI calculator.
- Find out how many calories a workout burns with the activity calorie calculator.
Your calorie norm is a starting point, not a law. Calculate it, track the results, and adjust as needed.