How many calories should you eat per day?
This page calculates an orienting daily calorie target (how many kilocalories you might eat per day to maintain, enter a deficit, or a surplus). We first estimate your BMR (basal metabolic rate): the kilocalories your body burns at complete rest (breathing, circulation, vital functions). With Mifflin–St Jeor and your activity level we get estimated TDEE; from that total daily burn we adjust your target. Results are general guidance, not a prescription or medical advice. View TDEE-only calculator or the macro calculator.
Calculate your calorie target
What is BMR and why does it matter for knowing how much to eat?
Your BMR (basal metabolic rate) is how many calories your body needs just to stay alive: breathing, keeping your temperature stable, making your heart beat, and keeping all your organs running. No movement, no food, just existing.
We estimate it with the Mifflin-St Jeor formula, which uses your weight, height, age, and sex. That number is your energy floor. Multiply it by your activity level and you get your TDEE, which reflects a real day of living.
That is why you see both in the results: BMR shows your base metabolism, and TDEE already includes what you do during the day. When deciding how much to eat, you work with TDEE.
From your daily burn to a concrete calorie target
Once you know your TDEE, choosing how many calories to eat per day is straightforward. There are three options:
Eat close to your TDEE to maintain your weight. Eat less to lose fat in a deficit. Eat more to gain mass in a surplus. The number this calculator shows already applies that adjustment based on what you selected.
Calorie deficit
- You eat less than your TDEE
- Your body uses stored fat for energy
- Typical range: −300 to −650 kcal vs TDEE
Calorie surplus
- You eat more than your TDEE
- Extra resources to build muscle (with training)
- Typical range: +280 to +450 kcal vs TDEE
What each goal means in practice
| Goal | What it means day to day |
|---|---|
| Maintain | Eat near your TDEE. Useful to stabilize weight after a change, or to verify that your reference number actually lines up with reality. |
| Lose fat | Gradual deficit. Works better when you prioritize protein, sleep, and consistency over the most aggressive cut possible. |
| Gain mass | Modest surplus with strength training. Without progressive exercise, the extra calories go mainly to fat, not muscle. |
What to do with your number once you have it
Save it as your weekly reference. One odd day up or down tells you nothing. What matters is the weekly average.
Pay attention to your body's signals. Energy, hunger, sleep quality, and training performance are better indicators than the scale alone.
Recalculate when something changes. If your weight, exercise routine, or activity level shifted, your TDEE shifted too. Update your numbers every 4-6 weeks.
Tracking tip
Describe your meal by WhatsApp to Cami and get calories and macros back instantly, no extra apps needed. Logging stops feeling like work.
If you also want to know how to split those calories into protein, carbs, and fat, use the macro calculator.
What this calculator cannot replace
This tool gives estimates based on general formulas. It does not replace an evaluation from a doctor or dietitian. If you are pregnant, have an eating disorder, diabetes, or another metabolic condition, or are under 18, talk to a professional before making changes to your diet.
To track what you eat day to day, check QuéComí plans or create your account.