Calorie calculator and food database for everyday use

Calculate your daily calories and macros, then pick foods, brands, and portions for that target.

Calculate your daily target

Choose a goal and fill in the basics. Results update automatically.

Mifflin - St Jeor Katch - McArdle

FAQ

Quick answers before your first calculation in compact expandable cards.

Start

Is this calculation enough to get started?

Yes. To start, it is enough to get daily calories and macros, then compare them with real foods and watch the trend for 10–14 days.

Body composition

Do I need to fill in the body composition fields?

No. They only refine the model. The basic calculation works without them.

Next step

What should I do after I get the result?

Open the catalog or the portion calculator and map the target to real foods and portion weights.

Goal

Can I use this result to lose weight?

Yes, if you choose a weight-loss goal and then track how your weight and wellbeing respond, not only the theory.

Methodology

Where can I see formulas and calculation details?

If you need formulas and detailed explanations, open the methodology page.

Pick foods for your target

Open the catalog or calculate a portion right away.

Open catalog Portion calculator

Articles

Short reads that pair well with calorie planning and meal choices.

View all articles

Weight loss

Calorie Deficit: How It Works

A quick overview of calorie deficit, common mistakes, and practical use.

Practice

How to count calories without chaos

How to track calories without overwhelm and navigate your diet faster.

Metabolism

What Is BMR: Why It Is Not Your Daily Target

What basal metabolic rate means, how it is calculated, and how to read it.

How to read the result

This is not a quick cheat sheet — it is the logic behind the calculation: where each number comes from, which formulas are used, and what the real accuracy boundaries are.

Quick calculation outline

If you need a quick answer, the logic is this

First we calculate BMR. Then we convert it to maintenance using activity. After that, the goal adjusts the daily target, and macros are derived from it.

BMR activity maintenance

maintenance goal daily target macros

BMR: basal energy expenditure at rest. This is the minimum energy for breathing, heart work, body temperature, and other background processes.
Activity: a factor that turns BMR into maintenance calories — an estimate for your current weight in your usual routine.
Goal: an adjustment to maintenance. For weight loss calories go down, for gain go up, and for maintenance they stay without an extra shift.
Macros: computed from the target: protein and fat are based on weight, while carbs take the remaining calories.

Use the switch above the form to choose MIFFLIN - ST JEOR or KATCH - MCARDLE if you know body fat percentage or have measurements.

What the calculation shows

The result has two main numbers. The first is maintenance calories: an estimate for your current weight. The second is the daily target: the same base, but adjusted for loss, gain, or maintenance. If you choose to maintain weight, there is no separate adjustment.

If you enter a target weight and pace, the calculator also shows an estimated time to reach the goal. It is not a promise of an exact date — just a working estimate. KATCH - MCARDLE requires body fat percentage or measurements to estimate it.

How BMR is calculated

You can choose the formula manually. MIFFLIN - ST JEOR uses sex, age, height, and weight. KATCH - MCARDLE is based on lean body mass and therefore requires body fat percentage or measurements to estimate it.

MIFFLIN - ST JEOR

Formula by sex, age, height, and weight

For men: BMR = 10 x W + 6.25 x H - 5 x A + 5

For women: BMR = 10 x W + 6.25 x H - 5 x A - 161

Works well when you only have the basics.

KATCH - MCARDLE

Formula by lean body mass

Lean mass = W x (1 - F / 100)

BMR = 370 + 21.6 x lean mass

Requires body fat percentage or measurements to estimate it.

W: weight in kg
H: height in cm
A: age in full years
F: body fat percentage

What changes your daily total

After BMR, the calculator multiplies it by an activity factor. The site offers five levels: from sedentary lifestyle to very high load. This gives maintenance calories — an estimate for your current weight given your typical day.

For loss and gain, pace is applied. The calculator converts it into a deficit or surplus using a simple rule: about 7,700 kcal per 1 kg of body mass. For loss this adjustment is subtracted, for gain it is added. Target weight is not used in the calorie formula itself, but to estimate time to goal.

Sedentary lifestyle

x1.2

Light activity 1–3 times per week

x1.375

Moderate activity 3–5 times per week

x1.55

High activity 6–7 times per week

x1.725

Very high training load or physical job

x1.9

How protein, fat, and carbs are calculated

Protein and fat are set as grams per kilogram of body weight. Carbs take the remaining calories. So the macro split is not a universal plan — it is a direct continuation of your calculation based on weight, activity, and goal.

Fiber is calculated separately: the estimate is based on a simple guideline of about 14 g per 1,000 kcal.

Maintain

Protein: 1.6 g/kg
Fat: 0.9 g/kg
Carbs: remaining calories

Lose

Protein: 1.8 g/kg
Fat: 0.8 g/kg
Carbs: remaining calories

Gain

Protein: 2.0 g/kg
Fat: 1.0 g/kg
Carbs: remaining calories

Where the accuracy limits are

This calculation is for getting started, not arguing with your body. A 30–50 kcal difference usually does not matter: it is easily offset by a typical day, a walk, a workout, or just a different portion size. The overall calorie corridor matters much more than a feeling of mathematical perfection.

The most honest check is to live with the plan for 10–14 days and watch average weight, appetite, energy, and how sustainable the routine is. If weight moves the wrong way or the plan does not stick, adjust in small steps rather than rebuilding everything at once.