Weight Loss Calculator

To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). A common approach is to create a deficit of 500 kcal/day, which leads to approximately 1 lb (0.45 kg) of weight loss per week. This calculator estimates your TDEE and subtracts your chosen deficit to give you a daily calorie target.

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the number of calories your body burns at complete rest — just to maintain vital functions like breathing and circulation. It forms the foundation of your total calorie needs. Knowing your BMR helps ensure that your weight loss diet still provides enough energy to keep your body functioning properly.

This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which is widely considered the most accurate formula for estimating BMR. Your BMR is then multiplied by an activity factor to get your TDEE. The Mifflin-St Jeor equation accounts for age, gender, height, and weight.

Most health professionals recommend a weight loss rate of 0.5 to 1 lb (0.25–0.5 kg) per week for sustainable results. Losing more than 2 lbs per week is generally considered aggressive and may lead to muscle loss or nutritional deficiencies. A moderate calorie deficit combined with regular exercise is the safest approach.

BMR is the energy your body uses at rest, while TDEE includes all calories burned throughout the day — from exercise, daily movement, and digestion. Your daily calorie intake should be based on TDEE, not BMR, to accurately reflect your energy needs and set a realistic deficit for weight loss.

Yes, exercise significantly increases your TDEE. The more active you are, the more calories you burn daily and the higher your maintenance calories. This means active individuals can eat more while still losing weight. Selecting the correct activity level in the calculator ensures your calorie target is properly adjusted.

Calorie counting is one effective strategy, but it's not the only way. Focusing on whole foods, portion control, reducing sugar and processed foods, and staying active can all lead to weight loss without strict calorie tracking. However, knowing your approximate calorie target provides a useful benchmark for making food choices.

Men generally have higher muscle mass and larger body size, which results in a higher BMR compared to women of the same age and weight. The Mifflin-St Jeor equation uses different constants for males and females to account for these physiological differences, giving more personalized and accurate calorie estimates.