Calorie Calculator: Easily Find Your Caloric Needs

This calorie calculator can estimate how many calories you should consume each day. It also provides a simple guideline for how many calories you would need to consume to gain or lose weight. The calculation is based on your activity level. Your calorie needs may be slightly different, but this is an excellent start.

Calorie Calculator

Calorie Calculator

BMR: calories

TDEE: calories

Suggested Intake To Meet Your Goal: calories

CALORIE CALCULATOR INFO

Watch the video.

Why Use a Calorie Calculator?

Tools like this have become popular for people looking to manage their weight. They can also help improve health. Today, many of us lead sedentary lifestyles and have easy access to high-calorie foods. Because of this, monitoring our calorie intake is more important than ever.

There are many reasons why someone might use a calculator like this. They help you determine how many calories you must consume daily to maintain weight. This is known as your basal metabolic rate (BMR). BMR is the number of calories your body burns at rest to maintain normal bodily functions.

Once you know your BMR, you can factor in your activity level. This provides a more accurate estimate of how many calories you need to maintain, gain, or lose weight. This can be especially helpful if you’re trying to lose weight. Weight loss requires calorie deficit (i.e., consume fewer calories than you burn) to shed pounds. Not knowing makes sustainable weight loss more difficult.

But it’s not just about weight loss. Tracking your calorie intake can also help you make healthier choices regarding food. By knowing the calorie content of the foods you eat, you can make more informed decisions about food. This can be especially helpful if you’re trying to eat a balanced diet. A balanced diet should include plenty of fruits, vegetables, and other nutrient-rich foods.

Using a calorie calculator can also help you stay accountable and motivated. When you can see how much you’re consuming each day, it can be easier to stick to your goals and make healthier choices. Plus, many calorie calculators allow you to track your progress over time. This can be incredibly motivating as you see yourself getting closer to your goals.

There are plenty of reasons why someone might use a calorie calculator. These tools can be incredibly helpful. Especially if you’re trying to lose weight or eat healthier. They can also help you better understand your calorie intake. So why not give it a try and see how it can benefit you?

You might also like Spot Reduction of Body Fat.

Using the Calculator for Calorie Intake

The value obtained using this calorie calculator is an estimated number of calories. The value is how many calories you need to consume to maintain weight. Are you trying to lose or gain weight? Use the recommendations below that number to achieve those goals.

You can learn more with the Calories Infographic: An Introduction

Method: Why You Can Trust Our Calorie Calculator

The truth is just about every calorie calculator online uses the same formula. They are all trustworthy for what they do.

That said, these formulas can’t take every possible situation into account. They are an educated estimate of how many calories you need based on the info you put in.

You can trust this calculator as much as you can trust any. At least assuming they use the standardized formula for finding estimated caloric needs.

You might also like the comparison of the Nerd Fitness Calorie Calculator vs. ours.

How Many Calories Do You Need?

calorie needs by gender graph

According to the USDA’s latest “Dietary Guidelines for Americans” report, adult females need between 1,600 to 2,400 calories a day. Adult males require between 2,000 to 3,000 calories.

But, this does not take into account your unique body and lifestyle. This tool can help you get a good idea of how many you need, but after that you can learn through some trial and error.

How Many Calories Should I Eat a Day?

Not sure how many calories you should be consuming? The calculator for calorie intake above can help you determine this number. This is just a starting point, though! The only accurate way to discover how many calories you need to meet your goals is to track your intake. Tracking will determine if you are helping or harming your goals. Adjust from that number as needed.

If your goal is to lose weight, subtract from your daily intake. If your goal is to gain weight, add to your daily intake. You also need to consider how many calories your body needs to actually stay healthy. Physical activity, and many other factors, affect how many calories an individual needs. The calculator above is a great way to get a baseline.

Some other factors that influence the total number of calories calories you need are:

  • Age
  • Weight
  • Height
  • Gender
  • General health level

According to the U.S. Department of Health, adult males generally need around 2,000-3,000 per day. Adult females need about 1,600-2,400. Harvard recommends that males do not consume less than 1,500. Females should not consume less than 1,200 per day without medical supervision.

You might also like Can You Lose Weight on 1500 Calories Per Day?

Counting Calories

Calorie counting is the most basic and commonly used effective way to increase or decrease bodyweight. The calorie recommendations from this calculator do not consider proportions of macronutrients consumed. Minimally process foods are more conducive to healthy weight loss and maintenance. This is why a balanced diet is the best way to go.

You may also like: Should You Track Calories?

Calorie Counter Options

If you are looking for more ways to keep track of your calories here are a few methods you can use-

Cronometer - calorie and nutrient counting app
  • Pen and Paper- this method seems a little archaic. But it does work. The food you are consuming will list the calories. You can keep track throughout the day to know your caloric intake.
  • Calorie counter app– there are a ton of apps that allow you to count calories. Most of them even have built in calorie calculators to help you reach your goal! Our favorite is Cronometer. Click the image to try it!

You might also like: Kcalories vs. Calories: What is the Difference?

Calories Needed to Maintain Weight

The calculator above will give you a good baseline for how many calories you need to maintain your current weight using a healthy diet. This can vary from individual to individual.

Maintenance Calories Definition

Maintenance calories are the exact amount of calories needed to support your daily expenditure. This is assuming you want no change in overall body weight. Use the caloric baseline calculator above and the “maintain weight” number. This will determine your calories needed to stay at your current weight.

Calorie Counting as a Means for Weight Loss

Counting calories can be a successful way to shed pounds in the short term, and it could work in the long run for some. Nonetheless, for the majority of people, it not only fails but also can be damaging. To begin with, it can make mealtimes less enjoyable, turning them into a tedious exercise of counting calories and food measuring.

But, it works the same way as any successful diet, by creating a calorie deficit and allowing the body to start burning stored energy. It is far more sustainable to focus on eating a healthy diet for weight loss and not worry about counting calories.

If you are interested in learning a sustainable way to lose weight check out this article.

blue tape measuring on clear glass square weighing scale

Using the Calorie Calculator to Lose Weight

Learn more about calculating calories for weight loss or keep reading for an overview!

To lose one pound per week the individual would subtract 500 calories from the daily maintenance calories estimate. This is assuming that individual changes nothing else in their daily energy output. Consider someone who removed 500 calories from their daily caloric intake and did more cardio to burn 250 more calories. They would be expected to lose closer to 1.5 pounds per week.

If someone were to keep daily calories at maintenance level but burn 500 more calories, they should also expect to lose about one pound per week.

Weight loss can be achieved many different ways, but all of them include either consuming fewer calories or burning more calories. If you are struggling losing weight and feel that you cannot sustain a healthy diet, check out this guide!

You might also like our bodyfat percentage calculator.

How Many Calories a Day for Weight Loss

It is recommended that individuals do not lower calorie intake by more than 1,000 calories as this can be unhealthy and reduce metabolism. Losing more than 2 pounds per week can also cause the loss of muscle mass.

It is also important that the individual does not deprive their body of its required nutrients. Depriving yourself of nutrients such as fiber and water while trying to lose weight can be extremely unhealthy.

Worried about giving up foods that you love? We actually wouldn’t recommend it. Instead enjoy them in moderation! You can also check out How to Lower Your Calorie Intake- Easy Swaps in Your Daily Routine

Is the Calorie Calculator a Weight Loss Calculator?

Yes and no. The intention of this calorie calculator is to find an educated estimate for how many calories you need to reach your goal weight. The actual number could be more or less than the number this calculator gives you. This depends on many factors including your daily activity, and your metabolism.

Weight loss is dependent on many factors. This tool is only meant to help you determine the number of calories that will likely provide you with results. If you are serious about weight loss, diet is a huge factor. But knowing your recommended calorie intake is a step in the right direction.

What is the best way to lose weight?

There is no set “best way” to lose or gain weight. For this reason it is important to find what works for the individual. The most basic breakdown is that calories consumed minus calories expended throughout the week will result in change. The change will be weight gain if the result is positive and weight loss if the result is negative.

A sustained reduction in calorie intake or increase in expenditure should result in weight loss. That is if ignoring efficiency and optimal health. Counting calories can be an effective way to achieve this result. In that same line of though, a sustained abundance of calories should result in weight gain.

Calorie counting also has less measurable benefits such as increasing food awareness. Spend some time counting the calories in the food consumed throughout a regular week. This can help understand the foods and macronutrients going into the body. It will also help understand how those foods effect weight loss and energy levels.

Using the Calorie Calculator to Gain Weight

Using the Calorie Calculator to Gain Weight

An individual should consume 500 additional calories per day to gain one pound per week. Once again assuming the individual does not change their daily caloric expenditure.

They could gain more by increasing their daily caloric intake, but this will lead to a larger increase in bodyfat.

Learn more about gaining weight in this article: How Many Calories Should I Eat in a Day to Gain Weight?

Is This Calorie Calculator for Bodybuilding

This calculator can discover a baseline for weight loss or weight gain. Keep in mind that weight gained is not necessarily muscle gained. There are many other factors that come into play when trying to gain muscle such as activities performed throughout the day. If your main goal is to gain muscle, weight training is a great way to ensure you gain lean body mass. Complete protein is also an important factor in muscle recovery when trying to build lean body mass.

You can find our bodybuilding programs here if your goals including building a muscular physique.

Different Kinds of Calories and Their Affects

Calories are a measure of the amount of energy present in food, and they are a vital aspect of our daily diet. Our bodies need energy to function correctly, and the source of this energy is the food we eat. However, not all calories are created equal, and the type of calories we consume can have a significant impact on our overall health.

plate full of carbs, protein, and fats

There are three types of macronutrients that provide calories: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for the body, and they are found in foods such as fruits, vegetables, and grains. Proteins are essential for building and repairing tissues, and they are found in foods such as meat, eggs, and legumes. Fats provide the body with long-term energy storage and insulation, and they are found in foods such as nuts, seeds, and oils.

While all three macronutrients provide calories, they do so in different ways. Carbohydrates are the quickest source of energy, and they are broken down into glucose in the body. This glucose can be used immediately for energy or stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver for later use. However, if we consume more carbohydrates than our body needs, the excess is stored as fat.

Proteins and fats, on the other hand, take longer to break down and provide a slower, sustained source of energy. This means that consuming protein and fat can help keep us feeling fuller for longer, which can be helpful for weight management. However, consuming too much fat can lead to weight gain, and consuming too much protein can put a strain on the kidneys.

It’s also essential to note that not all carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are created equal. For example, simple carbohydrates such as sugar and refined grains are quickly digested and can cause a spike in blood sugar levels. But complex carbohydrates such as whole grains provide a slower release of energy and are more beneficial for overall health. Similarly, unsaturated fats are healthier than saturated and trans fats. They are found in nuts and seeds instead of processed foods and animal products. Choosing healthier options is generally also more suitable for weight loss and gaining lean body mass.

All foods should be consumed in moderation, regardless of their macronutrient content. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats all provide calories. But they do so in different ways and can have different effects on our overall health and weight loss. It’s important to aim for a balanced and healthy diet, that includes a variety of nutrient-dense foods and limits processed and sugary foods. By paying attention to the types of calories we consume and moderating our intake, we can support our overall health and wellbeing.

Learn more about what products can help you reach your fitness and health goals by checking out the resources page.

FAQ

How Do I Calculate My Calorie Intake?

You can calculate your daily caloric intake by keeping track of your food intake throughout the day. However, if you are looking to determine your recommended daily calorie intake you can use the calculator at the top of the page, or these formulas for a general idea:

  1. For women, BMR = 655.1 + (9.563 x weight in kg) + (1.850 x height in cm) – (4.676 x age in years)
  2. For men, BMR = 66.47 + (13.75 x weight in kg) + (5.003 x height in cm) – (6.755 x age in years)

Is Eating 1200 Calories a Day Healthy?

Everyone’s body is unique, and so are their calorie needs. Depending on body size, age, and physical activity levels, a 1,200-calorie diet may not be suitable for some individuals – especially smaller women.

Do I have to eat 1200 calories a day to lose weight?

Creating a small calorie deficit is the key to successful weight loss. Many studies have shown that cutting 500-750 calories a day, as some health professionals advise, can encourage weight loss in the short term. Following a 1,200-calorie diet can lead to weight loss. However, it might not be the healthiest weight management option.

What is TDEE?

TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It means the amount of calories you burn on an average day.

Is this a weight gain calculator?

It is if you choose the goal “gain weight!”

Check out our other fitness calculators here!

Scroll to Top