What is a calorie calculator?
A calorie calculator estimates how many calories you should eat each day to reach your goal: lose weight, keep your weight steady, or gain weight. This free online calorie calculator works out your basal metabolic rate (BMR) with the Mifflin-St Jeor formula, multiplies it by your activity level to get your maintenance calories, and then adds or subtracts calories for your chosen rate of weight change. It also splits your daily target into protein, carbs and fat, and works in kg, cm, feet or pounds.
What is calories? What is calories in food and in the human body?
A calorie is a unit of energy. The "calories" on food labels are kilocalories (kcal): the energy needed to raise 1 kg of water by 1 °C, equal to 4.184 kilojoules. Your body gets calories from carbohydrates and protein (4 kcal per gram), fat (9 kcal per gram) and alcohol (7 kcal per gram), and spends them on keeping you alive, moving and digesting. In Hindi, calories are often explained as urja ki matra – the amount of energy in food.
How to use the calorie calculator
- Enter your sex, age, height and weight.
- Choose the activity level that matches your average week.
- Pick your goal: lose 0.25, 0.5 or 1 kg a week, maintain, or gain.
- Read your daily calorie target and the suggested macros.
Calorie calculator formula
This is how to calculate calorie intake step by step:
1. BMR (men) = 10 × W + 6.25 × H − 5 × A + 5
BMR (women) = 10 × W + 6.25 × H − 5 × A − 161
2. Maintenance calories (TDEE) = BMR × activity factor
3. Daily target = TDEE − deficit (or + surplus)
- W = weight in kg, H = height in cm, A = age in years
- Activity factor = 1.2 sedentary, 1.375 light, 1.55 moderate, 1.725 very active, 1.9 extra active
- Deficit / surplus = about 550 kcal a day per 0.5 kg a week, because 1 kg of body fat holds roughly 7,700 kcal
Worked example
A 30-year-old man, 70 kg and 175 cm, trains 3–5 days a week and wants to lose 0.5 kg a week.
- BMR = 700 + 1,093.75 − 150 + 5 = 1,649 kcal
- Maintenance calories = 1,649 × 1.55 = 2,556 kcal
- Target = 2,556 − 550 = 2,006 kcal a day
That is the default result above. The macro split gives 112 g protein (1.6 g per kg), 56 g fat (25% of calories) and about 264 g of carbohydrate from the remaining calories. A woman aged 30, 60 kg and 162 cm with the same activity level has a BMR of 1,302 kcal and maintenance calories of about 2,017 kcal, so her target to lose 0.5 kg a week would be about 1,467 kcal.
Calorie calculator for weight loss: how to calculate calories for weight loss
What is a calorie deficit?
A calorie deficit means eating fewer calories than your body burns. Your body makes up the gap by using stored energy, mainly fat. It is the only way to lose fat; every diet that works – low-carb, intermittent fasting, keto or a simple Indian home-food plan – works by creating a deficit.
How to calculate calorie deficit for weight loss and fat loss
Find your maintenance calories, then subtract:
| Goal | Daily deficit | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Lose 0.25 kg a week | ≈ 275 kcal | Close to target weight, or lean people |
| Lose 0.5 kg a week | ≈ 550 kcal | Most people – sustainable and safe |
| Lose 1 kg a week | ≈ 1,100 kcal | Only with a lot of weight to lose |
The calculator never sets a target below 1,200 kcal for women or 1,500 kcal for men, the usual minimums without medical supervision. Very low intakes cost muscle, energy and nutrients, and make the weight easier to regain.
Calorie calculator to gain weight: how to calculate calories for weight gain
What is a calorie surplus?
A calorie surplus means eating more than you burn. For a lean bulk, a small surplus of 250–300 kcal a day with strength training adds muscle with limited fat. Beginners can use 500 kcal. If you struggle to eat enough, add calorie-dense foods: peanuts, ghee in moderation, bananas, milk, paneer, eggs and whole-grain parathas.
How many calories a day to maintain weight?
Your maintenance calories are your TDEE. As a rough guide, most moderately active adult women need about 1,800–2,200 kcal and most moderately active men about 2,200–2,800 kcal. Sedentary office workers need less; athletes and manual workers need more. For a detailed breakdown of maintenance calories by activity, use the TDEE calculator; for your resting burn alone, the BMR calculator.
Calorie calculator and protein, carbs and fat
Calories decide whether you lose or gain weight; macros decide whether that weight is fat or muscle, and how full you feel. This calorie calculator with macros sets protein at 1.6 g per kg of body weight when you are losing weight (1.4 g/kg otherwise), fat at 25% of calories, and fills the rest with carbohydrates. For custom ratios such as high-protein or low-carb, use the macro calculator, and see your protein need on its own with the protein calculator.
Calorie calculator for an Indian diet
Once you know your daily number, plan meals with typical Indian food values:
| Indian food (typical serving) | Approx. calories |
|---|---|
| 1 plain roti / chapati (30 g atta) | ≈ 100 kcal |
| 1 cup cooked rice (150 g) | ≈ 200 kcal |
| 1 bowl dal (150 ml) | ≈ 150 kcal |
| 100 g paneer | ≈ 265 kcal |
| 1 boiled egg | ≈ 75 kcal |
| 1 samosa | ≈ 250 kcal |
| 1 cup milk tea with sugar | ≈ 90 kcal |
| 1 medium banana | ≈ 105 kcal |
Values vary with recipe and oil. A 2,000 kcal Indian day might be poha with peanuts and tea for breakfast, dal, 2 rotis, sabzi, curd and salad for lunch, fruit and roasted chana as a snack, and rice, rajma or chicken curry and vegetables for dinner.
Calorie calculator exercise: calories burned in exercise
The activity factor already covers your usual workouts, so do not add exercise calories on top unless you pick "Sedentary". To estimate the calories burned in a specific run, walk or cycling session, use the calories burned calculator.
Calorie calculator for kids and teens
This calculator is designed for people aged 15 and over. Children need enough energy to grow, and calorie restriction for kids should only be done with a paediatrician. Teenagers aged 15–18 can use the maintenance figure as a guide, but should not follow aggressive deficits.
The results are estimates for healthy adults and are not medical advice. People with diabetes, thyroid disease, pregnancy or other conditions should ask a doctor or registered dietitian.
Calorie calculator for men, women and every goal
This free calorie calculator online needs no app. It uses the right BMR formula for men or women and takes your weight in kilograms. Pick losing weight, weight gain or maintenance from the goal menu. Wondering how much you should eat? The big number is exactly how much to eat per day.
Calorie calculator deficit and lean bulk settings
Choose "Lose 0.5 kg per week" for the standard deficit of 550 kcal, or "Gain 0.25 kg per week" for a lean bulk surplus of 275 kcal. Both follow the calorie calculator formula for weight loss explained above.
Calorie calculator for Indian food and an Indian diet
In India, calorie counting has to work with dal, roti and rice, not only Western foods. Use the table above as a quick calorie calculator for Indian food, and read labels for packaged items. For an Indian diet, fill half your plate with sabzi or salad, a quarter with protein (dal, paneer, eggs, chicken, sprouts) and a quarter with roti or rice.
Calorie calculator and macros
This calorie calculator with macros shows protein, carbs and fat in grams. A calorie calculator and protein target together help you keep muscle while you lose fat.
Calorie calculator in Hindi: calorie kaise kare calculate
Pehle BMR nikalein: purush ke liye 10 × vajan (kg) + 6.25 × lambai (cm) − 5 × umar + 5. Phir ise activity factor (1.2 se 1.9) se guna karein. Vajan ghatane ke liye isme se 500 calories kam karein, badhane ke liye 250–500 jodein.
Calorie calculator for fat loss and weight gain in kg
This calorie calculator for fat loss uses kg for weight, so people in India and Europe can fill it in directly. To lose weight, pick a loss goal; to gain weight, pick a gain goal. The daily figure is the only number you need to track.
Calories in food and calories burned
What is calories burn? It is the energy your body uses for living and moving. Calories in food are measured by burning food samples in a lab (a bomb calorimeter) and correcting for digestion. Food apps and a calorie calculator for food or calorie calculator by food search use these lab values, so check portion sizes carefully.
Calorie calculator: how much have I eaten today?
This calorie calculator tells you how much you should eat. To find how much you have eaten, add up each food: weigh it on a kitchen scale, then multiply by its calories per 100 g from the label or a nutrition table. Example: 150 g of cooked rice at about 130 kcal per 100 g is 195 kcal; one medium chapati is about 100–120 kcal; 1 tablespoon of oil is about 120 kcal.
Calorie calculator scale: weighing food
A digital kitchen scale is the most accurate way to count. Weigh food raw where possible, because cooking changes water content and therefore calories per gram.
Calorie calculator with photo
Apps that estimate calories from a photo guess the food and the portion size from the image. They are quick, but portion errors of 20–40% are common, especially for curries, oils and mixed dishes. A calorie calculator using a photo is fine for a rough log; weigh food when accuracy matters.
Calorie calculator zig zag plan
A zig zag plan keeps your weekly calories the same but varies them by day. With a 1,800 kcal target (12,600 a week), you could eat 2,100 kcal on two training days and 1,680 kcal on the other five. Weight change depends on the weekly total, so use whichever pattern is easier to stick to.
Calorie calculator machine: how calories in food are measured
Food labs measure energy with a bomb calorimeter, a machine that burns a dried food sample and records the heat released. Nutrition labels then use the Atwater factors: 4 kcal per gram of protein and carbohydrate, 9 kcal per gram of fat and 7 kcal per gram of alcohol.
One small calorie (the thermochemical calorie) = 4.18400 joules exactly. A food "Calorie" or kcal is 1,000 of those, so 1 kcal = 4.184 kJ; a 2,000 kcal diet is about 8,368 kJ.
Calorie calculator for running
Running burns roughly 1 kcal per kg of body weight per kilometre, fairly independent of pace. A 70 kg person running 5 km burns about 350 kcal; a 60 kg person, about 300 kcal. Choose a higher activity level in the calorie calculator if you run several times a week, or add each run separately with the calories burned calculator.
Calorie calculator veterinary: dogs and cats
Pets need a different formula. Vets start with the resting energy requirement: RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)0.75. A 10 kg dog has an RER of about 394 kcal a day. The daily need is then RER times a factor, about 1.6 for a neutered adult dog and 1.2 for a neutered adult cat. Ask your vet before changing your pet's diet.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
Eat about 500–550 kcal less than your maintenance calories (TDEE) to lose roughly 0.5 kg a week. For a moderately active 70 kg, 175 cm, 30-year-old man that is about 2,000 kcal a day.
How do I calculate my daily calorie intake?
Work out your BMR with the Mifflin-St Jeor formula, multiply by your activity factor to get maintenance calories, then subtract calories to lose weight or add them to gain.
What is a calorie deficit?
Eating fewer calories than you burn. A deficit of about 7,700 kcal equals roughly 1 kg of fat, so 550 kcal a day leads to about 0.5 kg a week.
How many calories do I need to maintain my weight?
Your maintenance calories equal your TDEE. Most moderately active women need about 1,800–2,200 kcal and men about 2,200–2,800 kcal a day.
How many calories should I eat to gain weight?
Eat 250–500 kcal above your maintenance calories and combine it with strength training so more of the gain is muscle.
What is calorie deficit diet?
A calorie deficit diet is any eating plan that supplies fewer calories than you burn, usually 300–550 kcal a day less than your maintenance calories, so your body uses stored fat for the rest.
How to calculate calories with weight?
A quick estimate of maintenance calories is body weight in kg × 30–33 for moderately active adults (70 kg × 32 ≈ 2,240 kcal). For a more accurate figure, use the BMR and activity formula in this calculator.
How to know how many calories to eat calculator: which inputs matter most?
Weight and activity level change the result the most. Be honest about activity, and recalculate after every 3–5 kg of weight change.
How many joules are in a calorie?
One small (thermochemical) calorie is exactly 4.184 joules. One food Calorie (kcal) is 4,184 joules, or 4.184 kJ.
How many calories does running burn?
About 1 kcal per kg of body weight per kilometre. A 70 kg runner burns roughly 350 kcal over 5 km.
Last updated 2026-09-18