BMR + Daily Calorie Calculator
This BMR calculator tool works on a proven formula and is very accurate. The calculator uses two formulas to calculate your body's daily calorie requirements.
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Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) Formula
The basal metabolic rate formula takes several variables like height, weight, age and gender to calculate your calorie needs as if you did not do any exercise. -
Harris Benedict Formula
The Harris Benedict Formula takes the number produced by the BMR formula and multiplies it depending on your activity level.
The only factor it omits is lean body mass and thus the ratio of muscle-to-fat a body has. Remember, leaner bodies need more calories than less leaner ones. Therefore, this equation will be very accurate in all but the very muscular (will underestimate calorie needs) and the very overweight (will over-estimate calorie needs).
2.3K Comments
I am 45. Male. 196lbs 5'9. Little muscle. Skinny fat.
Im currently following your beginner dumbbell program. Im rating 1700 calories per day 180/150/60 grams protein
Carbs and fats. The calculator says my bmr is around 2800. How should I adjust. Trying to burn fast and gain muscle. Thanks in advance.
Hey there, I don't know if you need 2800, but you certainly need more than 1700. I would suggest going 200/200/60 starting out. That would be roughly 2140 calories. This would provide the energy you need, provide the protein necessary to protect muscle, and help you lose weight safely.
Thank you for your response. I will adjust accordingly and try it out.
975
Calories Required to Maintain Your Current Bodyweight
Hola te felicito por todo tu contenido
Soy una persona principiante haciendo ejercicios con pesa llevo 3 meses y me acostado mucho seguir el ritmo, pero no quiero parar ya que deceo tener una veges mas digna , peso 108 kg con 51 años y mido 1,74 y sale que debo 2845 calorias cuantas calorias menos deberia restar por dias
Hola Héctor, te sugiero empezar restando 250 al día mientras intentas quemar 250 más. Si haces ambas cosas, serían 500 al día, lo que resultaría en 0,5 kilos a la semana. Es un comienzo constante que te ayudará a adelgazar y a proteger tu masa muscular. ¡Gracias por tus amables palabras y por leer M&S!
Translated (Spanish): Hello, congratulations on all your content.
I'm a beginner doing weight exercises. I've been doing it for 3 months and I've been trying to keep up a lot, but I don't want to stop because I want to have a more decent figure. I weigh 108 kg, I'm 51 years old, and I'm 1.74 meters tall. It turns out I owe 2,845 calories. How many fewer calories should I subtract per day?
My answer: Hi Hector, I would suggest starting by subtracting 250 a day while trying to burn an extra 250. If you do both that is 500 a day, which would result in .5 kilograms a week. That is a consistent start that will help you get leaner while protecting your muscle mass. Thank you for the kind words and for reading M&S!
Hi, I am 34 years old, 162cm and weigh 81kg. I need 1877 calories per day to maintain but would like to lose 20kg. Should I follow the 250 less and burn 250 per day as well?
Hi Fadwa, yes that would be my recommendation. That would help you drop 1/2 a kilogram a week. After a month, you can reevaluate and assess your progress. Thanks for reading M&S!
Hi i am 160cm and weigh 69kg. Its says i need 1670 calories per day to maintain my weight. How many calories should i cut down by to lose roughly 10kg?
Hi, Sarah, I would start with 250 less a day while focusing on burning an extra 250 a day. That is 500 a day, or 3500 a week, which would lead to a half-kilo weight loss a week. This would be a healthy and safe way to drop down. I'd be afraid to suggest eating too much less than that starting out.
Hi. Im 34 years old and 181cm weighing 147kg. my maintenance was calculated at 3786 calories. I want to lose fat and surely eating 3286 calories isn't going to help me burn the fat is it? seems highly excessive calories?
Hey there, actually that is a good start. 500 below maintenace per day is 3,500 a week, which would be .5 kilograms a week. If you were to burn 500 calories on average with your workouts, that is another half-kilogram. That would be 1 kilogram total with minimum risk of sacrificing muscle. It would be a solid start.
Hi, 20yr old 163cm and 69kg. So my maintenance was calculated at 2086 calories, I wanna build muscle and lose some weight ,so I hope that the experts help me on how much calories should I decrease. Also can I be 55 or that’s not possible… Ty
Hi Hissah, yes it is possible. I would suggest sticking with the calories where they are and emphasizing protein. That will help with the muscle building. Once you start gaining some muscle tissue, that will help you lose the bodyfat. It is a longer process as we get older but definitely possible.
Hi! 17yr old 5"10, 250 lbs. my maintenance was calculated at 2962 calories?? surely this cant be right. I'm aware its less accurate in the very overweight, so I'm wondering if there is a way to get a more accurate answer?
Hi Jake, what is your specific goal? If it is to lose fat while maintaining or adding muscle, and you are active, then that is actually correct for maintenance. The objective would be to eat less than that for fat loss. So, if you're dieting for fat loss and 2962 is the maintenance number, then eating around 2400-2500 would be recommended.
Hi,
I’m 6ft 3 and currently weigh 210lbs (down from 225). I’m a thrower so aiming to get my body weight up but at a sustainable pace to reduce accumulation of body fat. I am currently throwing x 3 days a week, lifting x 4 days a week and swimming x 1-2 times a week. I am eating around 3,400-3,600 cals a day and consistently completing my exercise as programmed but seem to be holding fat around my stomach yet not gaining weight. I have a decent amount of muscle, I aim for a 40/30/30 macro split and yet I’m not gaining weight in areas other than my stomach. Any suggestions as I’m at a bit of a loss constantly lowering and then increasing my calories.
Hi Tom, thank you for reading M&S!
I am not sure if any of those workouts are taking place on the same day or not, but you may need to take a little extra time off for recovery so the muscle tissue can recover and grow.
The issue with stomach fat is that is the last place you will see it go. So, if that is the priority, then you need to slowly decrease the calories you are eating. If you are at 3,400 now, then I would suggest going down to 3,000 for a while. I would also adjust the macros to 50/30/20 (Protein, Carbs, and Fats). The extra protein will protect and help with muscle growth, and the lower carbs will be less likely to be stored as fat but still enough to get you through training.
That is where I would start if I was in your shoes. Are you able to take supplements, and if so, have you considered any fat burners? That could be the final missing piece.
Hi Roger,
Thanks for this, I currently do throws and lift on two days a week then lift on two separate days with some light cardio the same day (walking or low intensity cycling) and then swim or walk at a low intensity on rest days. Is it likely that stomach fat will reduce if I remain consistent and eat at the same volume with a different macro split as you say 50/30/20 instead?
It is going to take time, but yes. Your overall plan may have to evolve as you get leaner and see results, but you can get there. 50/30/20 will definitely serve you better than 40/30/30 in my opinion.
Hi! I am a female who is 24 years old. I am about 5'1" and 100-105 lbs; I have a muscular build. I strength train 4x per week and perform 30 minutes of cardio 4x per week. I am active outside of the gym and get about 12k-17k steps every day. My BMR if I put moderately active is 1,980. If I state that I am very active, my BMR is 2,205. What number is more suited for me? I am currently eating 1,800-1,850 and I feel like my body is not responding very well to either fat loss or muscle gain (plateau?). I think I need to reverse diet to one of the calorie numbers stated above and get out of a deficit. Does this sound correct?
Hi Nicole, I would suggest you are very active. You may be stuck in a plateau, and the higher number of calories can help you break out of it. The reverse dieting idea is a good one, and that is how I would do it if I was in your position. Best of luck, and thank you for reading M&S!
Hi! I am 26yrs old and currently weigh 76kg at 186cm. I was around 65kg this time last year after previously being 94kg a few years ago and I feel my metabolism is burnt out possibly after those years I lost weight and consistently ate around 1400 calories a day. I currently do between 10k-20k steps a day at my job and then got to the gym 4-5x a week for weight lifting. I have been trying to tone up a little for my holiday in a few weeks but after 4 or 5 weeks haven't seen the scales move while eating 1500 calories and starting to thinking my metabolism is really bad and need to eat 800 or something. Using the calculator with moderately active it suggest 2886 calories to maintain so am confused why 1500 seems to be doing nothing, any help would be much appreciated!
Hi Jarad, you are somewhat correct, your metabolism is shot due to the low calories for so long, but eating even less is not the answer.
You may have to think long term on this one and slowly reintroduce more calories back into the system so you can get your metabolism going again. So, instead of going straight up to 2800-plus, you would go up to 1600 a day for a week, then 1700, and so on. Keep training while you do this. You may not notice much in terms of toning up, but you will start slowly building muscle, which will help you get leaner in the long run. Once you get back up to 2800, you could stay there for a few weeks, then slowly (like 100 at a time) reduce calories again.
Again, this won't be much help for your holiday, but the you in a year may thank you for the decision. Also, I only say this because I have seen others do it, don't jump straight up to 2800 as a shortcut. It won't work, and you could gain more bodyfat as a result.
I hope this helps you.
I am a 45 years old male that weighs around 160 lbs. I was an active triathlete then cyclist but due to burnout on my bike, I switched to walking on a treadmill elliptical for cardio. I spend about 5-6 hours a day between the two in order to maintain my weight. I want to cut back on this cardio significantly and begin to lift as I have noticed some muscle loss. My concern is gaining too much weight by cutting back on the cardio. I already have stubborn belly fat. Research says that you cannot reduce fat in just one spot and that it could be genetic or from cortisol. Can you give a realistic amount of time to spend per day for someone my age for cardio and recommend one you plans for lifting? I’m not looking to become big, just stronger, a bit more muscle and tone. I would also like to not spend 5 to 6 hours at the gym.
Hi Chad, thank you for reading M&S!
I would focus on slowly cutting back on the cardio while slightly increasing protein intake. The cutting back on the cardio slowly will help you prevent much bodyfat gain, and the increase in protein will help you build muscle.
You are correct about the spot reducing. It won't happen. Cortisol is a likely issue, but as long as you are eating healthy and taking proper supplementation, you can still see results.
I would suggest reducing the cardio by 30 minutes a week for the next few weeks until you are doing around 30 minutes a session. That will take time, but it will keep you in shape, minimize fat gain, and not be a total shock to the body. As for a lifting plan, we have many here, but since you referenced getting stronger, I will suggest this one. It says for beginners, but it will still serve you well.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/3-day-PPL-workout-for-beginners
I was 215lbs March 2024, lost 30lbs in 3 months due to being in a deficit, intermittent fasting, only focusing on cardio due to having an injury from work. I have since been weightlifting, cardio, stopped fasting in order to strengthen and regain muscle. I have been eating between 900-1200 cals, workout 4 times a week, cardio for 30mins-45mins after each session. When calculating my BMR, it shows 2864/cals a day to maintain my bodyweight of 187lbs, 5ft 5in, 24, female. My goal is to get to 140lbs and maintain my weight from there but I haven't lost any weight, if anything, i gained weight through gaining more muscle through recomposition by increasing my cals to the 900-1200cals. I'm in a plateau and I'm not seeing results.
Hi Cassidy, that low calories may have affected your metabolism because your body went into a form of starvation mode due to having such low calories. It will take time to get that metabolism back and get your systems working again. For now, I would suggest setting sights on a goal of 180 and eating 500 below your BMR number while doing a combo of training and cardio. It may take a few more weeks to notice any changes, but once your body is used to taking in calories again, you should notice the changes you are looking for.
Hi! I am 22 years old, 118-122 pounds (due to fluctuation) and I am 5’ 5”. It says that in order to maintain my current weight, I need to consume 2138 kcal/day.
My goal is to tone up and have visible muscle structure. (Think something like a Pilates body or any body that looks visibly toned and feminine) Because of this, I’m lost regarding what my calorie intake should be given my goals.
I work out moderately 3-4x a week on average doing muscle training and cardio. Currently I am at a deficit of 1600. Is this too little or just right?
Hey Helena, I think 1600 is right on the money. Stay there for now and don't be afraid to bump up the calories a couple of hundred on days you train a little harder. As long as you stay consistent, results should come your way!
Thanks for reading M&S!
I’m currently 320 and it says my calorie intake to maintain my weight is 3218 I was curious if I cut that down to like 500 or 1000 or is that too much of a cut at one time. I’m new to this and my goal is to lose 120 lbs. Any advice would be immensely appreciated thanks in advance.
Hi Jay, my guess is you meant cutting calories by 500 or 1000, and I would say reducing it by 500 (from 3218 down to 2718) would be a good start. That would come out to one pound of weight loss a week alone. If you added exercise and burned 500 more from that, then you lose two pounds a week, which is very healthy and will protect your lean muscle tissue.
Cutting it any more than that starting out would be too much and may lead to other health issues.
That said, we are here to support the weight loss journey and appreciate you reading M&S!
Hi. Im a 33 years old guy, 176cm tall and weigh 170kg.
Im wondering about my calorie intake.
This calculator says I should eat 4728 calorie to maintain weight.
I want to lose weight so 4728-500=4228cal.
Isnt that very much for a weight loss?
Best regards.
Hey Björn, thanks for reading M&S!
I think you have it right on the money. That would come out to average a pound of weight loss a week, which would be healthy and also protect your muscle mass.
Hi, I am a 33year old male 288lb, 6ft tall. I have almost 100 lbs in a year and half but have been stagnant in weight loss for upwards of 6 months. I have gotten to the point of trying to stop for awhile to lose weight and instead just go on a bulk. I do weight lifting 3-4 times a week and I am a healthcare worker so I am doing 8k-12k steps 3-4 days a week. My bmr says 3500 calorie's (light exercise on the bmr) but have been at about 1800-2100 calories for the past 2 months. Any suggestions on how many calories I should be eating to bulk? I am terrified of gaining my weight back but I need a change of pace.
Hi Erik, first off, congrats on the 100 pounds. That is incredible!
Have you checked your body composition lately? You may still be losing fat but putting on muscle, which would make the scale look like it isn't moving. If you have done that and still feel stuck, then bumping up to 3500 is the way to go for sure. As long as you eat mostly protein and healthy fats, you should not see much change in the way of bodyfat.
Hello my name is David .I have had 4 heart attacks the first waas a Widowmaker and then i had 3 more within a year I have 11 stents in my life has always been really sedentary.I weigh 270 lbs and am 5'7".From the heart attacks I now have a dead spot in my heart and currently only have 35 percent of my heart working i need to loose weight and exercise so i can build my heart back up the dr tells me.so is there a beginners diet and workout schedule you can give me i am completely new to all this diet and workout and exercise stuff so i can use all the help you can give me im 54 i have 6 kids ages from 9 years old to 2 years old and i want to be around for a long time and watch them grow up can you help me please
Hi David, it's nice to have you here at M&S.
I am sharing a couple of links below that can help you with both the diet and exercise. Please review these with your doctor because what your physician says about you and your personal health goals overrides me as a random guy on the internet. However, I feel the information shared here can help you move forward and get closer to your goals.
This fat loss guide should help you get started with setting up your own diet plan based on your needs.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/expert-guides/fat-loss
I believe this workout plan should be suitable for you if your doctor has cleared you for exercise. If you have any questions about it or can't do this one for any reason. let me know and we will see what else we can find for you.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/beginner-fat-loss-workout
Best of luck, and I have faith that you can make progress.
Hi, I am 36 years old, 6’5 208 lbs with a very high metabolism. I’ve been working out most of my adult life but I'm at a standstill seeing results.. What would be the best workout for me to gain mass? 3-4 days a week is ideal.
Hey Colby, this link can help you find a new program to try based on your needs.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/how-to-choose-your-next-train...
As long as you are eating to build muscle, you should be able to use most of our programs.
Hello, My daily Calorie requirement is 2669, having weight of 105kg and height of 6 feet. my intent is to loose weight and fat in 12 weeks. For that, any diet plan & Exercise would you suggest please ???? I have Treadmill and two 5kg dumbbells at home. my lifestyle is sedentary. i really wanna change this now.
thanks
Hi Dr. Saadi. You can find a workout program based on what you have access to and can do at the link below.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/how-to-choose-your-next-train...
As for diet, this guide can help you form your own nutrition plan that can help you reach your goals.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/expert-guides/fat-loss
These links should help you get started in the right direction without making things complicated in the beginning. For now, I suggest simply focusing on lifestyle changes and getting more active so you are on the right path for fat loss.
Hope this helps, and thank you for reading M&S!
Hey,
Thanks for the article! I am 14 yrs old and am trying to bulk up for the basketball season. I work out everyday for 1 hr, then play basketball for 1 hr after that. Even doing all this, I've only have gained 1 pound over the last month. The calculator says I need 2908 calories + 500 to bulk. That seems a little crazy... I only consume 2500 calories a day. Should I really move up to 3408 a day?
Thanks!
Hey Zack, yes, that seems right for two reasons.
1. At 14, you are still growing naturally and need the calories just for that.
2. You are burning calories while playing basketball, and those calories cannot be used to help you grow. For now, I would suggest starting with a small bump up to 3000 and staying there for a couple of weeks, then gradually add more so your digestive system can get used to eating that much.
I hope this helps!
Good Morning, I'm a 42 year old female, 5ft 3, weighting 159 pounds.
So I've decided to start on a body re-composition journey. My calorie intake is around the 1750 mark, I'm trying to get 40g of protein per meal (obtained from proper foods)
I'm training as follows - Mon -legs, Tues - Tri-ceps, wed - back, thurs - shoulders & fri - chest and bi-ceps.
My questions is, I'm lifting heavy until failure, but no cardio. I've read that cardio is not essential for a body re-composition as it will hinder the growth of the muscle. Am i going about this the right way? I'm going away in Nov and although I know it's only 5 month away, I'd like to see some kind of results (I know they don't appear over night), I'm not to fussed about weight on the scales.
I've been taking creatine and omega 3,6,9.
Anything advise is welcomed :) Thank you
Hi Sarah, cardio is going to help you get leaner and change recomposition, and it is good for your heart health and respiratory systems. So, I would say do cardio, but you can do it separate from training. It will NOT hinder muscle growth unless you are going hard for hours with minimal recovery.
Outside of that, I think you have a solid plan in place. Check progress every month and adjust based on your results. If you have questions along the way, check back in with us. Best of luck with your goals, and thanks for reading M&S.
Hi Roger, Thank you for getting back to me, when the time does come to stripping back, how would I go about this please?
If you are asking about stripping back calories, then do it at a very low rate (like 100 a day for a couple of week), then add more cardio to burn extra calories.
If you are asking about stripping back on cardio, go based on how you feel. When you feel you are reaching the point of exhaustion, simply call it and take extra time for recovery.
If you did not mean either, let me know what you meant, and I will try to provide a better answer.
Howdy, I need to eat 2,320 cal per day, I work out 2-5 times a week, but I want to be in a caloric deficit, due to that I'm still overweight (just recently joined the gym) what would be the amount of cal per day to be able to do that?
Thank!
If 2320 is your base number, then I would suggest starting with 2000 a day for now. After a couple of weeks, reduce it down to 1900. That should help you get on the right track at least. Once you are consistent with the training and nutrition, then you can recalculate the numbers based on the progress you made.