Calculate your calorie needs

How are your calorie needs calculated?

Our calculator is based on the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, now considered the most reliable for estimating basal metabolic rate. The calculation has two steps: first we work out your basal metabolic rate (the calories your body burns at complete rest), then we multiply it by an activity factor to get your total energy expenditure over a day.

Basal metabolic rate (BMR)

This is the minimum energy your body needs to carry out its vital functions: breathing, circulation, maintaining body temperature and brain activity. On its own it accounts for 60 to 70% of your daily expenditure. The Mifflin-St Jeor formula takes into account your weight, height, age and sex. You can also calculate it on its own with our basal metabolic rate calculator.

Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE)

By multiplying your basal metabolic rate by your physical activity level, we get your total energy expenditure, in other words the number of calories you actually burn each day. This is the figure used as the reference for reaching your goal.

Adjusting for your goal

To lose weight, we apply a deficit of about 20% to your total expenditure: you eat less than you burn, so your body draws on its reserves. To build muscle, we add a slight 10% surplus, enough to build muscle without excess fat. To maintain your weight, you eat the equivalent of your expenditure.

Once you know your needs, you can plan your meals with our balanced recipes, whose calories and macros are already calculated, check your split with the macro calculator, or explore the food database and its nutritional values.