What does a calorie target represent?
A calorie target is a planning estimate of food energy per day. Your actual needs vary with movement, body composition, and changes in body weight; the number is not a measured requirement.
How daily calories are estimated
Mifflin–St Jeor estimates resting energy using weight in kg, height in cm, age in years, and a sex coefficient of +5 or −161. Activity factors range from 1.2 to 1.9. The goal setting keeps maintenance unchanged, subtracts 15% for loss, or adds 10% for gain.
How to use this calculator
- 1Choose metric or imperial units and enter your adult measurements.
- 2Select the equation's sex coefficient and your typical overall activity.
- 3Choose a goal, calculate, and compare the estimate with your longer-term trend.
Understanding your result
Use the result as a starting point, then review intake consistency, hunger, energy, and weight trends over several weeks. Maintenance and goal calories are estimates of different things; exercise already represented in your activity level should not be added again.
Assumptions & limitations
- The equation uses binary coefficients from the original study and may not represent your physiology well.
- This adult tool is not for pregnancy, breastfeeding, eating-disorder recovery, or medical nutrition planning.
Frequently asked questions
Does the calorie calculator include exercise?+
Yes, through the selected activity factor. Consider both workouts and the rest of your day when choosing that factor.
Why does the weight-loss setting use 15%?+
It is a moderate example adjustment, not a universal prescription. The calorie deficit calculator lets you compare other percentages.
Should I hit the exact number every day?+
The equation is not precise enough to require an exact daily match. Consistent patterns over time are more useful than treating one rounded number as a strict limit.
When should I update my calorie estimate?+
Revisit it when your body weight, training, work activity, or health changes materially, and when observed trends differ consistently from the estimate.
