Free toolCalorie calculator
How many calories do you need?
Estimate your daily calorie needs to maintain, lose or gain weight. A useful starting point before your personalised plan.
To maintain your weight
–
- Gradual weight loss
- Gradual weight gain
- Your resting energy (BMR)
These are estimates per day. Your real needs depend on your health, medicines and body composition.
Turn this into a desi meal planHow this calculator works
It uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to estimate your basal metabolic rate (the energy your body uses at rest), then multiplies it by an activity factor. For weight loss it suggests a moderate reduction of about 500 calories a day, and never goes below 1,200 calories for women or 1,500 for men, because very low-calorie diets should only be followed under professional supervision.
Calories are not everything
Two meals with the same calories can affect hunger, blood sugar and energy very differently. A plate with daal, sabzi, salad and a chapati keeps you fuller for longer than a sugary snack with the same calories. That is why a personalised plan focuses on food quality, portions and timing, not just numbers.
This calculator is not suitable for children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or people with medical conditions that need a special diet. For personal advice, book a consultation.
Also try our BMI calculator with Asian cut-offs.