How to use it
Pick Male or Female, choose cm/kg or in/lb, then enter your age, height, current weight, activity level and a goal weight. The headline is your daily calorie target for the highlighted pace; tap another row in the pace table to switch. The curve projects your weight to the goal with dated milestones.
Tap Go advanced to plan by a target date — the calculator works out the calories that date requires and flags it if the pace is unsafe — to add your body fat % for a Katch-McArdle estimate, and to see a full protein, carb and fat split.
The method
Your maintenance calories come from the Mifflin-St Jeor equation — the modern standard — multiplied by an activity factor from 1.2 to 1.9. With a body fat % entered, it switches to Katch-McArdle, which uses lean body mass. To lose or gain weight, the calculator adds or subtracts a deficit based on 7,700 calories per kilogram (about 3,500 per pound).
That rule is a planning estimate. Real weight loss slows over time because a lighter body burns fewer calories, so treat the projection as a guide and recalculate every few weeks.
Losing weight safely
Common guidance is to lose about 0.5–1 kg (1–2 lb) per week and to not eat below roughly 1,200 calories a day for women or 1,500 for men without medical supervision. Any pace that crosses those lines is flagged in the table and in a note. A gentler deficit is easier to stick to and protects muscle.
Protein matters most in a deficit
The calculator suggests about 1.8 g of protein per kg of bodyweight. In a calorie deficit, adequate protein is what keeps the weight you lose coming from fat rather than muscle.
Calorie target by pace
| Pace | Rate | Daily deficit |
|---|---|---|
| Gentle | ~0.25 kg / 0.5 lb / wk | ≈ 275 kcal |
| Moderate | ~0.5 kg / 1 lb / wk | ≈ 550 kcal |
| Fast | ~1 kg / 2 lb / wk | ≈ 1,100 kcal |
For weight gain, the same table becomes a surplus — aim for the gentle or moderate row, since lean gain is slow by nature.
Activity multipliers
| Activity | × BMR |
|---|---|
| Sedentary — little/no exercise | 1.2 |
| Light — 1–3 days/week | 1.375 |
| Moderate — 3–5 days/week | 1.55 |
| Active — 6–7 days/week | 1.725 |
| Very active — hard training | 1.9 |
Calorie calculator or TDEE calculator?
Our TDEE calculator is built around your maintenance calories and gives a cut/maintain/bulk table and a detailed macro split. This calorie calculator is built around a goal weight — it turns the target into a pace, a curve and a date. Use both together.
Check where you're starting
See your BMI and healthy weight range, or estimate your body fat percentage to set a realistic goal.
Common questions
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
Start from your maintenance calories (Mifflin-St Jeor × activity), then subtract a deficit: about 275 kcal/day for a gentle pace, 550 for a moderate pace of ~0.5 kg/week, or up to ~1,100 for a fast pace. The pace table shows the target for each.
What is a safe rate of weight loss?
About 0.5–1 kg (1–2 lb) per week, and not below roughly 1,200 kcal/day for women or 1,500 for men without medical supervision. The calculator flags any pace that breaks those limits.
How long will it take to reach my goal weight?
Enter a goal weight and the calculator projects a curve to it at your chosen pace, marks the 25/50/75/100% milestones with dates, and estimates a goal date. Advanced mode lets you set a target date instead.
Is the 3,500 calories per pound rule accurate?
It's a reasonable planning estimate but it overstates long-term loss — a lighter body burns fewer calories, so progress slows. Treat the projection as a guide and re-check every few weeks.
How is this different from a TDEE calculator?
A TDEE calculator centres on maintenance calories. This one centres on a goal weight — turning it into a daily calorie number, a pace, a projected curve and a goal date. Use the TDEE calculator for a deeper macro breakdown.