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Daily Calorie Calculator
Find out roughly how many calories you burn in a day, how many to eat for your goal, and how a restaurant meal fits into that number. Free, no sign up, and nothing you enter leaves your browser.
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- Lunch0
- Dinner0
- Snack0
Estimates only, based on the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. Not medical advice.
What your results mean
| Result | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Maintenance calories | A rough estimate of what you burn in a normal day. Eating about this much keeps your weight fairly stable. |
| Calories for your goal | Maintenance plus or minus the amount for the goal you picked, rounded to the nearest 10. |
| Resting burn (BMR) | What your body uses at complete rest for breathing, circulation and keeping warm. Most of your daily burn comes from this. |
| Minimum protein | 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, the Recommended Dietary Allowance for adults. It is a floor, not a target. |
| Meal split | Your goal calories divided 25 percent breakfast, 35 percent lunch, 30 percent dinner and 10 percent snack. It is one sensible pattern, not a rule. |
How the calculator works
The calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, published in 1990. A 2005 systematic review in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association by Frankenfield, Roth-Yousey and Compher compared the common equations and found Mifflin-St Jeor predicted resting metabolic rate within 10 percent of the measured value in more people than any other, both with and without obesity. That is why most dietitians and nutrition apps use it today.
It works in two steps.
Step 1: resting burn
| Sex | Formula (weight in kg, height in cm, age in years) |
|---|---|
| Men | (10 x weight) + (6.25 x height) minus (5 x age) + 5 |
| Women | (10 x weight) + (6.25 x height) minus (5 x age) minus 161 |
If you use US units, the calculator converts pounds and feet to kilograms and centimeters first.
Step 2: activity
Your resting burn is then multiplied by an activity factor to estimate what you burn across a whole day.
| Activity level | Multiplier | Who it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | 1.2 | Desk job, little or no exercise |
| Light | 1.375 | Light exercise 1 to 3 days a week |
| Moderate | 1.55 | Exercise 3 to 5 days a week |
| Very active | 1.725 | Hard exercise 6 to 7 days a week |
| Extra active | 1.9 | Physical job plus hard training |
Most people overestimate how active they are. If you are unsure between two levels, pick the lower one.
The goals, and the limits we built in
The goal options add or subtract 250 or 500 calories a day. Health guidance commonly uses a 500 calorie daily deficit for losing around a pound a week. It is an approximation: real weight change slows over time as your body adjusts, so treat the weekly figure as a starting point rather than a promise.
The calculator also has a floor. Harvard Health advises that calorie intake should not fall below 1,200 a day for women or 1,500 a day for men except under the supervision of a health professional. If your goal would go below that, the calculator raises it to the floor and tells you why.
It only runs for adults aged 18 to 80, because the equation was built and tested on adults and growing children and teens have different needs.
How your number compares with official estimates
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans publish broad calorie ranges for adults. Your personal result should usually fall somewhere in these ranges.
| Adults 19 and older | Sedentary | Moderately active | Active |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women | 1,600 to 2,000 | 1,800 to 2,200 | 2,000 to 2,400 |
| Men | 2,000 to 2,600 | 2,200 to 2,800 | 2,400 to 3,200 |
These ranges are based on reference heights and weights, which is why a personal calculation is more useful. Needs are generally higher when you are younger and lower as you age.
Using your number with restaurant menus
This is where the calculator earns its place on a menu site. In the United States, restaurants that are part of a chain of 20 or more locations must show calories on their menus and menu boards, and must give you written nutrition information such as saturated fat, sodium and fiber if you ask for it. The FDA suggests using 2,000 calories a day as a general guide, but notes that your needs may be different.
Once you know your own number, those menu calories become much easier to read. A 1,100 calorie meal is about half of a 2,200 calorie day, but closer to 90 percent of a 1,200 calorie day. The meal check box in the calculator does that math for you.
Our menu pages list calories alongside prices. Some good places to start:
A few practical habits make eating out easier to fit into your day. Check the calories before you order rather than after. Drinks, sauces and sides often add more than people expect. Sharing a large dish or taking half home is an easy way to halve a big number.
How accurate is it?
For most adults the estimate will be in the right range, but no formula knows your body exactly. The equation can be less accurate for very muscular people, older adults, and groups that were not well represented in the original research. The authors of the 2005 review themselves noted that noteworthy errors can occur when any equation is applied to an individual.
The best way to use the number is as a starting point. Follow it for two to three weeks, watch what your weight does, and adjust by 100 to 200 calories if needed. Your real results tell you more than any calculator can.
When to talk to a professional instead
A calculator is not the right tool for everyone. Please speak with a doctor or registered dietitian rather than relying on this estimate if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, are under 18, have diabetes, kidney disease or another medical condition, take medication that affects your weight or appetite, or are recovering from an illness or surgery.
If you have a history of disordered eating, calorie numbers may do more harm than good, and support from a professional is a much better place to start.
About this calculator
We built this calculator for USA Food Menu readers who want to make sense of the calorie numbers on restaurant menus. It runs entirely in your browser: we do not store, send or see anything you type into it. The formulas and limits come from the published sources listed below, and the page is reviewed whenever the underlying guidance changes. How we research and check our content is explained in our editorial policy.
Sources: Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST and colleagues, A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1990. Frankenfield D, Roth-Yousey L, Compher C, Comparison of predictive equations for resting metabolic rate in healthy nonobese and obese adults, Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 2005. Dietary Guidelines for Americans estimated calorie needs. US Food and Drug Administration, Calories on the Menu. Harvard Health Publishing, Calorie counting made easy.
Related Questions
How many calories should I eat a day?
It depends on your sex, age, size and activity level. Most adult women need roughly 1,600 to 2,400 calories a day and most adult men roughly 2,000 to 3,200, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The calculator above gives a personal estimate using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation.
What are maintenance calories?
The number of calories you burn in a typical day, including your resting burn and your activity. Eating close to your maintenance calories keeps your weight fairly stable, eating below it tends to lead to weight loss, and eating above it tends to lead to weight gain.
What is the most accurate calorie formula?
For most adults, the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. A 2005 systematic review in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found it predicted resting metabolic rate within 10 percent of measured values in more people than the other common equations. It is still an estimate, and individual results can differ.
How many calories should I cut to lose weight?
A deficit of about 500 calories a day is commonly used for losing around a pound a week, and 250 a day for around half a pound. Harvard Health advises not going below 1,200 calories a day for women or 1,500 for men without the supervision of a health professional.
Why is the 2,000 calories on menus not my number?
Two thousand calories is a general reference the FDA uses so menus and labels have a common guide. Your own needs may be well above or below it depending on your age, sex, size and activity, which is why a personal estimate makes restaurant calorie counts easier to use.
Do restaurants have to show calories?
In the United States, restaurants and similar food businesses that are part of a chain with 20 or more locations must post calories on menus and menu boards. They must also provide written nutrition information, such as saturated fat, sodium and fiber, if you ask for it.
Is this calorie calculator accurate for everyone?
No calculator is. It works well as a starting point for most healthy adults, but it can be less accurate for very muscular people, older adults and some groups. It is not suitable for pregnancy, anyone under 18 or people with medical conditions, who should speak with a doctor or registered dietitian.
Health disclaimer. This calculator gives general estimates for healthy adults and is not medical or nutritional advice. It does not replace advice from a doctor or registered dietitian who knows your health history. USA Food Menu is an independent reference site and is not affiliated with any restaurant brand.