Your daily calorie needs are the number of calories your body uses in a normal day. This includes calories burned at rest, during movement, during exercise, and while digesting food.
Use the Calorie Calculator to estimate your daily needs. You can also compare your resting estimate with the BMR Calculator.
What affects daily calorie needs?
- Age
- Sex
- Height
- Weight
- Activity level
- Muscle mass
- Training schedule
Maintenance, weight loss, and weight gain
Maintenance calories keep your weight roughly stable. Eating below maintenance creates a deficit for weight loss. Eating above maintenance creates a surplus for weight gain.
Example daily calorie targets
If your maintenance estimate is 2,200 calories, a weight loss target might be 1,700 to 1,950 calories. A weight gain target might be 2,450 to 2,700 calories. These are examples, not medical advice.
How often should you adjust?
Track your average weight and energy for two to four weeks. If your weight is changing too quickly or not changing at all, adjust your calories gradually.
For specific goals, read the weight gain calorie guide or the calorie deficit guide.