BMR + Daily Calorie Calculator
This BMR calculator tool works on a proven formula and is very accurate. The calculator uses two formulas to calculate your body's daily calorie requirements.
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Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) Formula
The basal metabolic rate formula takes several variables like height, weight, age and gender to calculate your calorie needs as if you did not do any exercise. -
Harris Benedict Formula
The Harris Benedict Formula takes the number produced by the BMR formula and multiplies it depending on your activity level.
The only factor it omits is lean body mass and thus the ratio of muscle-to-fat a body has. Remember, leaner bodies need more calories than less leaner ones. Therefore, this equation will be very accurate in all but the very muscular (will underestimate calorie needs) and the very overweight (will over-estimate calorie needs).
1.9K Comments
Hello, I am a 23 years old female 169 cm hiegh, and 85 kg weight, İ am not very active, I am planning to start this very first week going to the gym and will be following the 8 weeks fat loss plan for women, İ want to lose 20-25 kg to get to 60kg, İ will start with 1600 calories per day, however İ would like to know how much also how much protein, fat and carbs I need toeat per day,
Check out this fat loss guide to help determine those numbers you need.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/expert-guides/fat-loss
Love this site I am currently 160kg and have just stopped strongman due to my wife being permanently disabled. I need to lose atleast 60kg but need to keep as much muscle as possible: it says 3428 is my call daily to maintain. Should I drop to around 2400 and keep my protein to around 260g ?.
Hi, Rik. Hoping for the best for both you and your wife.
I would suggest starting with 3,000 a day to protect that muscle while you start doing more cardio. Every couple of weeks, drop 100-200 calories from that number. Once you get to around 2,400, stay there and up the cardio more. Once you find yourself plateauing, then start reducing calories again. At no point should you be below 2,000 at any time. This schedule can help you reduce the size, keep muscle, and stay healthy. Good luck!
Hello I'm 46 y/o female and recently saw this site. I would like to loose weight and gain muscle. I'm struggling with when is the best time to eat breakfast fasted or maybe a light snack like yogurt before working out? My BMR recommended 2448 calories. I'm going to start the 10 week women's fat loss workout on your site. To maximize weight and fat loss what should my daily calorie intake and macro (proteins/carbs/fats) be? Also which is recommended fasted or non fasted workout? Thanks
Hi, Sandra. Cardio fasted and weights non-fasted is the best approach. This fat loss guide may help you figure out those macros.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/expert-guides/fat-loss
Hope this helps!
Hi,I’m a 17yr old male looking to gain muscle but lose fat (specifically in arms and abs)
I currently weigh 140 pounds and am 5’6
I feel like the calories suggested here are really high…would you be able to gain any muscle on something closer to a 1500 or less calorie diet?
Not sure what your calories suggested was, Zo, but you need more than 1500 to build serious size. That would be a good number for fat loss. If you feel you need to lose fat, then I would stick with the 1500 and train heavy so you can work on strength while getting leaner. Muscle will come with that.
Once you reach your fat loss goal, then shift to packing on muscle.
Hi there. I am a 22-year-old male, and I work out 4 to 5 times a week. These workouts consist of basic weight training with dumbbells and on cable machines, as well as cardio on a stationary bike, stair master, and treadmill. I am 5 foot 10 and I hover around 170 pounds to 1 75 pounds. I am lean with some muscle, as well as a little bit of fat around my lower belly area.
My goal is to someday be around 180 pounds, lean with muscle.I recognize this will take work, dedication, and clean eating, but that is no problem.
I have worked out most of my life and played multiple sports competitively. Aside from training for sports. I have never put too much structure into lifting in the gym. Now that I have much more free time since I finished school, I have been going to the gym consistently and working out while watching what I eat. I have seen some improvement over the last few weeks (I was able to drop from 180lbs and chubby while in school to 170lbs while at home over the course of a couple of weeks) but I am now looking to take this much more seriously. My ultimate goal as I had mentioned, is to have a good amount of muscle while also having a cut physique. If anyone could help me structuring a basic meal plan and point me in the direction of a good workout routine to achieve this goal, that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
P.s. the calculator above said I need to eat 2890 calories to maintain my current physique.
Two links can help you, Harry.
Nutrition: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/complete-guide-how-to-increas...
Find a solid training plan here. https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/how-to-choose-your-next-train...
34 yo male. 195-200 lbs I don’t know how to count calories really. Most of my weight is in my waist, belly, sides. I would like to be around 175. What’s the best way to achieve this? Calculator suggests 2281 calories per day to maintain.
Hi, Michael. Thanks for reading M&S.
Start with 2000, and you can work your way down by 100 every two weeks until you get to about 1600 a day. Counting calories is as simple as reading a nutrition label. There are also apps you can use to help.
hi
hey i am a 17 year and i am 6,1feet nd 85kg
i am trying to bulk nd i have been training from 3 months nd have seen increase in strength but not muscle size how much calories nd protein i need in a day to have serious muscle gain
Hi, Talha. If it was me, I would shoot for 200 g protein, 250 g carbs, and 50 g fat. Start there and see what happens in the next few weeks.
I have a bmr of 3093. 55 years old and 225 lbs. I would like to lose 20-25 lbs. How many calories should I do calirie wise to lose weight
Start with around 2700 and work your way down by 100 every couple of weeks, Jim. Stop when you get to about 2,000, then increase your activity level more than you already are doing.
Start here, Affaq. https://www.muscleandstrength.com/expert-guides/fat-loss
I am 39 and body fat 19 percent and I want to reach 10 percent bodyfat how this will be possible can some body help me
hi, im 45 and lst yr started p/t for lower back pain, i am active at work and [try] to exercise or workout 2 or 3 times a week and hrt all the time it seems like. im trying to build muscle in my core and back. 6 ft2 around 185.ive had hard time gaing weight until i started drinking protein shakes with every meal and in between and it took 2 months for my belt to get tight. should i train to failure or just b4, it seems like if i go thatfar i hurt too much to do it every couple days.
In your case, David, go to just before failure, then end the set. Some soreness is expected, but no need to go to the end if it's only causing pain.
Hello,
I've been on a weight loss journey since January of 2023. I've lost 25 pounds thus far while using a calorie-counting app. The app I'm using reduces caloric intake with each weight loss milestone, and I currently eat roughly 1300 - 1500 a day. I lift four times a week and often exceed 10,000 steps a day.
Over the last few months, I've felt that eating 1300 calories does not seem sustainable as I frequently go over that amount. I went from losing 4 pounds a month to maybe 1 a month in the last few months. I'm curious if my calorie deficit is becoming a hindrance. Should I be eating more calories, given my activity level? I want to lose weight and if possible build muscle, but I do not know if those goals are possible together.
Any advice and thoughts are greatly appreciated! Thank you so much!
If it's important height: 5'2 SW:165 CW: 137 GW: 120ish
If your activity level has increased or if you've been in that caloric range for a while, then yes, more calories will be needed. This is especially true if you want to build muscle. Start with 1600 and work your way up by 100 a week until you get to 1900 or even 2000. Then, slowly back them down again at the same rate. You may see your weight loss trend continue. Thanks for reading M&S!
I ve lost 25 lbs since February. I now weigh 195 i have 15 more to go.
I do weight training 3 days a week 45 minutes and cardio 4 days a week.
The BMR calculation says I should be at 2700 - 500 is 2200.
I’m only eating 1500. 160 g of protein . My weight lose has stalled.
I’ve seen conflicting opinions on creating during fat loss phase.
I do take creatina . Should I stop . Why had my losses come to a stop.
Your body is ready for a change, Steve. This is going to appear counterproductive, but trust me on it.
Take a week or even two weeks and eat extra calories. At the risk of simplifying, your body needs primed to go on another weight loss journey. The extra calories will come as a shock to the system. Once you start restricting calories and training hard again, you'll notice results starting again.
Take a break from creatine for a couple weeks as well, but don't abandon it completely. It will serve you well when you get back to training.
Hello!
I just subscribed to this site and newsletter hoping to gain a better understanding on how to best start out my journey of better health and stronger leaner body. I am 56 and understand that it may take me some time but this site has shown to be the best information, support, and provide more promising results than the 35 I have reviewed ir tried to use.
Question please - I am literally just starting out and want to get an idea on what I should focus on upper body vs lower body and how often should those focus’ be? My goal is to start out with an overall good workout for the whole body.
Thank you for any feedback!
Hi, Laura, and welcome to M&S. Thanks for being a part of the community.
The correct answer is yes, by that I mean you should focus on both upper and lower body because working on both will help everything improve. We have several beginner programs to choose from at this link. When you find one you like, feel free to ask more questions. May take us a bit, but we will answer them for you so you have the best chance to succeed.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/how-to-choose-your-next-train...
Hi, I’m 6 2” and weigh 204lbs, the calculator suggests I eat 3150 calories a day which I do easily most days (between 3600-4000) I recently had a shoulder injury and want to focus on my arms and shoulders a lot, do you have any recommendations? Thanks, Ross.
Anything you can't do, Ross? I don't want to start offering suggestions that won't work for you.
2824 calories from the calculator what do I do with it to lose weight
Subtract 500 from that number and that is your calories per day for weight loss. Divide that up among protein, carbs, and fats.
My current weight 78 and I am only 18 most scariest thing I have lot of side fat how can I loss weight and. How calorie I consume
This will help. https://www.muscleandstrength.com/expert-guides/fat-loss
Hello there. I'm a 17 year old male and I'm 177cm tall and weigh 53kg right now.
I'm trying to bulk up to gain weight, and I'm trying to eat over ~2800 calories a day. This will be enough for my daily caloric intake I guess. I'm also exercising 4-6 days a week and love to walk an hour almost every single day.
About my macros, I take in ~380g carbs, ~130g protein and ~90g fat and could be above of these based on my calculation.
What does this daily diet look like for bulking up? I'd love some good advice. Have a good day
I would adjust that very slightly. Go with 150 grams protein and 350 grams carbs. That would confirm you have maximum protein for growth without too many carbs to possibly be converted to fat. Other than that, I think you're on the right track. Let us know how it goes, and thanks for reading M&S!
Hi, im 27, male 175cm height 63 kg weight, just started to hit the gym 3 days a week, and im not sure what to do between strength training or muscle mass, i would like to put some muscle, but i aslo wanna get rid of my belly fat(not much but visible), so should i get into a small calorie deficient first, or just train as musch as i can with the normal calories? from bmr 2512 cal a day:) thank you
Hello, Emil. I do suggest going into a deficit first and getting leaner before shifting to building muscle. Good luck and thanks for reading M&S!
But why? wouldn't I build muscle if I stay with the normal cals?
Maybe, but if you're not leaner, you wouldn't be able to tell. Also, if you don't restrict your calories, excess calories could be stored as bodyfat. You would be doing something similar to a hamster on a wheel, running and going nowhere.
Hello Team Muscle and Strength,
I am 53 years old woman, 158cm with 70 kg. I have body
Fat of 34 procent and would like to lower it. I train
4 x a week ,crossfit and weigthlifting.may I ask your
Advice for a good exercise that I need to take.
Thank you in advance
Hi, Tirta. If you're doing CrossFit and weights four times a week, you may have the training covered. How long have you been working out, and what are your number goals if you have any?
Hi! I am a 33 year old woman. I am 178cm tall and weigh 75 kg. I weight train 3 times a week and try to do two home workouts a week, either HIIT or pilates but I work in an office and probably don't get in enough steps throughout the day. Would I say that I am lightly active with this?
The calculator says my maintenance calories is 2118 (based on lightly active) and I am currently eating 1600 cals a day. Is that enough for weight loss or should I be cutting/ eating more? I am also trying to keep my protein high but still want to lose fat and also gain muscle. Thanks
I would describe you as moderately active, Rachel. Use the numbers for that to determine your number for weight loss instead. Hope it helps.
Hello, I started my weight loss journey last November and have lost roughly 70 pounds. My current weight is 205lbs (height 5’10”) and I want to lose about 15 to 20 more pounds. I have been following a very low calorie plan of around 1200-1400 calories a day on average and feel a little anxious about increasing my calorie intake to the recommended level according to the bmr calculator. I began doing some light resistance training in February and progressed to some more intense workouts over the past four months, 3 days of full body exercise plus 2 days of core and 45 minutes of cardio all 5 days. While I have seen some gains, my overall strength has improved only slightly. According to the bmr calculator, I should be consuming 2954 calories to maintain. At this point, is my low calorie diet actually more of an hindrance to building muscle and losing the last few pounds? Would you recommend eating 500 calories less per day, roughly 2400 calories, or could I use the bmr for my target weight plus a slight deficit for better results? Also, I was thinking to change to a four day split routine? Thanks for any advice anyone could share!
Hi, Bobby. Yes, the deficit is now hurting the cause. 2,400 would be a good start for you until you reach another sticking point. Four day split is a good idea as well. Leave those three days off for recovery, and you should see gains in the near future.
Thanks Roger, appreciate the advice! The website is amazing, glad I found it!
Hi! I am a 25 year old woman, I'm 173cm tall and weigh 60-64kg (it seems to fluctuate a lot). I've been working out
(some cardio and lots of weight training) for about a month now and I'm trying to lose fat but haven't noticed a difference yet. I eat about 90-110 grams of protein a day and basically want to know how many calories I should eat in a day to lose fat (mainly around my stomach area) if I have
a long history of restrictive eating and feels like my body holds onto everything I eat. Thanks! :)
Hi, Olivia. Fill out the calculator above and share your results with me so I can offer the best advice possible here. What I will share with you is that when it comes to weight and bodyfat, the stomach is where it stays first and it's the last place it leaves. You will notice changes everywhere, but it may be slower in the midsection. That is common and shouldn't deter you.
Hi Roger, thanks for taking the time to reply. The calculator gives me 2238. I have definitely noticed that I have gained muscle, especially on my legs/glutes as that's where I predominately focus on my workouts 3 days a week and the other two I focus on more abs and cardio, I'll basically do that for one week and then the next week I'll switch it to 3 days abs/cardio and two days glutes/legs. As I was saying, although I have noticed muscle gain I don't appear to have lost fat anywhere. I usually stay in the range of 1650 to 1800 calories a day, sometimes a bit less and other times a bit more. I try to get in at least 100-120 grams of protein too.
Thanks for the info, Olivia. I would suggest sticking to 1800 but upping the protein to about 140 with around 60 grams of healthy fats a day. The rest can come from natural carb sources such as fruits, veggies, sweet potatoes, rice, etc. Furthermore, hitting upper body at least once a week would help with balance of the physique as well.
Last but not least, keep in mind that the midsection area is the last place you will lose fat because the body is trying to hold onto it, so it will take a lot of consistency to make it happen. That said, I think you can do it.
Hello there
I’m 77.5kg and 178cm female. I walk a atleast 10k steps a day and often 13k +. I also weight lift 4 times per week. Based on this am I moderately active?
Another thing I was really active for 2 months or so and the weight wasn’t coming down even though I was eating 2k calories a day and my BMR is 2500. I then had a couple of weeks where I wasn’t as active (didn’t lift for 2 weeks) and didn’t do many steps. I was still eating the same amount. I stepped on the scales after this two weeks and was 2.5kg lighter and my clothes were much much loser. I assumed this deload period caused me to lose water weight my muscles were holding on to. Could this be right? As soon as I went back tk lifting weights my weight went back up to 77.5kg over night.
Appreciate any advice you can offer.