💪 Health & Fitness

Calorie Target Calculator

Estimate daily calories for maintenance or a goal.

Advertisement

Estimate daily calories for maintenance or a goal. This dedicated page is built for fast, clean calculations and search visibility.

Enter your values, click calculate, and see the result instantly. The page uses a simple, focused layout to improve usability on mobile and desktop.

How to use this calculator

  1. Open the calorie target calculator page.
  2. Enter the required values in the form fields.
  3. Click Calculate to see the result and breakdown.
  4. Use the related links to explore similar tools.
Results are estimates. For lending, taxes, trading, nutrition, or medical decisions, verify with a qualified professional.

Calorie Target Calculator

Estimate daily calories for maintenance or a goal.

Result
    Advertisement

    Setting calorie targets for your goal

    Your calorie target depends on whether you want to lose fat, maintain weight, or build muscle. The starting point is always TDEE, from which you apply a deficit or surplus. Fat loss: TDEE minus 300–500 kcal. At 400 kcal daily deficit, expect approximately 0.4 kg/week of fat loss (400 × 7 = 2,800 kcal ÷ 7,700 kcal/kg). Muscle gain: TDEE plus 150–250 kcal — a small surplus that supports muscle building with minimal fat gain.

    Macronutrient distribution

    • Protein: 1.6–2.2g per kg of body weight. Non-negotiable for both fat loss (preserves muscle) and muscle gain (builds muscle).
    • Fat: Minimum 0.8–1g per kg. Essential for hormonal function. Dropping fat too low impairs testosterone and oestrogen production.
    • Carbohydrates: Fill remaining calories. Carbs fuel training performance and are the most flexible macronutrient to adjust.

    If your fat-loss calorie target feels unmanageable (always hungry, low energy, poor adherence), you're likely in too aggressive a deficit. Options: increase the target by 100–150 kcal, increase protein intake (more satiating per calorie), or add 30–45 minutes of walking per day to maintain the deficit without eating less.

    Frequently asked questions

    How do I calculate my calorie target for fat loss?▼
    Step 1: Estimate TDEE (BMR × activity factor). Step 2: Subtract 300–500 kcal. Step 3: Set protein at 1.8g/kg body weight. Step 4: Set fat at minimum 1g/kg. Step 5: Fill remaining calories with carbs. Example for 75 kg person with 2,200 kcal TDEE: target 1,800 kcal, protein 135g (540 kcal), fat 75g (675 kcal), carbs 146g (584 kcal).
    Should I eat more calories on workout days?▼
    Eating slightly more on training days (100–200 kcal extra, mostly carbs) and slightly less on rest days is an option. Research shows that total weekly calorie balance matters more than daily variation. Both approaches produce similar results; choose whichever is easier to sustain.
    What is 'reverse dieting' and when should I use it?▼
    Reverse dieting involves slowly increasing calories (50–100 kcal per week) after a prolonged deficit to raise TDEE before cutting again. It's used to repair metabolic adaptation and restore hormonal health. After a diet of 3+ months, spending 6–12 weeks reverse dieting before the next cut typically produces better results.
    How many calories should I eat to lose weight but not lose muscle?▼
    Set calories at 400–500 kcal below TDEE and protein at 2–2.2g/kg body weight. The high protein intake is the most important factor for muscle retention in a deficit. Adding resistance training 3–4 times per week provides a stimulus that signals the body to preserve muscle even in a caloric deficit.