Free calculators
Daily calorie intake calculator
Estimate maintenance calories from your age, size, and activity — then see targets for losing or gaining weight.
How many calories do I need?
Daily calorie need is the energy that keeps your weight stable — often called TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). Eat more than that over time and you gain; eat less and you lose. The right number depends on sex, age, height, weight, and how much you move, which is why a personal calculator beats a one-size chart.
How this calorie calculator works
We estimate resting burn with the Mifflin–St Jeor equation, then multiply by an activity factor. Men: 10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age + 5. Women: the same base − 161. Light sitting work uses 1.2×, standing work about 1.55×, walking jobs about 1.725×, and heavy physical work about 1.9×. That product is maintenance (TDEE).
Calories for fat loss or gain
A deficit of about 400–500 kcal per day is a common, sustainable fat-loss pace (very roughly 0.3–0.5 kg per week). A surplus of about 300–500 kcal supports slower muscle gain with less extra fat. We show ~500 below maintenance to lose and ~400 above to gain, and we never suggest going under 1,200 kcal (women) or 1,500 kcal (men). Steeper cuts often backfire: more hunger, less muscle, and a rebound.
Why activity matters
BMR is only the energy you would burn at rest. Jobs and training can add hundreds of calories. If you lift or run on top of an active job, you may need more than the occupation factor; if you selected “very active” but spend evenings on the sofa, start closer to moderately active and adjust after two weeks of honest tracking.
What to do with the number
Pick the target that matches your goal, then log real food for a couple of weeks. If weight does not move, change intake by 100–200 kcal rather than overhauling the plan. Protein, fibre, sleep, and cutting ultra-processed snacks usually make a target easier to hit than willpower alone. Pureo can scan meals and keep calories, sugar, and UPF in view.
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?+
BMR is the energy your organs and resting muscle use. TDEE is BMR plus daily movement. Weight change follows TDEE, not BMR.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?+
A starting point is about 400–500 kcal below maintenance, as long as you stay above the safety floor. Track for two weeks and nudge up or down based on the trend, not a single weigh-in.
Why is my number different from another calculator?+
Formulas differ (Harris–Benedict vs Mifflin–St Jeor), and activity labels are fuzzy. Treat any calculator as a first guess. Your logged intake and weekly weight average are the real answer.
Put the numbers into practice
Pureo helps you scan meals, track calories, and quit sugar and ultra-processed food.
